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0 pointsJumpCrisscross5mo ago0 comments

> lot of fancy words to say, "America is a rogue regime

I’m saying all the great powers are rogue regimes by this definition. The only place the ICC applied was Europe, but now even it is ignoring its rulings.

The consensus that restrained the might makes right default of international relations has failed.

0 comments

mmooss5mo ago

> The only place the ICC applied was Europe

There have been people from Africa put on trial - I would guess more than from Europe. Duerte from the Philippines is being prosecuted now.

mullingitover5mo ago

Like it or not, there actually is a global system of government. The problem is that the system of government is anarchic.

churchill5mo ago

Here's why I don't apply the same metric/standard to China & Russia. They don't pontificate about their morals. They're mask-off about their Schmittian approach to power.

Western countries preach about morals, human rights, rules-based order, and all kinds of bullshit but always seem to violate their acclaimed principles every Wednesday.

China sells weapons to everyone who has money, works with all kinds of regimes, and generally have a non-interventionist policy. That's why smaller countries tend to prefer partnering with them. They're not your fairy godmother, but at least they're honest about what they want.

mmooss5mo ago

> China sells weapons to everyone who has money, works with all kinds of regimes, and generally have a non-interventionist policy.

China says that, but they put countries into enormous debt and then control them. They also build naval bases in many of those countries.

> smaller countries tend to prefer partnering with them

Countries near China's borders have turned strongly against their neighbor. The US has built a widespread network of alliances around that.

churchill5mo ago

>China says that, but they put countries into enormous debt and then control them. They also build naval bases in many of those countries.

All the third-world countries that have had their debts to China blow out of control have been able to renegotiate.

>Countries near China's borders have turned strongly against their neighbor. The US has built a widespread network of alliances around that.

I'm not upholding China as a moral actor. They're as utilitarian as anyone else, but they're honest about it, that's all.

1 more reply

JumpCrisscrossOP5mo ago

> They don't pontificate about their morals. They're mask-off about their Schmittian approach to power

What? China regularly sells itself as a peaceful alternative to America. Russia used to make that pitch until the irony became too ridiculous to maintain.

> China sells weapons to everyone who has money, works with all kinds of regimes, and generally have a non-interventionist policy

They’ve been brazen about Taiwan!

> why smaller countries tend to prefer partnering with them

Except all the ones within shooting distance.

j / k navigate · click thread line to collapse

0 comments

mmooss5mo ago

> The only place the ICC applied was Europe

There have been people from Africa put on trial - I would guess more than from Europe. Duerte from the Philippines is being prosecuted now.

mullingitover5mo ago

Like it or not, there actually is a global system of government. The problem is that the system of government is anarchic.

churchill5mo ago

Here's why I don't apply the same metric/standard to China & Russia. They don't pontificate about their morals. They're mask-off about their Schmittian approach to power.

Western countries preach about morals, human rights, rules-based order, and all kinds of bullshit but always seem to violate their acclaimed principles every Wednesday.

mmooss5mo ago

> China sells weapons to everyone who has money, works with all kinds of regimes, and generally have a non-interventionist policy.

China says that, but they put countries into enormous debt and then control them. They also build naval bases in many of those countries.

> smaller countries tend to prefer partnering with them

Countries near China's borders have turned strongly against their neighbor. The US has built a widespread network of alliances around that.

churchill5mo ago

>China says that, but they put countries into enormous debt and then control them. They also build naval bases in many of those countries.

All the third-world countries that have had their debts to China blow out of control have been able to renegotiate.

>Countries near China's borders have turned strongly against their neighbor. The US has built a widespread network of alliances around that.

I'm not upholding China as a moral actor. They're as utilitarian as anyone else, but they're honest about it, that's all.

1 more reply

JumpCrisscrossOP5mo ago

> They don't pontificate about their morals. They're mask-off about their Schmittian approach to power

What? China regularly sells itself as a peaceful alternative to America. Russia used to make that pitch until the irony became too ridiculous to maintain.

> China sells weapons to everyone who has money, works with all kinds of regimes, and generally have a non-interventionist policy

They’ve been brazen about Taiwan!

> why smaller countries tend to prefer partnering with them

Except all the ones within shooting distance.

j / k navigate · click thread line to collapse