Why Do People Hate The West for Trying to Control the Middle East?

Text-only Version: Click HERE to see this thread with all of the graphics, features, and links.



RE: Blaxican
It's not as if the Middle Eastern nations wouldn't try to do the exact same thing to the West if circumstances were switched. ermm

That's just Geopolitics, for you...

StyleTime
Originally posted by RE: Blaxican
It's not as if the Middle Eastern nations wouldn't try to do the exact same thing to the West if circumstances were switched. ermm

I'm not sure the "they would do it too" argument will fly with most people.

Also, it's possible those nations would be just as hated if circumstances were switched. People often react negatively to imperialism.

inimalist
Originally posted by RE: Blaxican
It's not as if the Middle Eastern nations wouldn't try to do the exact same thing to the West if circumstances were switched. ermm

That's just Geopolitics, for you...

because they are upset with the consequences of America's geopolitical choices?

like, you aren't arguing that the West doesn't try to control the middle east, or that the outcome is beneficial to either side, are you?

Symmetric Chaos
Originally posted by RE: Blaxican
It's not as if the Middle Eastern nations wouldn't try to do the exact same thing to the West if circumstances were switched. ermm

What does that statement even mean?

If the Middle East were trying to control the West then the Middle East would be trying to control the West.

Omega Vision
Stepping away from any argument of morality on a pragmatic level the American policy on the Middle East has been a failure.

Originally posted by RE: Blaxican
It's not as if the Middle Eastern nations wouldn't try to do the exact same thing to the West if circumstances were switched. ermm

That's just Geopolitics, for you...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Tours

King Kandy
Originally posted by RE: Blaxican
It's not as if the Middle Eastern nations wouldn't try to do the exact same thing to the West if circumstances were switched. ermm

That's just Geopolitics, for you...
That's an idiotic argument. So because someone else would do a really stupid, ineffective policy, we should do it too? This is the blind leading the blind.

RE: Blaxican
Originally posted by inimalist
because they are upset with the consequences of America's geopolitical choices?

like, you aren't arguing that the West doesn't try to control the middle east, or that the outcome is beneficial to either side, are you? Nope. Fully aware of our douchebaggery. I don't think the douchebaggery is exclusive to the western nations, though.

Originally posted by Omega Vision
Stepping away from any argument of morality on a pragmatic level the American policy on the Middle East has been a failure.


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Tours Yah, I agree. What we're doing now isn't working at all; thank god we're pulling out of Iraq. Kinda curious to see if Obama will really go through with that, though.

Originally posted by King Kandy
That's an idiotic argument. So because someone else would do a really stupid, ineffective policy, we should do it too? This is the blind leading the blind. Interesting. So like, what in your opinion would be a better policy? By the by, I'm hoping you present something at least semi-practical, not, like, some hippie crap like "world peace". Obvs, if the whole world got along there'd be no need for the political games we're playing.

inimalist
Originally posted by RE: Blaxican
Nope. Fully aware of our douchebaggery. I don't think the douchebaggery is exclusive to the western nations, though.

then why are you surprised that people dislike the actions of a douche?

should people on the receiving end of American imperial power really say something like, "well, they feel it is their right to own all the resources of our land and control our government, and that is their pragmatic policy decision, and I can understand that, so I'm not angry!"?

RE: Blaxican
Originally posted by inimalist
then why are you surprised that people dislike the actions of a douche?I specified the West. Nobody likes a douchebag, lol.

Of course not. As someone who isn't on the receiving end of Western* Imperial power, though, how do you feel about the West's goal to **** the rest of the world in an attempt to remain the dominant force on the planet?

siriuswriter
Martin Luther King Jr had an interesting theory that one should fix oneself before going to others to try and fix them.

I agree with him. Maybe people around the world agree with his theory too.

RE: Blaxican
Reminds me of Jesus' saying about removing the straw from your eye before pointing out the straw in others; that's probably where Martin Luther King got it from. It's one of my favorite scriptures, personally.

