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PaperclipPerfector  2mo ago (text post)   1386 thread views

Transnational Thursday for August 29, 2024

Transnational Thursday is a thread for people to discuss international news, foreign policy or international relations history. Feel free as well to drop in with coverage of countries you’re interested in, talk about ongoing dynamics like the wars in Israel or Ukraine, or even just whatever you’re reading.

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Also, isolationism.

Hell, I wouldn’t even mind if those posters actually argued that they want US isolationism. At least that’s a position that can be argued. Instead it’s almost always ”the west shouldn’t” as if ”the west” meant only the US.

I'm not American; I think other countries should also mind their own.

Then you should have no problem saying ”I think [insert your country here] should…”

And of course for many countries in the west, supporting Ukrane is by far the least costly way to stave off Russian agression aimed directly at them.

I think Canada should stay out of foreign wars? Sure -- I do also have opinions on what the US should do since we tend to get dragged along, I think that is legitimate?

I don't care what Europe does, although I have roughly the same sympathy level for the EU as an organization as I do Russia -- this is not because I'm pro-Russia; I am anti-EU.

I think Canada should stay out of foreign wars? Sure -- I do also have opinions on what the US should do since we tend to get dragged along, I think that is legitimate?

Sure, that's a logical position that can be argued. I disagree with it but I have no a problem with people making such argument.

What I do have a problem with is when people talk about "the west" when they're really talking about "US and Canada" when it comes to the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

So you are objecting specifically to people who think the European nations shouldn't meddle in each other's affairs? (Assuming 'West' means NA + EU/UK here?)

If so that also seems like a logical position that could be argued, given that the (early 20th century) Serbian unpleasantness was widely considered to have been kind of a bad idea?

No. I’m objecting to people who say ”the west” when they really mean ”USA” and who assume European countries have no agency and should blindly follow in doing what that person thinks is the best for USA.

I mean that has certainly been their tendency lately...

So your objection is that people who think it's OK for the EU to intervene but not the US shouldn't say "the 'West' should MYOB"? I think I am in the clear; not sure who is doing that, but I'll keep an eye out.

Why are you anti-EU?

They are anti-freedom and want to homogenize the cultures of a bunch of countries I care about -- the former is also true of Russia, and enough in and of itself to make me anti-{x}; the latter is strike two and means I'm maybe even a little more anti-EU than anti-Russia?

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