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PaperclipPerfector  10d ago (text post)   35660 thread views

Culture War Roundup for the week of January 20, 2025

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But then why the fuck does this argument not apply to China or Russia?

Who says it doesn't?

The Russians and the Chinese both put up with great deals of neighborly behavior they find unneighborly. The Chinese have what they consider an entire secessionist province with substantial foreign smuggling and arms trafficking as a neighbor, and the argument that no, they should not conquer said island is the basis of the most plausible global power war since the cold war. And the Russians have an entire military alliance dedicated to the argument that they should not get to do what they want to the people who dislike them who are right fucking there, and the last time the Russians decided to 'do something' about 'the most vile people' on earth (Nazis!), they are still in fighting that war to great personal detriment as many of their neighbors make the argument that, yes, this argument against intervention does apply to them.

The Chinese have what they consider an entire secessionist province with substantial foreign smuggling and arms trafficking as a neighbor

The Taiwanese are either scared shitless and hoping for more status quo or resigned to an eventual Chinese takeover, maybe with a newer, shinier pinky promise about one country two systems. Taiwan would never dare to provoke the mainland by allowing any serious smuggling or arms trafficking. But I wonder, when they look at America, do they see a strong horse or a weak one?

Who says it doesn't?

You've misunderstood me. I'm willing to at least contemplate the idea that there isn't really anything to be done about the cartels, that the present situation is roughly as good as we can expect and that we should just suck it up. What confuses me is when I'm then told that it's very important that we prosecute a proxy war with Russia on the other side of the world, and that we need to gear up for a Great Power confrontation with China. All the arguments for restraint and toleration of the Cartels likewise appear to me to apply even more so to China and Russia, who have nukes, actual armies, and significant nation-state resources backing them.

I'm not sure you're wrong, but I would really like to see your math.

What math are you confused on?

You are not fighting a direct war with Russia or China, who can inflict considerable costs and losses against the US if engaged directly. This proposal is a proposal to instigate a direct conflict with cartels, who can inflict considerable costs and losses against the US if engaged directly.

This is a cost / math consistency: do not instigate a direct conflict against those who can inflict consider costs and losses if engaged directly.

There are certainly other arguments that can be made on how to react to someone else's instigation of a conflict, but many of these are voided if made by the same people proposing direct conflict instigation (and are generally not my position regardless).

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