Where now US allies?

**Dangler** · 11-15-2016

Originally Posted by Pegasus

I had actually thought people from US ally states could comment on how there countries might move forward.

Clearly a case of off topic thread hi-jacking is underway.

**CUSP82** · 11-15-2016

Guilty as charged. But I was just having fun! Ok maybe I'll go to a safe place or get a therapy dog or maybe just some play-dough and a coloring book!

**Bjorn89** · 11-15-2016

Originally Posted by jockinthebox

No, not really....the reason America is disliked is purely based upon historical economic, military, scientific and industrial superiority (unfortunately we're not as superior in ANY of these areas as we once were). ENVY (which is a "nice" word for jealousy) is why America is hated; however, with the arrival of the first bomb or invasion in one of those "anti-American" countries, guess who they scream for assistance from FIRST?

Ofcourse, then you are needed.

I'm talking about un-needed wars like the ones in IRAQ

It's not envy, it's the arrogance that a stereotypical person in the USA does not see. Yes you are strong, so what?

I just don't get how america can invade people, while their inner politics is so chaotic, health care is shit and expensive and people are getting poorer.

USA is not a beacon of light in many regards, neither is my own country. Just stop acting like the USA is perfect it can improve on so many area's.

Because the same can be said for Russia and now China too.

**CUSP82** · 11-15-2016

Iraq; Saddam killed on average 86 innocent people a day but hey who cares? They were Arabs! We should have let him live. Okay back to my safe place; see ya!

**MichaelJackson** · 11-16-2016

Originally Posted by CUSP82

Iraq; Saddam killed on average 86 innocent people a day but hey who cares? They were Arabs! We should have let him live. Okay back to my safe place; see ya!

Got a source for that claim, comrade? Sounds mighty similar to a lot of the other BS spouted in the rush to steal Iraq's oil. We're still waiting to see the WMD's.

**MichaelJackson** · 11-16-2016

Originally Posted by Dangler

Clearly a case of off topic thread hi-jacking is underway.

Sorry that it came across that way from my end; all I wanted to do was broaden the question and rephrase it on moral grounds. From where I stand (Australia), the Trump Presidency is an opportunity to move away from alliance with a state that has caused massive suffering worldwide ever since Vietnam: invading, bombing, funding dictators, sponsoring coups against elected governments, the kind of thing that countries with unchallenged power throughout history have always done.

So whether Trump turns out to be a rational isolationist (as we all hope) or is just batshit crazy, for us it's the time to write our own foreign policy instead of playing follow the leader. It might be easier for US allies to continue sucking up to the US, but the right thing to do is for each to pursue their own defence independently and accept a multipolar rather than a US-dominated world system.

**CUSP82** · 11-16-2016

The source of my claim, and it is not mine, came from the Iraqi Human Rights group based in London England.

**MichaelJackson** · 11-16-2016

Look I've never heard of that organisation and I don't see the value in a "per day" figure anyway, because that's not how massacres occur. Saddam killed ~100,000 people in the Kurdish genocide and no-one is shedding tears that he is gone. However the destruction of the Iraqi state in 2003 led to complete and ongoing social breakdown in a country of some 40 million people. There are studies approximating the subsequent death toll at 500,000 and some two million refugees. On top of that you have the radioactive fallout from depleted uranium weaponry, which is still causing birth defects in Iraqi children and cancer and other health problems for both Iraqis and US servicemen. I have no axe to grind against the American people as such, but this idea that the world is better off for having the US military crusading around is nothing but propaganda.

**MichaelJackson** · 11-16-2016

So just today Trump announced a naval build-up in the Pacific. Supposedly the US Navy will be expanded from 274 to 350 warships: so much for funding his supposed $1 trillion dollar infrastructure plan with cuts to the Pentagon. It looks like Trump's Presidency is going to be more right-Republican than classically isolationist.

**CUSP82** · 11-16-2016

So leaving a guy in power, one who used chemical weapons to kill 10,000 Kurds in one day ( and yes chemical weapons are classified as WMD's) and continued to kill his own people is okay with you? Okay!