Stopping Violent International Aggression

Meanwhile the US runs a nearly worldwide drone assassination program which has killed thousands and regularly hits weddings and funerals. It is widely acknowledged to often kill civilians, often target “the wrong” people based on algorithmic “well, he’s probably a terrorist” calculations,

Note that the “algorithm” in question amounts to “are they actin’ kinda furrin’?”

and has even been used to kill an American citizen without due process.

And then kill his son, who hadn’t done anything except have the wrong parents.

This merely really happened, so it was okay, and nothing to remark about, while Trump suggested doing it, which was utterly unconscionable.

Afghanistan did not attack the US–an independent organization operating in Afghanistan attacked the US. That makes the US 3 for 3 in attacking countries that have not attacked it.

OBL could have pursued the way Ramzi Youssef (who committed the exact same crime in 1993–he just did not succeed in bringing down the towers) was pursued. Youssef was captured in Pakistan, brought back to the US, tried in civilian court, convicted an imprisoned in the SuperMAX penitentiary in Colorado.

I appreciate what you’re trying to say here, however, your characterizations of Russian action in Georgia and Crimea in particular, are factually inaccurate. The other examples you cited are poisoned with the same infuriating spin everyone in the West feels they need to put on Russia.

It’s a jarring inconsistency here considering how spot on you are about most topics. It may prove an interesting journey for you to investigate if you feel so inclined. The stories are hard to parse given so many biased hands in source material – and in “correcting” source material, but the journey is enlightening to say the least.

@Sterling. It’s a sorry state to agree that the US acts like a cop: abuse every trust, break every law, pretend to some vague moral authority and beat the fucking daylights out of anyone who dares say a word against it.

So, there are two routes to go – and though they are the same at the top level and have different ends. One is to stop the US from being the world’s police officer, the other one is to make it a better police officer.

Which do you want?

Us involvement in Latin America: http://www.soaw.org/presente/images/stories/artists/ilcinkhighressm.jpg

Other from Wikipedia:

