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#1
Off the Record / Re: Iran War?
Last post by DGuller - Today at 03:09:03 PM
Quote from: Bauer on Today at 02:56:18 PMI thought NATO was a purely defensive alliance anyways.  Which always made Putins hysterics about it irreverent.
Purely defensive alliances can still be very aggressive, if they keep you from regaining the territory that you consider yours.
#2
Off the Record / Re: Iran War?
Last post by Jacob - Today at 03:08:42 PM
Buddy told me about a twitter post he saw (rephrasing from memory):

"There'll be no World War III. The numbered release model isn't working for us, we've transitioned to a Seasonal DLC release model."
#3
Off the Record / Re: Iran War?
Last post by Bauer - Today at 02:56:18 PM
I thought NATO was a purely defensive alliance anyways.  Which always made Putins hysterics about it irreverent.
#4
Off the Record / Re: Cuba vs Trump
Last post by Baron von Schtinkenbutt - Today at 02:27:15 PM
Quote from: The Minsky Moment on Today at 01:30:05 PMThe US extraditing its own war criminals to get around a dubious pardon is within the Overton Window at this point, is as a full descent into fascism and many other possible outcomes.

I think it's in the Overton Window, but only because I think a major international or civil war is within it as well.  I think one of those is necessary for extradition to happen.  I hope I'm wrong, but I don't think the signs are encouraging.

Quote from: Valmy on Today at 01:35:04 PMBrutal crime against humanity. We have done far more destruction to Cuba's people than every excess of their governments going back to independence.

Just depressing.

It is, depressing and unnecessary.  However, tying back into my other point, this was also the long-time argument against the crippling sanctions imposed on Iraq between 1991 and 2003.

This is another reason I don't think any extradition request would be fulfilled without some sort of serious external impetus: too many still don't see actions like cutting of Cuba from oil as a crime (even if they disagree with it as a measure).  We've had decades of other people protesting all the "war crimes" and "crimes against humanity" the US as allegedly committed.  Our governments have punished (or attempted to punish) those that we agree are actually crimes, but there are many where our governments, and a significant number of our people, don't think the alleged actions constitute crimes.  That's why there has been universal disdain for the idea of the ICC making judgement on Americans.  Perhaps the Trump regime will drive a change whereby we start doing it for the clear cases where we agree with the ICC, but as I mentioned above I'm not encouraged.
#5
Off the Record / Re: Cuba vs Trump
Last post by The Minsky Moment - Today at 02:25:40 PM
Hegseth already has a long charge sheet and he's barely served a year.

His fingerprints are all over the Iranian school bombing which appears to be at least gross negligence or reckless indifference, given the full circumstances that are known and his own statements about eschewing "stupid rules of engagement" for maximum lethality.

There were also the murders of the individuals on boats in the Caribbean, which appear to have been directed under his orders and authorization.  Deliberate violations of both domestic and international law resulting in the deaths of multiple people.

In the broader context of his openly expressed contempt of international law or indeed any legal or moral restraint on violence committed under the purported color of American military action, I believe a strong case could be made already and he is still busy adding to the outrages.
#6
Off the Record / Re: What does a TRUMP presiden...
Last post by The Brain - Today at 02:16:09 PM
It's frightening that we have to go back to the Carter administration to find such disregard for democracy.
#7
Off the Record / Re: Iran War?
Last post by Baron von Schtinkenbutt - Today at 02:08:09 PM
I think he's mainly upset that our NATO allies are not US vassals the way the tankie army keeps claiming they are.
#8
Off the Record / Re: Iran War?
Last post by Crazy_Ivan80 - Today at 01:42:38 PM
Quote from: Zanza on Today at 01:20:53 PMAs Trump threatened invasions of two NATO members recently, I guess this rejection will not make a difference. He seemed fixated on ending NATO even before.

indeed.
#9
Off the Record / Re: Cuba vs Trump
Last post by Valmy - Today at 01:35:04 PM
Brutal crime against humanity. We have done far more destruction to Cuba's people than every excess of their governments going back to independence.

Just depressing.
#10
Off the Record / Re: Cuba vs Trump
Last post by The Minsky Moment - Today at 01:30:05 PM
I think we are making a lot of unwarranted assumptions about the future. In 2014, no one would have thought that America would be doing the things it has been doing in 2025.  Trump has unmoored traditional assumptions and restraints and that can lead into many different directions.  The US extraditing its own war criminals to get around a dubious pardon is within the Overton Window at this point, is as a full descent into fascism and many other possible outcomes.