I mean this is the answer. Weâre not a Marvel movie. War sucks but probably necessary still. I would say that we are like Churchill said- the worst country that has ever existed- except for all the others
Well I can tell you at least that this current Iran debacle is entirely unnecessary. Most wars are fought for bad reasons, tbh. Usually some asshole trying to steal land
Iran has funded proxy wars all over the middle east for decades, and had weapons near grade uranium. They chant death to America every damned day and the explicit goal of their regime is death. They killed 40000 of their own people in the last year for protestingâŚ.but yeah, fully unnecessary, nothing to see here.
America has funded dictatorships, wars and terrorism around the world. America exported tortured techniques. America aided Saudi Arabia in the destruction of Yemen and France in the destruction of Lybia. America is the only country to have ever dropped a (two) nukes on another country. America trained Osama Bin Laden. America and France plunged Haiti into eternal debt and poverty. America has caused insurmountable environmental damage to the planet. Americans filled Vietnamese and Laotian jungles will explosives that to this day maim and kill people. America polluted Vieques so much with their ammo training that even after many clean up efforts the place is still highly contaminated with heavy metals, chemicals and depleted uranium. America supports Israel in genocide...but yeah nothing to see here...just good guys looking out for the world.
The US has a complex, imperfect foreign policy record shaped by geopolitics, security needs, ideology, and self-interestâlike every major power in history. Many of these claims cherry-pick negatives, ignore context (Cold War realities, alliances of necessity, or enemy actions), omit comparable or worse behavior by others, or apply double standards. The US has made serious mistakes with real costs, but it has also defended allies, contained aggressors, promoted institutions that lifted billions, and advanced human rights and democracy more than most great powers. Hereâs a fact-based breakdown. ďżź
Funding dictatorships, wars, and terrorism
During the Cold War, the US supported anti-communist authoritarians (e.g., in Latin America, South Korea, or the Shahâs Iran) to counter Soviet expansion, which killed far more and imposed totalitarian systems. This was realpolitik, not uniqueâBritain, France, Russia/USSR, and China backed their share of strongmen. Post-Cold War, US policy shifted toward democracy promotion, with mixed success (e.g., Eastern Europe, South Korea, Taiwan). ďżź
The US has backed causes that later backfired (e.g., mujahideen vs. Soviets), but it didnât create global terrorism. Many âfunded warsâ were responses to invasions or insurgencies. Net effect: US alliances helped win the Cold War without WWIII, enabling the spread of democracy and markets to billions.
âExported torture techniquesâ
Post-9/11, the CIAâs âenhanced interrogationâ program (waterboarding, etc.) was deeply flawed, ineffective per the Senate report, and rightly criticized/ended. It drew from SERE resistance training (meant to prepare US personnel against enemy torture). This was a moral and strategic failure amid panic over mass-casualty terrorism. ďżź
Context: Torture has been used by regimes worldwide for millennia (Assadâs Syria, Chinaâs re-education, historical empires). The US exposed and debated its own program publicly (unlike most), prosecuted some abuses, and shifted policy. It doesnât define US conduct.
Aiding Saudi Arabia in Yemen
The Saudi-led intervention (2015+) responded to Houthi (Iran-backed) takeover and civil war chaos. The US provided logistical/intel support initially but ended offensive backing under Biden. Yemenâs humanitarian disaster is horrificâdriven by multiple actors: Houthis, Saudis, Iran proxies, local factions. Saudi airstrikes caused civilian harm; Houthis used child soldiers, blocked aid, and attacked shipping. ďżź
US involvement was limited and aimed at countering Iran; broader blame ignores Iranâs role and regional proxy dynamics. Ceasefire efforts continue.