2000–2009[edit]
2000 – Sierra Leone: On May 12, 2000, a U.S. Navy patrol craft deployed to Sierra Leone to support evacuation operations from that country if needed.[RL30172]
2000 – Nigeria: Special Forces troops are sent to Nigeria to lead a training mission in the county.[10]
2000 – Yemen: On October 12, 2000, after the USS Cole attack in the port of Aden, Yemen, military personnel were deployed to Aden.[RL30172]
2000 – East Timor: On February 25, 2000, a small number of U.S. military personnel were deployed to support the United Nations Transitional Administration in East Timor (UNTAET). [RL30172]
2001 – On April 1, 2001, a mid-air collision between a United States Navy EP-3E ARIES II signals surveillance aircraft and a People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) J-8II interceptor fighter jet resulted in an international dispute between the United States and the People’s Republic of China called the Hainan Island incident.
2001–2014 – War in Afghanistan: The War on Terror begins with Operation Enduring Freedom. On October 7, 2001, U.S. Armed Forces invade Afghanistan in response to the 9/11 attacks and “begin combat action in Afghanistan against Al Qaeda terrorists and their Taliban supporters.”[RL30172]
2002 – Yemen: On November 3, 2002, an American MQ-1 Predator fired a Hellfire missile at a car in Yemen killing Qaed Salim Sinan al-Harethi, an al-Qaeda leader thought to be responsible for the USS Cole bombing.[RL30172]
2002 – Philippines: OEF-Philippines, As of January, U.S. “combat-equipped and combat support forces” have been deployed to the Philippines to train with, assist and advise the Philippines’ Armed Forces in enhancing their “counterterrorist capabilities.”[RL30172]
2002 – Côte d’Ivoire: On September 25, 2002, in response to a rebellion in Côte d’Ivoire, U.S. military personnel went into Côte d’Ivoire to assist in the evacuation of American citizens from Bouaké.[11][RL30172]
2003–2011 – War in Iraq: Operation Iraqi Freedom, March 20, 2003, The United States leads a coalition that includes the United Kingdom, Australia and Poland to invade Iraq with the stated goal being “to disarm Iraq in pursuit of peace, stability, and security both in the Gulf region and in the United States.”[RL30172]
2003 – Liberia: Second Liberian Civil War, On June 9, 2003, President Bush reported that on June 8 he had sent about 35 U.S. Marines into Monrovia, Liberia, to help secure the U.S. Embassy in Nouakchott, Mauritania, and to aid in any necessary evacuation from either Liberia or Mauritania.[RL30172]
2003 – Georgia and Djibouti: “US combat equipped and support forces” had been deployed to Georgia and Djibouti to help in enhancing their “counterterrorist capabilities.”[12]
2004 – Haiti: 2004 Haitian coup d’état occurs, The US first sent 55 combat equipped military personnel to augment the U.S. Embassy security forces there and to protect American citizens and property in light. Later 200 additional US combat-equipped, military personnel were sent to prepare the way for a UN Multinational Interim Force, MINUSTAH.[RL30172]
2004 – War on Terror: U.S. anti-terror related activities were underway in Georgia, Djibouti, Kenya, Ethiopia, Yemen, and Eritrea.[13]
2004–present: The U.S deploys drone strikes to aid in the War in North-West Pakistan
2005–06 – Pakistan: President Bush deploys troops from US Army Air Cav Brigades to provide Humanitarian relief to far remote villages in the Kashmir mountain ranges of Pakistan stricken by a massive earthquake.
2006 – Lebanon: part of the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit[14] begins evacuation of U.S. citizens willing to leave the country in the face of a likely ground invasion by Israel and continued fighting between Hezbollah and the Israeli military.[14][15]
2007 – The Mogadishu Encounter, on November 4, 2007, Somali Pirate’s boarded and attacked a North Korean merchant vessel. Passing U.S. Navy Ships and a helicopter that were patrolling at the time responded to the attack. Once the ship was freed from the pirates, the American forces were given permission to board and assist the wounded crew and handle surviving pirates.
2007 – Somalia: Battle of Ras Kamboni, On January 8, 2007, while the conflict between the Islamic Courts Union and the Transitional Federal Government continues, an AC-130 gunship conducts an aerial strike on a suspected al-Qaeda operative, along with other Islamist fighters, on Badmadow Island near Ras Kamboni in southern Somalia.[16]
2008 – South Ossetia, Georgia: Helped Georgia humanitarian aid,[17] helped to transport Georgian forces from Iraq during the conflict. In the past, the US has provided training and weapons to Georgia.
2010–present[edit]
2010–present – al-Qaeda insurgency in Yemen: The U.S has been launching a series of drone strikes on suspected al-Qaeda and al-Shabaab positions in Yemen.
2010–11 – Operation New Dawn, On February 17, 2010, U.S. Secretary of Defense Robert Gates announced that as of September 1, 2010, the name “Operation Iraqi Freedom” would be replaced by “Operation New Dawn”. This coincides with the reduction of American troops to 50,000.
2011 – 2011 military intervention in Libya: Operation Odyssey Dawn, United States and coalition enforcing U.N. Security Council Resolution 1973 with bombings of Libyan forces.
2011 – Osama Bin Laden is killed by U.S. military forces in Pakistan as part of Operation Neptune Spear.
2011 – Drone strikes on al-Shabab militants begin in Somalia.[18] This marks the 6th nation in which such strikes have been carried out,[19] including Afghanistan, Pakistan, Iraq, Yemen[20] and Libya.
2011–present – Uganda: U.S. Combat troops sent in as advisers to Uganda.[21]
2012 – Jordan: 150 U.S. troops deployed to Jordan to help it contain the Syrian Civil War within Syria’s borders.
2012 – Turkey: 400 troops and two batteries of Patriot missiles sent to Turkey to prevent any missile strikes from Syria.
2012 – Chad: 50 U.S. troops have deployed to the African country of Chad to help evacuate U.S. citizens and embassy personnel from the neighboring Central African Republic’s capital of Bangui in the face of rebel advances toward the city.
2013 – Mali: U.S. forces assisted the French in Operation Serval with air refueling and transport aircraft.
2013 – Somalia: U.S. Air Force planes supported the French in the Bulo Marer hostage rescue attempt. However, they did not use any weapons.
2013 – 2013 Korean crisis
2013 – Navy SEALs conducted a raid in Somalia and possibly killed a senior Al-Shabaab official, simultaneously another raid took place in Tripoli, Libya, where Special Operations Forces captured Abu Anas al Libi (also known as Anas al-Libi)[22]
2014–present – Uganda: V-22 Ospreys, MC-130s, KC-135s and additional U.S. soldiers are sent to Uganda to continue to help African forces search for Joseph Kony.[23]
2014–present – American intervention in Iraq: Hundreds of U.S. troops deployed to protect American assets in Iraq and to advise Iraqi and Kurdish fighters.[24] In August the U.S. Air Force conducted a humanitarian air drop and the U.S. Navy began a series of airstrikes against Islamic State-aligned forces throughout northern Iraq.[25][26]
2014 – 2014 American rescue mission in Syria: The U.S attempted to rescue James Foley and other hostages being held by ISIL. Air strikes were conducted on the ISIL military base known as “Osama bin Laden camp”. Meanwhile, the bombings, Delta teams parachuted near an ISIL high-valued prison. The main roads were blocked to keep any target from escaping. When no hostage was found, the American troops began house to house searches. By this time, ISIL militants began arriving to the area. Heavy fighting occurred until the Americans decided to abandon the mission due to the hostages being nowhere in the area. Although the mission failed, at least 5 ISIL militants were killed, however 1 American troop was wounded. According to the reports, Jordan had a role in the operation and that one Jordanian soldier had been wounded as well. This was unconfirmed.
2014–present – American-led intervention in Syria: American aircraft bomb Islamic State positions in Syria. Airstrikes on al-Qaeda, al-Nusra Front and Khorasan positions are also being conducted.
2014–present – Intervention against the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant: Syrian locals forces and American-led coalition forces launch a series of aerial attacks on ISIL and al-Nusra Front positions in Iraq and Syria.
2014 – 2014 Yemen hostage rescue operations against al-Qaeda: On November 25, U.S Navy SEAL’s and Yemeni Special Forces launched an operations in Yemen in attempt to rescue eight hostages that were being held by al-Qaeda. Although the operation was successful, no American hostages were secured. In the first attempt, six Yemenis, one Saudi Arabian, and one Ethiopian were rescued. On December 4, 2014, al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) threatened to execute the Somers if the U.S failed to the unspecified commands. AQAP also stated that they would be executed if the U.S attempted another rescue operation. On December 6, a second operation was launched. 40 U.S SEALs and 30 Yemeni troops were deployed to the compound. A 10-minute fire fight occurred before the American troops could enter where the remaining hostages (Somers and Korkie) were being held. They were alive, but fatally wounded. Surgery was done in mid air when flying away from the site. Korkie died while in flight, and Somers died once landed on the USS Makin Island. No American troop was killed/injured, however a Yemenis soldier was wounded.
2015 – April 30, 2015 U.S. sends ships to the Strait of Hormuz to shield vessels after Iranian Seizure of commercial vessel: The U.S. Navy deploys warships to protect American commercial vessels passing through the Strait of Hormuz from Iranian interference. Concerns were also raised that Iranian gunships were trailing a U.S. container ship. Iran additionally fired shots over the bow, and seized, a ship registered in the Marshall Islands, part of a long-standing dispute between the two nations.[27]