Do you think that's a realistic expectation of the world, though?

inimalist
Originally posted by RE: Blaxican
Of course not. As someone who isn't on the receiving end of Western* Imperial power, though, how do you feel about the West's goal to **** the rest of the world in an attempt to remain the dominant force on the planet?

conceptually: I think we should work for the survival of our societies and people, of course, and that involves securing certain types of trade and resources.

in practice: I don't think the way the west goes about it, in terms of propping up dictators and the use of covert/conventional military power, is the best way specifically because it breeds the type of resentment you talk about. America doesn't have to prop up a dictator to trade with Canada, or invade Mexico. Obviously there are massive differences between Canada and, say, Columbia or Bahrain, I just think the way we in the West approach other nations in these douchebag ways generally undermines our interests in the long run, though it might be exceedingly profitable in terms of immediate gains.

Lord Lucien
Originally posted by RE: Blaxican
It's not as if the Middle Eastern nations wouldn't try to do the exact same thing to the West if circumstances were switched. ermm

That's just Geopolitics, for you... The weak, disenfranchised, disadvantageous, poor, hungry, and begging all pardon--stupid, naturally distrust/hate those who are strong, enfranchised, advantageous, rich, (non-?)hungry, and begging all pardon--intelligent. Fear, ignorance, desire, and hate are all natural human responses, and those who the hate West's imperialism shouldn't be reprimanded for it. Conversely, those who practice imperialism and take from those that can't hold on are all equally human, and shouldn't be reprimanded either.

I've never understood the notion of "there's the West, and there's the rest". We're all petty, simple creatures trying to grab as much pie for ourselves as we can, and as it happens, one collective is in a much better position to reach more of it than the others. We're winning for now, one day that may change. No biggie.

AsbestosFlaygon
Originally posted by RE: Blaxican
It's not as if the Middle Eastern nations wouldn't try to do the exact same thing to the West if circumstances were switched. ermm

That's just Geopolitics, for you...
The West wants to take control of the oil production, which is not theirs to begin with.

Dying Forum
Some trolls in this thread :-) Not good ones though.

ADarksideJedi
Because no other country should control any others but there own.

lil bitchiness
Originally posted by RE: Blaxican
It's not as if the Middle Eastern nations wouldn't try to do the exact same thing to the West if circumstances were switched. ermm

That's just Geopolitics, for you...

West is hypocritical, and that's why it's hated a bit more.

Anglo-American empire has spilt a lot of blood in history, given, many other have too, yet they're the ones that are constantly preaching about some kind of human rights, international law and democracy, YET, they're the ones constantly breaking international law, human rights and installing dictators around the world that would benefit Euro-American empire.

truejedi
can I just throw out there that those in the Middle East do a TERRIBLE job of controlling the middle east? They should be thankful that someone is trying to control them instead....

alltoomany
the US is just pissed off that they have family values

Zeal Ex Nihilo
Because we're spending trillions of dollars devaluing our currency for Israel, that's ****ing why.

siriuswriter
Originally posted by RE: Blaxican
Reminds me of Jesus' saying about removing the straw from your eye before pointing out the straw in others; that's probably where Martin Luther King got it from. It's one of my favorite scriptures, personally.

Do you think that's a realistic expectation of the world, though?

Obviously not. Do you find it pleasant to confront your own flaws before attempting to clean out your close friend's?

Nobody wants to do that to themselves, even when the group at fault is as large as a country.

RE: Blaxican
I generally don't confront people about issues they have that I share.

On the other hand though, when I do it doesn't bother me a whole lot. I am only human, after all. And on the other hand, sometimes it's necessary to be hypocritical for the sake of someone else. If a mentally ill individual assaulted me and a police officer stopped that person; I wouldn't particularly care if the officer turned out to be a sociopath himself. I'd still be grateful. Dicks **** pussies and asses.

RE: Blaxican
I said on the other hand twice. I have three hands, fyi.

Text-only Version: Click HERE to see this thread with all of the graphics, features, and links.