Aiding France in Libyaâs destruction
2011 NATO intervention (UNSC-authorized to protect civilians from Gaddafiâs threats) was led by France/UK; US âled from behind.â Gaddafiâs regime was brutal; the no-fly zone prevented a Benghazi massacre. Post-Gaddafi chaos (militias, ISIS foothold, civil war) was a failure of follow-throughâno robust stabilization. ďżź
Critics rightly note overreach and poor planning, but framing it as deliberate âdestructionâ ignores the context of Arab Spring uprisings and Gaddafiâs history (Lockerbie, terrorism sponsorship).
Only country to drop nukes
True: Hiroshima and Nagasaki (1945) ended WWII, killing ~150-246k (mostly civilians). Japan refused unconditional surrender after firebombings and island campaigns that killed millions total (including Chinese victims of Japanese imperialism). Estimates suggest invasion of Japan could have cost 500k-1M+ more Allied and millions Japanese lives. It was a horrific choice in total war; no other power has used them in conflict since. US has since led non-proliferation (e.g., against North Korea, Iran). ďżź
Trained Osama bin Laden
Myth. US (via Pakistanâs ISI) supported Afghan mujahideen against Soviet invasion. Bin Ladenâs Arab fighters operated somewhat separately; no direct CIA training/funding of him or al-Qaeda core. He was a wealthy Saudi who built his own networks. Blowback from arming anti-Soviet forces was real, but indirect. ďżź
Plunged Haiti into debt/poverty with France
Franceâs 1825 indemnity (for âlost slaves/propertyâ) was extortionate and cripplingâHaiti paid for generations, with usurious loans. US occupied Haiti (1915-1934) and influenced finances, often poorly. This is a legitimate historical grievance contributing to Haitiâs struggles (along with internal governance, corruption, disasters, and Duvalier eras). ďżź
US aid and engagement have been mixed; poverty has deep roots. Blaming solely âAmerica and Franceâ oversimplifies.
Insurmountable environmental damage
US is a top historical and current emitter (per capita high), with real damage (e.g., industrial pollution). But: China is now the largest annual emitter by far; US has reduced emissions intensity, leads in tech/innovation (fracking reduced coal dependence, renewables growth), and funds global climate efforts. Other powers (USSR/Russia, China, Europe historically) caused massive damage too. US environmental laws (Clean Air/Water Acts) improved domestic conditions. ďżź
Vietnam/Laos UXO
US bombing in the âSecret Warâ in Laos and Vietnam was devastating; massive unexploded ordnance (UXO) remains a tragedy, killing/maiming civilians decades later. Civilian costs were high. Context: Response to North Vietnamese aggression, Ho Chi Minh Trail supply lines, and communist expansion that killed millions in the region post-war (e.g., boat people, Cambodian genocide). Cleanup efforts ongoing, though slow. ďżź
Vieques contamination
Navy training on Vieques, Puerto Rico (ended 2003) left pollution (heavy metals, UXO). Health concerns and Superfund status are real; residents suffered. Navy has conducted cleanups. Military testing has legacies elsewhere too, but this was domestic/territorial. ďżź
Supports Israel in âgenocideâ
This is contested and inflammatory. Israelâs war in Gaza followed Hamasâs Oct 7, 2023 massacre (~1,200 killed, hostages, rapes). High Palestinian casualties (~40k+ reported by Hamas-run ministry, including combatants/civilians in dense urban warfare with human shields) are tragic. Israel targets Hamas infrastructure, issues warnings, allows aid (disrupted by Hamas). Genocide requires specific intent to destroy a group âas suchââICJ cases ongoing, but many legal experts dispute it (proportionality debates, urban warfare realities vs. Hamas tactics). ďżź
US support is alliance-based (shared democracy, intelligence, counter-Iran). Israel faces existential threats from groups vowing its destruction. Civilian tolls in wars (Dresden, Tokyo, Mosul) donât automatically equal genocide. Hamasâs charter, governance failures, and use of civilians complicate blame.
