Re: The United States is an imperial power that . . .

Post #70,252 by deSitter 12/21/02 2:15:25 PM Reply	Re: The United States is an imperial power that . . . That makes all the difference. There is nothing wrong with spreading the benefits of a market economy. Our "colonies" never have to declare independence from us - unless you count Panama as a colony. We haven't forced Puerto Rico into statehood - it's up to them. Manifest Destiny is an historical curiosity that was discredited even by the time of the Mexican War (1847-8). Grant, who served gallantly in that war, repudiated it, and was not alone. MD did have one huge success - it was pronounced upon the South and made to stick. -drl
Post #70,260 by ben_tilly 12/21/02 4:06:16 PM Reply	Bullshit on Manifest Destiny Manifest Destiny was outmoded when the US was busy annexing half of Mexico? That would be news to Mexico. And news a couple of decades later to Canada when it joined together for mutual defence in 1867 against the threats of the same happening to it. Threats delivered by William Seward who in the same time frame (1866) pusued the same end more peacefully by buying Alaska. Some historical curiousity. Flavouring US actions decades after it was "discredited", and driving politics across the rest of the continent This history of US relations with its neighbours resembles the relationship between a neighbourhood bully and his past targets. The bully doesn't like to admit that he was a bully, and constantly pretends surprise when past targets of his abuse are resentful about it. Regards, Ben "Career politicians are inherently untrustworthy; if it spends its life buzzing around the outhouse, it\ufffds probably a fly." - [link\|http://www.nationalinterest.org/issues/58/Mead.html\|Walter Mead]
Post #70,403 by Brandioch 12/22/02 4:53:42 PM Reply	"past targets"? The bully doesn't like to admit that he was a bully, and constantly pretends surprise when past targets of his abuse are resentful about it. Why are you using the past tense? Aren't there enough current examples? "Current" being defined as happening within the last 20 years. We aren't JUST a bully. We're a RICH BULLY. And we can pay people to do our dirty work when we don't want to sully our hands.
Post #70,408 by ben_tilly 12/22/02 5:18:56 PM Reply	I use the past tense because... ...the countries most directly affected by the past policy of Manifest Destiny are currently US allies. (As if they had a realistic choice about it...) Cheers, Ben "Career politicians are inherently untrustworthy; if it spends its life buzzing around the outhouse, it\ufffds probably a fly." - [link\|http://www.nationalinterest.org/issues/58/Mead.html\|Walter Mead]

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