Why are we obligated to defend foreign countries? (USA)

submitted by [deleted] from self.politics

[deleted]

all 32 comments
sorted by:
top
newinsightfulfun

[–]suckitreddit 9 insightful - 1 fun9 insightful - 0 fun10 insightful - 1 fun -  (3 children)

My opinion is the USA should only protect itself, and its neighbors. Everyone else, go protect yourself.

[–]PencilPusher55 4 insightful - 1 fun4 insightful - 0 fun5 insightful - 1 fun -  (2 children)

Exactly. I cringe seeing warships patrolling the south china sea.

[–]horatioherbert 6 insightful - 1 fun6 insightful - 0 fun7 insightful - 1 fun -  (1 child)

Who will guarantee safe passage of merchant and civilian ships?

[–]PencilPusher55 3 insightful - 1 fun3 insightful - 0 fun4 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

I am not educated enough to know how that works. But why can't other countries? 195 countries in the world and that is our job?

[–]Ossidiana 7 insightful - 2 fun7 insightful - 1 fun8 insightful - 2 fun -  (12 children)

Hold up. You REALLY think your country has EVER "defended" a foreign country? For real? You're THAT indoctrinated and ignorant?

Perhaps you should open your eyes and see that every country that isn't America is currently cheering for the downfall of the USA. And then ask yourself why we feel that way.

[–]lestratege 2 insightful - 2 fun2 insightful - 1 fun3 insightful - 2 fun -  (1 child)

You REALLY think your country has EVER "defended" a foreign country? For real? You're THAT indoctrinated and ignorant?

They truly do believe this. Even better, they think they won WW1 (despite appearing at the last second) and WW2 (forgetting that the Soviets did the bulk of the work).

[–]PencilPusher55 2 insightful - 1 fun2 insightful - 0 fun3 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

I never sad that nor alluded to it. What I said was that any military presence we have is criticized to the point of making us the bad guys. In virtually every scenario. We all know the Russians took Berlin, we all know that the USA joined WW1 late. My issue is that the contributions of American lives are written off to the point of being downright offensive and disrespectful.

[–]PencilPusher55 2 insightful - 2 fun2 insightful - 1 fun3 insightful - 2 fun -  (6 children)

Does this go for all countries or just the USA? Meaning - all of the other countries worldwide fight for what is right and justice (Yes, this was a joke), but only America is in it for their own good? All of you keep parroting "Your own interests" but without explaining what.

[–]Ossidiana 2 insightful - 1 fun2 insightful - 0 fun3 insightful - 1 fun -  (5 children)

all of the other countries worldwide fight for what is right and justice

Really? Are you fourteen years old? Because you don't seem to have the mindset of an adult. Unless this phrase you wrote was meant to be ironical.

You don't need me to explain to you that no single country ever has ever fought for "right and justice", right? Hopefully you do know all countries ever have always fought only for economical power and resources. America had the economical power and the resources, and other countries didn't like that. It's human nature to hate being the bottom feeder and wanting to get rid of the boss who's commanding you around.

[–]PencilPusher55 4 insightful - 4 fun4 insightful - 3 fun5 insightful - 4 fun -  (4 children)

Why are you so insulting? I don't understand the needless anger LOL. I am just saying this (You'll probably just attack me again). Is there really no scenario where another country comes to the aid of another ally for the sake of just... being an ally? Is it all only to retain the power and eminence of a country?

[–]Ossidiana 1 insightful - 1 fun1 insightful - 0 fun2 insightful - 1 fun -  (3 children)

Is there really no scenario where another country comes to the aid of another ally for the sake of just... being an ally?

Answer: no. Absolutely. Really, who am I talking to? A thirteen years old?

[–]PencilPusher55 4 insightful - 4 fun4 insightful - 3 fun5 insightful - 4 fun -  (2 children)

LOL. You personality is intolerable. Cannot even have a discussion without talking down to others. You're a complete jerkoff.

[–]Ossidiana 1 insightful - 1 fun1 insightful - 0 fun2 insightful - 1 fun -  (1 child)

LOL. You personality is intolerable. Cannot even have a discussion without talking down to others. You're a complete jerkoff.

.....He said, while talking down to her and insulting her.

