Come on, stone. I asked you...
Gumby wrote:It sounds like you'd prefer that those regions just slip into chaos on their own as North Korea, Sudan, Iran, China and Syria do whatever they please? Am I understanding you correctly?
...and you avoided the question by saying...
stone wrote:
Gumby, I'm a lot more scared of some future despot getting hold of the US military than I am of North Korea, Sudan, Iran, China and Syria.
Well, nobody asked you if you were more scared of "some future despot."
What I was trying to ask you was...
If you were the Commander-in-Chief of a powerful country (Stonelandia!) would you allow North Korea, Sudan, Iran, China and Syria do whatever they please and slip into chaos? Or would you try your best to help stabilize those strategically important regions?
It's a very simple question.
stone wrote:From what I can see most of the tyrany since WWII has been home grown (eg Mao, Stalin). It is not from invading forces.
Stone, there have been at least 54 invasions — that didn't include the United States — since the end of WWII.
2011 invasion of Tunisia by Libya
2011 invasion of Bahrain by members of the Gulf Cooperation Council
2010 invasion of South Korean Yeonpyeong Island by North Korea
2008 invasion of Gaza by Israel
2008 invasion of Georgia by Russia
2008 invasion of Anjouan by the African Union
2006 invasion of Somalia by Ethiopia
2006 invasion of Lebanon by Israel
1998 invasion of Ethiopia by Eritrea
1990 invasion of Kuwait by Iraq
1989 invasion of Liberia launched from Côte d'Ivoire by the National Patriotic Front of Liberia
1988 invasion of Spratly Islands by China
1982 invasion of Lebanon by Israel
1982 invasion of Falkland Islands initially by Argentine civilians, followed by official Argentina forces
1980 invasion of Iran by Iraq
1979 invasion of Afghanistan by the Soviet Union
1979–1988 invasions of Thailand by Vietnam
1979 invasion of Northern Vietnam by China
1979 invasion of Uganda by Tanzania and Ugandan exiles
1978 invasion of Cambodia by Vietnam, with Soviet support
1978 invasion of Tanzania by Uganda
1978 invasion of Lebanon by Israel
1977 invasion of Cambodia by Vietnam
1977 invasion of Ethiopia by Somalia and Western Somali Liberation Front irregulars
1976 invasion of Paracel Islands by Vietnam
1975 invasion of East Timor by Indonesia
1975 invasion of Spanish Sahara by Morocco
1975 invasion of Poulo Wai Island by Vietnam
1975 invasion of South Vietnam by North Vietnam
1974 invasion of Cyprus by Turkey
1974 invasion of Paracel Islands by China
1973 Invasion of Israel by Egypt and Syria
1972 invasion of South Vietnam by North Vietnam
1971 invasion of East Pakistan by India
1971 invasion of Laos by South Vietnam
1968 invasion of Czechoslovakia by the Warsaw Pact led by the Soviet Union
1968 invasion of South Vietnam by North Vietnam
1967 invasions of Biafra by Nigeria
1967 invasions of Nigeria by Biafra
1967 invasion of Egypt, Syria, and Jordan by Israel
1965 invasion of Pakistan by India
1965 invasion of India by Pakistan Army and irregulars
1964 invasion of the Turkish Cypriot Enclave Kokkina by Cyprus and Greece
1961 invasion of Netherlands New Guinea by Indonesia
1961 invasion of Goa by India
1958 invasion of Laos by North Vietnam
1956 invasion of Hungary by the Soviet Union
1956 invasion of Egypt by France, United Kingdom and Israel
1951 invasion of South Korea by the Chinese People's Volunteer Army and North Korea
1950 invasion of South Korea by North Korea with Soviet support
1950–1951 invasion of Tibet by China
1948 invasion of Israel by Lebanese, Syrian, Iraqi, Egyptian, Transjordanian and other forces
1947 invasion of Kashmir by Pakistan irregulars
1946 invasion of Northern Vietnam by France
Source:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_invasions
So, this idea of yours that invasions don't happen very often is clearly false. They happen all the time.
Now, I'm going to ask you again, and I hope you won't dodge the question this time...
If you were the Commander-in-Chief of the powerful nation of Stonelandia, would you allow North Korea, Sudan, Iran, China and Syria do whatever they please, and slip into chaos? Or would you try your best to help stabilize those strategically important regions?
It's a simple question.
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...President Stone, the Prime Minister of
[some legitimate democratic country] is on a secure line, requesting our assistance. Our troops are in position, and ready to launch their strike mission on your "Go" order. If we don't launch this mission, their country will be overthrown by
[some rogue nation] and it will destabilize the entire region...
...We need an answer, Sir.
Nothing I say should be construed as advice or expertise. I am only sharing opinions which may or may not be applicable in any given case.