CIA Torture report

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Originally Posted by Packy

Yes, it is contradictory to want to be THE most powerful and influential nation in the world...

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Kind of what it all boils down to, doesn't it? Personally, I've grown weary of being #1, top dog, king $#!+. Let someone else wear the crown for a while. As I really try to sort it out there's no reason to think the world would be any worse off with someone else in charge. Americans are decent and compassionate and moral. American isn't. Maybe that's why there are so many places where people love Americans, but hate America. Everyone I know from China is also decent and compassionate and moral. Why don't we give them a shot at the title? In the end, why does it even matter?

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Originally Posted by Gregg

Kind of what it all boils down to, doesn't it? Personally, I've grown weary of being #1, top dog, king $#!+. Let someone else wear the crown for a while. As I really try to sort it out there's no reason to think the world would be any worse off with someone else in charge. Americans are decent and compassionate and moral. America isn't. Maybe that's why there are so many places where people love Americans, but hate America. Everyone I know from China is also decent and compassionate and moral. Why don't we give them a shot at the title? In the end, why does it even matter?

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+1

Also if you want to be super real politic and cynical about it "but all empires torture", I'm not sure of that statement but I suspect that may be the case, then you have to admit punishing other countries like Japan for it after WWII was just victors enjoying their spoils (Japan too wanted to be an empire afterall).

But back to the actual present: Russia (though it's questionable whether they even want it), China, BRICs (now that would be interesting), who says they'd be any worse?

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Originally Posted by Gregg

why does it even matter?

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While it might be geographically attenuated, I don't think morality stops at the border. If my neighbor was being threatened by an abusive ex, or my neighborhood was being terrorized by a biker gang, or young girls were being enslaved by the Islamic State, or whatever... You always have the choice to say screw it, not my problem. And you can't solve all the problems, even if you try. But that doesn't mean your neighbors, neighborhood, country or the world is the same as if you don't try at all. Maybe you should go watch a few It's a Wonderful Life reruns and WWII in Color episodes :-)

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Originally Posted by Yossarian

While it might be geographically attenuated, I don't think morality stops at the border. If my neighbor was being threatened by an abusive ex, or my neighborhood was being terrorized by a biker gang, or young girls were being enslaved by the Islamic State, or whatever... You always have the choice to say screw it, not my problem. And you can't solve all the problems, even if you try. But that doesn't mean your neighbors, neighborhood, country or the world is the same as if you don't try at all. Maybe you should go watch a few It's a Wonderful Life reruns and WWII in Color episodes :-)

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I do agree about moral responsibility, but the U.S. is causing more problems than it is solving.
Our foreign policy - what is it? Whack-a-mole?

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Originally Posted by ApatheticNoMore

But back to the actual present: Russia (though it's questionable whether they even want it), China, BRICs (now that would be interesting), who says they'd be any worse?

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The Georgians
The Chechens
The Ukranians
The Tibetans
The Uighurs
Pretty much anyone with an understanding of 20th century history.

What about the Iraqis, the Libyans, the Vietnamese, much of Latin America, etc.. Pretty much anyone with an understanding of 20th century history.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ToKcmnrE5oY