[–]PencilPusher55 4 insightful - 4 fun4 insightful - 3 fun5 insightful - 4 fun -  (0 children)

Bruhhh ctfu

[–]PencilPusher55 1 insightful - 1 fun1 insightful - 0 fun2 insightful - 1 fun -  (2 children)

So educate me. That's not a combative remark, but I suppose I clearly do not understand it. Why are we hated for helping out in both world wars, coming to the aid of Taiwan, ect, ect. Why?

[–]Ossidiana 1 insightful - 1 fun1 insightful - 0 fun2 insightful - 1 fun -  (1 child)

Why are we hated for helping out in both world wars, coming to the aid of Taiwan

Uh, except America never did anything of the sort.

[–]PencilPusher55 1 insightful - 1 fun1 insightful - 0 fun2 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

We are literally patrolling the south China sea and sending warships to Taiwan because China is planning an invasion.

[–]Chipit 6 insightful - 2 fun6 insightful - 1 fun7 insightful - 2 fun -  (0 children)

It's globalism. The idea that the USA should first use its military to conquer the whole world, put it under the control of the banks, and then become the nucleus for a global governance. You'll notice all of the "enemies list", Venezuela, Iran, China, Russia, etc. are not under the control of our banks.

That's what TPP was all about, creating courts that were above the US Constitution, and then when the American people complained, it would be "Well, can't help it! Treaty! Hands are tied! Sorry everyone!" Then they keep binding together nations in supranational arrangements. This is to the benefit of everyone but us. The American people are the big losers, but our elites are in love with their dream of one world government (it gives their lives meaning) so they'll never stop.

I am so sick of America being blamed no matter what. If we help, it was too late. If we leveled the enemy it was using inhumane tactics (Atomic bomb). If we're attacked we deserve it and if we invade we are imperialists.

That's the beauty of being anti-American. You don't have to take any stands. You don't have to decide what's good and what's not. You simply look at what the Americans are doing and take the opposite stance. You can see why it's so wildly popular in Europe.

Most Europeans are not properly educated on how much they depend on the US. The US is almost exclusively depicted in a negative way and blamed for stuff, while the US is almost never depicted in a positive way and given its due credit. A lot of Europeans directly link their view of their own individual countries and the EU/Europe as a whole to their view of the US as a point of contrast. Because they see things along those lines, and because they want to depict themselves as being superior to the US, they must as a matter of necessity see the US in an unrealistically negative way. Acknowledging that the EU is dependent on the US doesn't help the cause. There are definitely leaders in Europe who are aware of how much Europe depends on the US for defense, but this fact is not in anyway conducive to the larger political agenda and geopolitical outlook in Europe which is all about integration and European unity. In fact, support for the EU is very closely related to anti-Americanism. On reddit you'll see a lot of Europeans admit very openly that they support the EU because they see it as a rival to the US.

A lot of hate Europeans have for the US is not only a product of their ignorance of their dependence on the US, it's also because of their dependence on the US. Europeans take the US for granted and many of those that are aware of their dependence on the US still hate the US because playing second fiddle to the US stings their pride.

[–]JasonCarswellVoluntaryist 4 insightful - 2 fun4 insightful - 1 fun5 insightful - 2 fun -  (0 children)

"Defend" /s

1) Your government is not you.

2) Foreign governments are not their people.

3) All governments are evil.

4) Most people are decent.

5) Don't get upset when people blame "your government".

6) Chillax.

[–]Tom_Bombadil 4 insightful - 1 fun4 insightful - 0 fun5 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

The US was bailing out the banksters investments.

The actual reason.

[–]MyLongestJourney 3 insightful - 1 fun3 insightful - 0 fun4 insightful - 1 fun -  (2 children)

You do not.

You are just defending US interests.

If you withdraw from the international field...

Another major power will take over. No #1 candidate is China.

[–]Chipit 2 insightful - 1 fun2 insightful - 0 fun3 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

Given how Europeans despise America and fawn over China, who can say this is a bad thing? Let China start paying the bill for these ungrateful assholes. It's a millstone off our necks.

[–]bagano1 3 insightful - 1 fun3 insightful - 0 fun4 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

We're not defending them, they're under our sphere of influence...

Part of being an empire.

[–]Urkleburkle 2 insightful - 2 fun2 insightful - 1 fun3 insightful - 2 fun -  (2 children)

As a citizen of a foreign country; you're not. In a way, we foreigners are letting our defenses rot because our weak, stupid leaders think Uncle Sam will step in when the shit hits the fan — which it will because of that very mentality.

