tickleeforgals said:
Yea, deep down inside that's what I worry about too. But ya gotta ask yourself -- how in god's name have we avoided even 1 nuclear attack for so long?
Because of the aftermath of such an action. No one right now wants to deal with the aftermath of using nuclear weopons unless they are using them for complete destruction as an attempt to make a power play for the world. If thats not what it is (though it would do it if anyone survived) you effectively kill your relations with your allies, you increase your number of enemies, the economy dies, countries cut you off from their natural resources, no one will trade or buy from you, and you are left alone and are dead to the rest of the world. And this is only if you don't die by the same fate you dealt out.
The thing is, America wouldn't die. Because we are the most powerful nation on this Earth in every concievable way, we automatically, by mere presense alone, make ourselves a threat to everyone else. We are the empire everyone else will try and topple. But they realize its futile, and, that if we wanted, we could wipe them out. All of them.
So as it stands, America doesn't do it because we're just not that way, but we have the potential to be. The world thanks us by not overstepping their bounds either (this includes N. Korea). I know its a double-standard on the part of the U.S, but it is what it is. If any other country had the shot at this position we hold in the world, they will have made an attempt at it too.
We're big brother, and everyone begrudgingly accepts that. Its not fair to many and it never will be, but it could be worse, alot worse. We could have Osama Bin Laden or Adolf Hitler's mentality. We don't, and thats something to be deeply grateful for the world over.
EDIT:
America isn't perfect and it never will be. It has failed others in the past, in the present, and it fails itself sometimes or often (depending on your opinions or circumstances) (No country is excempt from failing no matter it's station). But when it comes to maintaining the order of the world or attempting to, I think we've done a pretty damn good job of that since we became a super power with the help of our allies, and that the power is inevitably in good hands trying to do the right thing. We cannot control evil thinking which leads to evil actions however any more than we can control natural disasters or famine. For all that we concievably could do, thats something(s) we cannot. We can try and make plans to slow it down, or help reverse it (which we do), but its ultimately up to fate. Its like an alien invasion. You can plan for it, but will you ever truely be ready? I don't think so. Why? Because you don't know what to expect. It might happen, it might not happen. You can't act until it happens.
A part of the hardship of being in this position is that the world expects us to answer the call every time as if we're a demi-god who has the solution to everything. We cannot help everyone, nor should we be expected to.
We can help bring balance but not peace or prosperity necessarily. Thats up to each individual country.
People like this Kim Jong Il however undermind that all the time (perhaps not fully understanding the reprocussions). And so we have these types of worries, problems, and tensions. Just because some want to be rogues.
Even a single nuclear warhead underminds everything, whether its used or merely stands as a symbolic reference of another country's defiance.
Actually, I just brought up alien invasion a moment ago. And really, if you think about it, that would straighten this world up in a heartbeat (hopefully). We would all unify together to fight the extraterestrial invaders, and if we survive the contact we'll be battered and torn asunder, but we will have realized that there are forces at work more powerful than us as individual countries, even as a race. And with that knowledge in mind, our arrogance will be broken and our unity cemented. The rogues may still exist (and will want to do their own thing), but the world would be in a better way...at least until the next hostile aliens show up, or the same ones return for another war.
Of course, its 50/50 (possibly), and who would ever want that to happen? Its cool in the movies and video games and such, but reality? I'm not so sure.
Or think of it another possibile way- what if they come with an offer to aid specific countries just as a game to see what we'll do to eachother to win their alliegence? That could just drive a further wedge into the mix. And we might end up all dying anyways.
I'm thinking outloud now and I'm tired. I'll stop now. LOL
😛
