re: #20 Obdicut

I find those grounds to be completely indefensible, and indistinguishable from the ‘grounds’ that every dictator has used throughout history to excuse their own actions.

I also think it’s factually wrong. By our support for dictators and radical groups in the world, I think we have actively destabilized many countries.

America is not an island, and the more often we take actions solely based on our own calculus of our own benefit, the less often any nation on earth has reason to trust us or support us. The US missed a gigantic opportunity to be a real world leader for democracy and freedom after World War II. Instead, we took a murkier solution, trading being pro-Democracy for being anti-Soviet, and I think Afghanistan shows us the tragic failure of that policy.

There is merit to the point you are trying to make.

That said, do you suggest we cut off the Arab world? Ought we encourage revolt?

Principles and politics are two very different animals, I’m afraid.