The US should be the best US it can be, and then the rest of the western leaders will (hopefully) decide to build up their own national defenses. We have both the capability and the resources, but we lack leaders with the spine to do it.

[–]Chipit 1 insightful - 1 fun1 insightful - 0 fun2 insightful - 1 fun -  (1 child)

It'll never happen. European voters would vote out any government which shared the NATO burden fairly.

They also refuse to intervene if any other NATO country was attacked, while expecting the Americans to do so. Not even joking.

Basically they're spoiled children who grew up to be spoiled adults. What do you do when your dependents have no skills, no way to defend themselves, and the only way they continue to exist is by continued payments on your part? They'd die if you forced them to live on their own and move out of the trailer they live in your back yard.

[–]PencilPusher55 1 insightful - 1 fun1 insightful - 0 fun2 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

Why is military spending such a negative thing? I get it. America is a bit... over the top to some people. But this notion of having a strong independent defense for every and all countries seems like something to be proud of.

[–]lestratege 2 insightful - 2 fun2 insightful - 1 fun3 insightful - 2 fun -  (3 children)

I've got news for you, the Soviets defeated Germany in WW2, not the Americans. The US pursued its own interests, and rightly so. Nobody is blaming them for doing that. What bothers European is how the US PORTRAYS their involvement as "we save your asses", which is ridiculous.

I am so sick of America being blamed no matter what.

Then get the fuck out. That's exactly what Wallace wrote to Truman http://claver.gprep.org/sjochs/wallace%20letter.htm

"How do American actions since V–J Day appear to other nations? I mean by actions the concrete things like $13 billion for the War and Navy Departments, the Bikini tests of the atomic bomb and continued production of bombs, the plan to arm Latin America with our weapons, production of B–29s and planned production of B–36s, and the effort to secure air bases spread over half the globe from which the other half of the globe can be bombed. I cannot but feel that these actions must make it look to the rest of the world as if we were only paying lip service to peace at the conference table. "

See, "lip service". That's what irks people outside the US. It's not so much what the US did or do. It's how it portrays its own actions.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uZwuTI-V8SI

"What's worse I think" part is spot on.

So you're not obligated to do anything. That's how Americans try to make themselves feel indispensable (dixit Hillary). Noone is asking you to, you just like to pretend that you did it for others instead of yourselves (like in WW1 and WW2). Nothing wrong with that, but stop taking others for stupider than they are.

[–]polync 3 insightful - 1 fun3 insightful - 0 fun4 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

Being Russian, I tend to be grateful for any lend-lease and support be it material, people, intelligence or any other means US, UK, and any other country provided during WW2. Because every tank, shell, car or whatever meant less of my people dead and that's the top priority.

Yet nowadays I would be much more happy if US would stick to North America and do not point my home country with thousands nukes, subs, and build bases all around it.

[–]Chipit 2 insightful - 1 fun2 insightful - 0 fun3 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

This is why we need to get the fuck out. You ungrateful assholes despise us and want us gone.

Your mistake is seeing the globalist US security state and thinking it's the American people. They're the ones whose idea is continual subsidies for being allies while we get nothing in return.

[–]PencilPusher55 1 insightful - 1 fun1 insightful - 0 fun2 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

Never said we saved any of you. I said that when we do come to help, for any reason whatsoever, support big or small - we are always seen in a negative light and you keep going back to "Because you think you saved our asses!". Never mentioned that. Only that all of the other countries in war time are heroes who can do no wrong but the Americans were really pulling on over one everyone with their foul agendas.

[–]asterias 2 insightful - 1 fun2 insightful - 0 fun3 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

Because someone decided that it would be beneficial for USA foreign policy and dresses it up in humanitarian clothes. Though even the term "USA foreign policy" is not accurate, as this involves Israel foreign policy as well.

[–]nihilnashwar 1 insightful - 1 fun1 insightful - 0 fun2 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

You make a mess, you clean up or pay up. The USA incorporated is only interested in stealing, not paying up its due. The US should've asked this question before going in and robbing the place of resources. Now if you back off, it will encourage and lets these places under your heels want to do nothing with you and isolate themselves or look for support somewhere else. If one country drops the dollar, its a chain reaction from then on. Without the dollar, the US is dead and will deteriorate in to thousands of warring tribes within weeks.