It's quite unfortunate that humans as a
species have warred with each other for as long as we have been
alive. Competition among species is nothing new – wolves have alpha
males in their packs, who are challenged by rivals, ants wage war
against other ant colonies, etc.
Humans, though, take war to another
level. North Korea as a country is basically built on waging war (or
at least sabre-rattling). I'd say the USA isn't that far off in that
regard. I've heard it said that the States “needs” a war to
happen somewhere around the world in order for their economy to not
completely tank. I suppose this really only became the status quo
after WW2, but it's sad to see the world's only superpower think it
is a universal protection force, when to those nations it attacks, it
seems nothing more than a bully, meddling in affairs it should have
no business in.
Now for a tangent: If America were not dependant on foreign oil, it would not be fighting wars in countries that have it. They could then focus their military on more important measures (reconstruction of New Orleans is one that pops up in my mind).
If memory of history serves me correctly, America went to Afghanistan because they didn't want Communist Russia taking it over after the Second World War. Not that it could really be “taken over”, as their current central government seems to not exercise power over the whole country anyway. So they armed the mujahideen to battle back the communists. All the while, they continued to forge ties with producers of oil in the Arab World, which, while setting up trade links isn't necessarily a bad thing, only took the views of a few extremists to make it perceived that way.
Now for a tangent: If America were not dependant on foreign oil, it would not be fighting wars in countries that have it. They could then focus their military on more important measures (reconstruction of New Orleans is one that pops up in my mind).
If memory of history serves me correctly, America went to Afghanistan because they didn't want Communist Russia taking it over after the Second World War. Not that it could really be “taken over”, as their current central government seems to not exercise power over the whole country anyway. So they armed the mujahideen to battle back the communists. All the while, they continued to forge ties with producers of oil in the Arab World, which, while setting up trade links isn't necessarily a bad thing, only took the views of a few extremists to make it perceived that way.
Those who chant “death to America”
do it because they believe that the USA is trying to impose its
lifestyle on the rest of the world, while taking the resources of
other countries to benefit its own citizens without much in return.
That's why so many large US businesses outsource their labour. “If
it's cheaper overseas, it will pad the bottom line, and we don't have
to worry about their working conditions. Not that we do over here,
but at least if they try to unionize, we don't have to deal with
it.”
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Where was I?
We shouldn't be waging pointless wars.
I'd really like to see the day when at least 95% of US Army bases in
foreign countries are disbanded. It's fine if the countries get some
economic benefit from their presence, but I can't help feeling like
it's just an extension of the Grand American Empire by having them
there. With the military bases come American corporations, which
syphon money back to America, and away from that country the base is
in. And that's why so many movements that proclaim “death to
America” exist.
They pillage, they plunder, they knock
countries over – all in the name of “democracy” and “free
enterprise”. That makes America sound little better than pirates.
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