this post was submitted on 22 Jan 2024
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It is quite funny that we call our empire rules based order. Athens was also known for using a lot of euphemisms.
Something about pretending that an imperial democracy is a legit thing that can exist seems to make you want to lie to yourself.
What's your alternative when Russia, China, Iran, and North Korea actively seek their own colonialism?
What's your alternative when Russia, China, Iran, and North Korea actively seek their own colonialism?
Why does the existence of multiple evils make you want to defend one particular evil? Why not mention our brutal, murderous or genocidal allies like Saudi or Israel?
Our empire created the problem that is iran, our invasion of iraq showed putin that empires can still destroy foreign countries with no comeuppance, our lack of imperial interests in africa gives russia room to stoke violence and war unchallenged, our antagonism to china encourages them to prop-up NK as a buffer state against our client state on the korean penisula and that same antagonism is driving china to a more belligerent position.
I'm not trying to say that everything is our fault - obviously all those countries are responsible for their fair share of vile behaviour - but our empire has actively contributed to how bad those situations are. All countries are vermin, the more powerful the greater the capacity for evil - and we're the most powerful.
Of course I don't have a step-by-step program to a better world, but it's pretty obvious that we're a big part of the problem and an alternative is needed.
The point is, that rules based system - as flawed as it may be - represents a check against those countries I list currently trying to annex new lands by force.
The point is, there is no rules based order. The rules only apply to the global south, the US has explicitly stated they will bomb or invade The Netherlands if the ICC ever prosecutes a US citizen. It’s just another cynical tool of power projection.
A virus which ends all multicellular life on this planet
We need this imperial order to protect us from imaginary imperial orders.
📽️
There's nothing imaginary about Russia's invasion and attempted annexation of Ukraine. Nothing imaginary about China's wish to take all of Taiwan against the wishes of the Taiwanese. Nothing imaginary about belligerent threats by North Korea against South Korea and Japan. Nothing imaginary about Iran's conduct either. North Korea and Iran ship arms to Russia in support of Ukraine's annexation. As does China trade with Russia for the same purpose.
Nothing imaginary about belligerent threats by North Korea against South Korea and Japan.
The US conducts the largest invasion exercise in the world in South Korea, every single year. WTF are you talking about, calling the DPRK the aggressor? They're literally demonstrating that they can strike back if they're invaded.
You seem to have a tenuous grasp on reality.
Loling at calling China, Iran, or North Korea colonialist.
Taking the most extreme example, how l the fuck could North Korea be colonialist? They also literally changed their foreign policy to abandoned the project of reunification with the Southern puppet regime.
"Southern Puppet Regime"
Anyway, they appear interested in war with South Korea again. And they're shipping arms and ammunition to Russia, which has wound up usef in both Ukraine and by Hamas.
“Southern Puppet Regime”
Yes, the regime that was a military dictatorship all the way into the 80s, whose military is literally under command of US pacific command during war time, who need US permission to fly their imported fighters in peacetime, and who don't have free speech when it comes to talking about the DPRK
Anyway, they appear interested in war with South Korea again.
Ahahahahah. Source? One that isnt funded by a billionaire or a government in service to billionaires please.
And they’re shipping arms and ammunition to Russia, which has wound up usef in both Ukraine and by Hamas.
Hmm, sounds like they sell weapons to groups that oppose the US empire, whether they are regional imperial powers or they're liberation groups.
That doesn't make them colonialist, lmao.
China
Talk to me about Tibet and that very cool and very legal 9 dash line
Do you prefer the old fuedal regime which often treated serfs as slaves to the current autonomous region that a China helped to liberate after a local uprising by Tibetans?
Oh, they invaded and annexed a country because they were backwards and needed civilizing, thank you for the clarification. "Better off under us than before" is probably the #1 imperialism cope bud
The people there didn't "need civilizing" the government needed overthrowing, and Tibetans literally started the process and asked for Chinese assistance.
Next you'll tell me saying that the Confederacy being destroyed and integrated back into the union at the end of the Civil War was "imperialist"
I'm begging you to actually understand what imperialism is. Imperialism is not integrating another country by itself, it involves specific financially extractive structures which are absent in the relationship you describe.
Follow the spice
He is so old he certainly looks like a Guild Navigator.
This avatar is a self portrait in woodcut by Erich Heckel, an artist who was declared degenerate by Nazi Germany, and whose entire catalog up to the 1940s was destroyed by Nazis. He survived and taught art after the war, when these pieces were created.
Spice extends life, but I'm not seeing the eyes of ibad here.
You’re right. I can’t photoedit my way out of a paper bag 🫤
hmmm