Asterisk,

That’s just plain silly in a universe in which th U.S. is put forward as counterpoint to evil Russian imperialists. All I need to say is Native Americans.

In the history of any nation, if we go back far enough, is some form of subjugating some people to the interests of others.

I see that you recognize the existence of the greater hegemon but your argument simply makes no sense in a world of nation states.

@Ian

I think your analysis of the Hegemon is accurate and fact based but I wonder what possible gain can be achieved from creating false narratives about Russia and their violent international aggression even if they are only capable of inflicting it on their near abroad. False narratives, some type of liberal relativism and good old Whataboutism won’t change the real history and reality about Russia nor do they change the history of the US when exceptionalists use them for their propaganda.

The last Indian uprising here in NM was a little known Apache standoff with the US Military in the 50’s to help a White rancher save his land from White Sands Missile Range expansion. They were kitted out in warrior dress and paint armed and dangerous and included a NM Supreme Court judge and other professionals, they won the standoff.

The tribes here learned that they couldn’t directly fight the State certainly not militarily so they educated a warrior lawyer force and MBA’s to compete with the White Eyes and they have been successful. The pueblo near my home sells millions of dollars worth of tobacco products and makes about $50 million in profit from their casino resort every year.

The problem with the Indian genocide myth is that there weren’t enough Indians left by the time the US got around to the Indian Wars for them to be able to perform a respectable sized genocide on them. There certainly was a lot of displacement, ethnic cleansing and death before this time but the Spanish pig may have been the source of the diseases that decimated the Indian populations.

I recently read a history of the Comanche bands on the southern plains. They were the only horse Indians who actually fought battles on their horses and they were deadly light cavalry until Sam Colt invented his revolver and evened the odds. When the US Army went after them after the Civil War they spent most of their time riding through endless empty high plains rarely ever seeing a Comanche. They did inflict extreme prejudice on them when they stumbled on a village but in the whole Indian Wars throughout the plains against all the horse tribes about 6500 Indian deaths were recorded.

A great more… What are we going to do now – because that is only time that we can do something about. it is good to talk about Native Americans, if one is ranting, but much much harder to form a plan which encompasses all that we must do.

I love being a commenter (intended spelling).

As much as our informed punditry elevates our nobility, humans have always been biased, rage filled murderers, both individually and culturally. We need enemies and will make them. No facts, wisdom or insight required. So Russia has to be an enemy for the US to sway its minions, like ISIS, or “freedom fighters.” What did King George think of Benjamin Franklin?

So the Chechens need(ed) Russia to be an enemy to consolidate the collective sense of worth, etc.

Blah, blah, blah. No one can do anything individually to alter the course the collective unconscious chooses. Not Ghandi, not Kennedy. Not Hillary, nor Trump will ultimately tip any scale as a result of individual actions. As evil and corrupt as the s/he demon may be, they are respondents to forces larger than themselves. Just like us here in Ian’s comment section. (thanks for the forum Ian!)

Still, all these calls to actions, we must/we should, and laments about how utterly horrid, cruel, petty and vindictive humans are/havebeen/willbe are so much hubris floating like autumn leaves in a bitter wind. The projections of the human psyche onto individuals is a reflection only. The only way to “cure” humans is to evolve. Thankfully, we’ve changed the thermal gradient of the planet to such a degree that evolutionary pressures will come to bear in such a manner to, hopefully, facilitate that transition.

The neos do not know what to do – they want to be running China.

Moi aussi; c’est la même chose.