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re: You're being obtuse again
gbaikie — (archived)

"This really isn't so difficult a point to grasp.

Let's assume for the sake of argument that our ideology is in fact objectively superior."
Our idealogy being... The belief in the Rule of Law, and that citizens retain sovereign power and be able to express this power by voting in representive of our choosing. Freedom of speech, assemble, and etc??

Is being superior to... what? The ideology that every sentient being on the planet must become a devout Muslim? That Govt be formed so as to conform to how it's described in the Koran? And not merely having general basis in Law, but instead the Koran is taken exactly as the letter of the Law. And I guess if we had a UN, it would like being ruled by the Pope (except it would be Muslim).

"When we then say that imposition of ideology at gunpoint is morally acceptable, we're putting the imprimature of our superior society upon such coercion. Coercion becomes one of the characteristics of a superior ideology and the society it creates."

"Coercion" is a characteristic of our superior ideology, it's not a matter of "becoming". For instance, we spent more money on the miltary than compared to any number of countries combined. If a citizen or a nation wants to steal things, we will "coerce" them. Same goes if they want to murder, threaten to do harm, etc... We are willing to "coerce" anyone who is defying the law.

Thus, "inferior" societies which might be inclined to emulate our superior example will have the perfect justification for their own attempts to impose by force their ideology on others. "Well, America did it, and America's always right! We must be right to do it too!"

Say, if France, Russia, and Germany had formed a coalition and had invaded and occupied Iraq, and had done it anywhere near as successful and was as clear about it's intentions as the Coalition is, would we be currently having a problem with this?
[Try to imagine a world in which the US, Britian, and/or Spain wouldn't feel compelled to join their coalition]

"Is it sinking in yet?"

We should never invade a country in order to occupy it unless we first get cooperation & support from all security members of the UN?
Did get it?

Well there is one thing about this POV, makes the massacre in Rwanda easier to explain away.

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