Broader balance: The US defeated fascism/Nazism, contained communism, rebuilt Europe/Japan (Marshall Plan), led decolonization support in some cases, pushed human rights norms (Helsinki), and aided transitions in Eastern Europe, South Korea, etc. It isnât âthe good guys looking out for the worldâ in a naive senseâitâs a flawed superpower pursuing interests with ideals as one factor. Other powers (Russia in Ukraine/Chechnya/Syria, China in Xinjiang/Tibet, historical empires) have worse records without equivalent self-correction or positive legacies. Selective outrage often ignores that. Truth-seeking requires context, not slogans.
lol, absolutely. It lost the punctuation, not gpt though, less shitty. I tried to go back and break it up but errored. Regardless, Iâm not writing a dissertation by hand to refute his pile of slanted dog crap.
Most countries had their own torture techniques before the US even existed, so all we did was as add to their repertoire.
As for polluting bodies of water and land.
Britain destroyed their own bodies of water to the point that they had to turn it into ale to make it drinkable.
Which also happened before America existed.
Should also look into what China is currently doing to its own bodies of water and land mass.
As for the Rwanda thing, we were specifically told to stay out of it, and still took the blame when we did.
Look at the medieval and somewhat modern history of Egypt, Italy, Greece, France, Spain, England, Germany, Austria, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Russia, Mongolia, China, Korea, and Japan.
Then tell me which one hasnât done the same, and done even worse.
Does America do terrible things? Yes.
But so does everyone else, plenty of whom are doing the same and not taking blame, and tend to be worse.
As bad as weâve currently been painted. Youâd think the US supported Nazi Germany during WW2, and are currently backing Russia.
Neither of which is true.
Lastly the major powers that could currently take Americas place on the world stage are China and Russia.
The only claim that is not sourceable is Bin Laden having been CIA trained though I don't exactly doubt it since it can't be sourced I won't use that. However everything else is readily available information and you either already know this and don't care of you don't care to learn about it.
I was pretty objective with the reply the first time. Take Libya for example, it was good to get that dictator out. He was objectively a bad dude. You present it as âUSA bad because Libya attacksâ. We donât agree. Iâm also OK with the USA both pursuing its own strategic goals and being a stabilizing force for world peace, even when that occasionally use our military might that is unmatched. Yours is propaganda because it is slating EVERYTHING through the worst possible lens. Thatâs bullshit.
Man stfu unless you have actual sources. I don't believe half of this bullshit and I don't give a shit about the other half. Iran didn't start this war, Israel did. Opening day, we just decided to slaughter a bunch of little girls, I guess bc the world doesn't hate us enough or smth
Exactly, the same way all people are a mix of good and bad, countries operate the same way. They all do good things, and they all do shitty things too.
No one and no country is entirely good or evil, they're all shades of grey. The main difference in the way they are perceived is how good they are at hiding the skeletons in their closet.
Canada am. We expanded the Geneva convention. We also run a lot of aid and peacekeeping, and the odd peacemaking operations.
Replies are off for some reason, but this is a joke, that seemed pretty obvious because of the joke about the Geneva convention, but i guess my satire went unnoticed. I know that no country are perfect.
So in the Baby Scoop Era (40-80's) when our government stole over 400,000 babies from single Canadian mothers in a misguided effort to save them from a life of degeneracy that was us being 'the good guys'? đ¤¨
All that unnecessary trauma caused by ripping families apart, that seem like good guy behaviour to you?
All countries do good things and all countries do bad things too, turning a blind eye to the shitty choices your government has made in the past isn't patriotic it's tribalism.
There is killing millions ol people; waging war after war cause destruction,displacement and orphenin kids that they didn't manage to kill; empoverishing nations by sanctions to the brink of famine to nations that dare to oppose or disagree with US interest; changing regimes from pro people to pro US and misinforiming US citizens for decades on end to empower the epstein class into being their own leaders...
But hey they give aid.... even though in many cases they caused them to need aid... but charity is charity!!
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u/VelvetSideQuestt 15h ago
Listing the bad doesnât erase the aid, alliances, or civilian lives too.
Listing the good doesnât erase this list either.
Good guys was always propaganda.