U.S. Provides Military Assistance to 73 Percent of World’s Dictatorships
When I was a small boy, it was presumed by the vast majority of Americans that our nation was a force for good in the world. This was not something jammed down our throats; it was something like a paradigm, something so obvious that no one even noticed it.
Superman, the television drama made for kids (and, I suppose, addle brained adults), began by characterizing the hero’s activities as a “never-ending fight for truth, justice, and the American way.” Even at the time, of course, the United States was involved in all kinds of unseemly behavior all over the world, particularly in Latin America, but this was carefully hidden, and the man on the street believed that his country was built upon the premise for freedom and fair play for all.
At a certain point along the way, however, the veil fell off and all of this ceased to matter. Perhaps it began with the disillusionment that followed our military and moral failure in Vietnam. Maybe it was the Freedom of Information Act, followed by the onset of the actual information age, making it possible for anyone interested to locate and then disseminate any unvarnished fact, regardless of how unflattering, that they could get their hands on.
So here we are a few decades later, profiting from helping 73% of the world’s dictators increase their power to suppress their enemies: bombing, killing, capturing, torturing, whatever seems best under the circumstances of the day. When you’re involved in this sort of evil, you don’t even waste your time claiming to be a “good” country.
Craig,
You seem to be becoming more and more divorced from reality!
Are you really contending US social policy was based on the philosophy of “Superman” comics?
Where did all these “Babbits” live in the US of your childhood? Possibly in Disneyland, but certainly not in the Jim Crow states, nor in the industrial northern states, or anywhere really, except for a few sheltered middle class suburban suburbs.
In recent years you have become a fervent believer in slogan and simplistic headlines.
Careful examination of your claim, “US Provides Military Assistance to 73 Percent of World’s Dictatorships”, reveals the statistic is just silly nonsense designed for sensationalism, not accuracy.
The list includes nations such as Rwanda, which while not Switzerland, couldn’t be classed an evil “Dictatorship”. More importantly, the list includes Rwanda as an military aid recipient based on the claim that the US delivered $40,000 dollars worth of military aid!
Now, I’m not sure exactly what $40k would buy in terms of military aid, but I suspect not very much!
The same logic applies to most of the list with figures ranging from Zero (Swaziland,Gabon, Turkmenistan,Somalia, Laos, CAR, Guinea, Congo,etc, but still counted as aid recipients) to nations like Uganda who received the curious sum of $8000!
Very few received actual military aid, most were simply sales of military hardware, training or spare parts.
Nor could most be of the nations classed as “dictatorships”.
Many, like Thailand and Jordan are fairly free societies, others like Rwanda are rebuilding democratic processes after long and bitter civil wars.( Rwanda is one of the few nations with more female legislators than male)
Again, I ask you, what is the point in making all these dubious and sometimes fantastic claims? (save it for Facebook)
Hardcore cracker barrel acolytes such as Glenn Doty may applaud, but has the result of the 2016 election so unbalanced you that feel the need to be comforted by a handful of like minded fanatical “true believers”?
I notice you have no objection to the US trading with repressive regimes like Vietnam or the Peoples Republic of China, yet you condemn long term US allies such as Thailand?
Are the Thai’s evil?
In most of my comments I continually invite you to return to reality, to a more pragmatic, rational and moderate type of advocacy.
The sort of advocacy that is engaging and tolerant of dissent. The sort I practice every day when I talk about or give someone a ride in one of my EV’s.
Return to learning through taking part in informed debate, forget all the hate and angst. Stop finding, or inventing “evil” enemies and once again become filled with the fun, enthusiasm and sheer joy of promoting clean(er) technology.
Co9me back to the centre, where it doesn’t matter if you get a few details wrong or inaccurate, it’s not life or death. In the centre you can be free to admit boo boo’s! No one will call you a “moron” “troll’ or “heretic’.
Everyone in the centre is too interested and excited about real progress.
The centre is where most people live, free of fanaticism and evil lurking under every statement.
It’s not too late to abandon your cracker barrel and rejoin the mainstream of reality.
We would all welcome you back!