Our War-Loving Ruling Class

[Michael Hardner]

12 hours ago, Hodad said:

He was busy sending thousands more at the same time.

The premise of the thread seems strange to me. The neoliberalist and establishment project since 1945 has been to build out a Western Alliance that is economic and Military so as to provide for prosperity.

Until the established order started being challenged more directly in the 21st century the wars were sideshows.

Would you Rather be alive in 2023 or 1914?

[Hodad]

2 hours ago, Michael Hardner said:

The premise of the thread seems strange to me. The neoliberalist and establishment project since 1945 has been to build out a Western Alliance that is economic and Military so as to provide for prosperity.

Until the established order started being challenged more directly in the 21st century the wars were sideshows.

Would you Rather be alive in 2023 or 1914?

Right? The whole point of those alliances is to promote peace and stability. To make the cost of war unappealingly high. And they have been very effective. The world is dramatically safer and more prosperous than it was. 

2023 is a pretty easy answer. 

Except for the a-holes who want to MAGA by threatening and abandoning alliances. I guess they'd have another answer.

[Michael Hardner]

35 minutes ago, Hodad said:

Except for the a-holes who want to MAGA by threatening and abandoning alliances. I guess they'd have another answer.

The Eastern Bloc dissolving has had an appreciable impact on world political economic gyrations.

Without a clear opposition to the liberal order, we lived 'the end of history' as per Fukyama's essay until the 21st century challenges of China, Russia, Islamist Terrorism and especially economic inequity rose up and presented challenges that demanded a level of unity that social media actively tries to erode.

[Mako]

Elite evil:

https://www.alternet.org/2008/03/the_dangerous_atheism_of_christopher_hitchens_and_sam_harris

https://www.cnn.com/2004/ALLPOLITICS/04/21/iraq.hillary/

https://accuracy.org/release/schumers-record-pro-war-backed-by-wall-street/

https://www.npr.org/2022/05/18/1099733752/famine-africa-ukraine-invasion-drought

Edited October 20, 2023 by Mako

[Mako]

The elites serve the interests of neocons, Israelis, Xi Jin Ping, and war profiteers - certainly not the American people.

https://www.realclearpolitics.com/video/2023/02/10/niall_ferguson_the_net_beneficiary_of_the_ukraine_war_is_china.html#!

Xi Jin Ping gleefully watches the U.S. mired in stupid endless ethnic conflict involving Russia, Iran, Hamas, etc.

https://news.yahoo.com/us-dangerously-close-being-pulled-112351113.html?fr=sycsrp_catchall

Edited October 21, 2023 by Mako

[Michael Hardner]

1 hour ago, Mako said:

Elite evil:

https://www.alternet.org/2008/03/the_dangerous_atheism_of_christopher_hitchens_and_sam_harris 

That was an interesting link.  Who is the elite in that one ?  Both sides of that debate (or all 3 individuals) are elite academic left- or centre-leftists.

[Mako]

19 minutes ago, Michael Hardner said:

That was an interesting link.  Who is the elite in that one ?  Both sides of that debate (or all 3 individuals) are elite academic left- or centre-leftists.

Dissident elements of the elite, unlike the bloodthirsty Hitchens and Harris, may be less inclined to war. 
 

Edited October 20, 2023 by Mako