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Been thinking about this "the targeted 3rd worlder is rotten BUT so is imperialism" frame a lot and have some thoughts.
I have seen "they are rotten but so is imperialism" applied to Yugoslavia, Palestine, Iraq, Haiti, Venezuela, Iran, Libya, Syria, Russia, Bolivia, and China. Before or during US led wars.
First problem: it is a kind of ring-kissing: "I am willing to demonize your demons, now will you listen to my tactical antiwar arguments?"
It is undignified. Imperialists deserve contempt and approaching them like a supplicant defuses righteous anger.
It is undignified. Imperialists deserve contempt and approaching them like a supplicant defuses righteous anger.
If it is really true that EVERY targeted third world leader is corrupt, genocidal, authoritarian, dictatorial - is that because the US war machine has a great moral compass?
Or is it that all states and politicians and leaders are rotten - which is a reasonable anarchist position & I am sympathetic.
The question that arises then is, why are we hearing about this now? Why this leader today, among all the others?
The question that arises then is, why are we hearing about this now? Why this leader today, among all the others?
If (and such things have been said) having big imperialist Darth Vader kill local authoritarian Darth Vader can only be good...
Does it matter that these killings only go one way? The targeted countries don't invade the imperialist ones, it is always the other way around.
Does it matter that these killings only go one way? The targeted countries don't invade the imperialist ones, it is always the other way around.
Finally, and most important. Creating a permissive environment for war is more about a mood than an argument. Like a lot of marketing.
When you join the demonization, you are contributing to the mood, which does more for warmongers than your antiwar followup does for peace.
When you join the demonization, you are contributing to the mood, which does more for warmongers than your antiwar followup does for peace.
"3rd world regime X is genocidal BUT imperialism is bad", will be heard as "Imperialism is bad BUT 3rd world regime X is genocidal".
You may have proved you aren't a "tankie", but your anti-imperialism won't get a better hearing as a result.
The end.
The end.
