Hacker News Reader

Comment by boeingUH60 | Hacker News Reader

> We're the number one threat to peace and stability since 2003, and only getting worse.

As a non-American, I can't believe someone is so self-loathing to think this...yeah sure, America is the biggest threat to peace and stability, not Russia, not Iran, not Hamas...it's definitely America.

View on HN

Think of it more in terms of military power + trigger happiness and less in terms of ideology (good guys and bad guys). Then it might become clearer to you.

While we clearly have the most potential, history suggests that we are not abusing it (well too much). Note that many of those who complain the most are hiding behind the US - when you are in NATO you can sign an anti-landmine treaty with confidence that should they be needed in your country the US will step in and put them down for you. (and if you look at Ukraine today you see why the US doesn't sign those treaties - aweful as they are, in war they work)

Thanks I guffawed.

The US is literally the reason why many countries haven't fallen into disrepair (Israel, the UAE, Saudi, Ukraine, etc.). It's the reason why global trade flourishes in the Western world but, sure, because they've done bad things in the past, some people can't just help but say they're the worst, and it's oddly always self-loathing Americans..

I’ve always wanted to become an honorary American.

Which one of those has killed the most civilians since 2003?

The correct question is not this, but the counterfactual: "How many more civilians around the world would have been killed without this country's influence?"

Which is literally impossible to answer, because we don't have access to counterfactual statistics.

This is almost whimsical in its absurdity.

"I know we've killed millions with torture, cruel sanctions, and pollution - but we had to! Because if we hadn't, where would we all be?!"

A stable middle east, climate change accords, fewer refugees and less pollution. 8 trillion extra dollars to spend on becoming 100% renewable while literally ending homelessness and world hunger. The humanity!

... It's like that scene where Lionel Hutz imagines a world without lawyers. Funny, but sad.

Reply on news.ycombinator.com