Cuban regime collapsing

[Soloist]

Using words like "nothing", "all", and making sweeping statements like "the U.S. doesn't do well helping other countries out of poverty." is a a very black and white/good and evil (Manichaean) way of looking at issues. Such statements elide a lot of nuance and a lot of history that may run counter to your claims. I don't like war any more than the next Mennonite, but when we speak of such things I think it's helpful to be a little more measured and little less bombastic.

I tend to look at things from different views I guess. When I’m speaking about that, though I was talking about the government as a monolithic entity I’m sure there are individuals who do care and they very well might look at it that way but I would still stand by my statements. Thanks for explaining your statement, that was what I suspected, but I didn’t know that’s what you intended.

[barnhart]

"The US does not do well at helping other nations out of poverty."

"The US is as successful as any other at helping nations out of poverty."


In my way to thinking both of these statements are true.

[Soloist]

"The US does not do well at helping other nations out of poverty."

"The US is as successful as any other at helping nations out of poverty."


In my way to thinking both of these statements are true.

I can agree with that. Nations are not altruistic

[barnhart]

"The US does not do well at helping other nations out of poverty."

"The US is as successful as any other at helping nations out of poverty."


In my way to thinking both of these statements are true.

I can agree with that. Nations are not altruistic

Even with the best of intentions, the human condition is very complicated often defeats the best of efforts.

[JohnL]

"The US does not do well at helping other nations out of poverty."

"The US is as successful as any other at helping nations out of poverty."

In my way to thinking both of these statements are true.

I can agree with that. Nations are not altruistic

Even with the best of intentions, the human condition is very complicated often defeats the best of efforts.

Yep.

[Bootstrap]

I still wonder how Nicaragua and Iran will turn out. Seems unwise to keep taking down one regime after another with no plan for the day after.

[JohnH]

I still wonder how Nicaragua and Iran will turn out. Seems unwise to keep taking down one regime after another with no plan for the day after.

Yeah, because the complicated plans worked so well before.

[Bootstrap]

I still wonder how Nicaragua and Iran will turn out. Seems unwise to keep taking down one regime after another with no plan for the day after.

Yeah, because the complicated plans worked so well before.

I'm having difficulty following your logic. It will work out better without planning? Attack first, then play it by ear?

To me, the bad experiences of the past should warn us that military invasions do not always translate into good long term results.

[ken_sylvania]

I still wonder how Nicaragua and Iran will turn out. Seems unwise to keep taking down one regime after another with no plan for the day after.

Yeah, because the complicated plans worked so well before.

I'm having difficulty following your logic. It will work out better without planning? Attack first, then play it by ear?

To me, the bad experiences of the past should warn us that military invasions do not always translate into good long term results.

Your comment seemed to imply that the unwise thing about attempted regime change was the lack of a comprehensive plan for what would follow. History would suggest that attempts at regime change rarely go well even with sophisticated planning, so maybe such attempts are unwise regardless of the the level of planning.

[ohio jones]

I still wonder how Nicaragua and Iran will turn out. Seems unwise to keep taking down one regime after another with no plan for the day after.

Nicaragua...
Are you referring to their losses in the World Baseball Classic last week, or has something else been happening recently?

If you mean Iran-Contra, where our meddling in their affairs produced one of our own, surely 40 years should be enough time to draw conclusions on how that turned out.