Here’s where America is going: To Hell and Back

Summary

The article reflects on America's historical role in global affairs, acknowledging past mistakes and the current challenge of responding to Russia's invasion of Ukraine, while advocating for strong leadership and intervention to uphold democratic values and human rights.

Abstract

The text presents a critical examination of the United States' international conduct, noting the difficult balance between moral responsibility and economic interests. It recognizes America's capacity for both error and greatness, emphasizing the nation's potential to lead and serve as the conscience of the world. The author points out past failures to intervene in atrocities, such as the genocides in Cambodia and Bos

But how much better a nation we will be

It’s tough being an American. Our country is expected to hear the call of every needy country in the world. It doesn’t always pay off to be the savior, in fact it can downright turn against you. America has made some bloody awful decisions on the international stage, but too, some great ones.

But in America’s defense, and in my hope for America’s future, lets admit that we could have done so much better had economics not played its role in so many decisions. Sometimes the human condition is so bad, so awful, horrific, that only America can end it.

There will be many who insist that we are not the parent of the rest of the world, indeed I agree. But we can be the conscience. We can be the leader in making sure democracy survives.

What Putin is doing today is checking out the strength of democratic nations, looking for weaknesses, and found them, or thought so, when Trump became president of the United States. We allowed the rest of the world to see America’s ‘funny bone’ and how fragile a democracy can be, and still is. Whether we like it or not, we are the guiding light, the influence, and have reached this position at a very early age in the modern world. We are still a teenager, we make mistakes, bully, want our own way, but we are learning how to be great.

We don’t have to look too far back to consider the errors of our ways. Our country stood back and let Pol Pot’s genocide go unpunished. I’ve hardly met an American student who knows who Pol Pot is or for what his Khmer Rouge was responsible.

Looking back to the breakup of Yugoslavia, ethnic cleansing, Bosnia and that whole fucking mess, America was simply a witness to the Milosevic gamble and the genocide to follow. America loves talking about human rights, but during this time fathers were forced to castrate their sons, impregnate their daughters. And this was the least of it. Despite a worldwide outcry, the United Nations and United States stood by while 200,000 Bosnians were slain. 2,000,000 displaced.

Here me: What the United States DID NOT DO was intervene until it was too late. Bringing to bear armed force to stop genocide. Why? Money.

Is this going to be a repeat of the many times we, as a moral and upright America, let our government turn a blind eye to what is happening in Ukraine?

Russia is two weeks in.

It’s not even a difficult decision. We are not doing it alone. NATO has woken up from decades of sleep. We can save hundreds of thousands of lives.

Biden must be strong enough to come to the people and tell us, yes, we are going to suffer, BUT we are NOT going to stand by and watch innocent democracies suffer.

Fuck me, I’ll pay extra for my gas. If I cannot afford it I’ll damn well walk.

We are not a gutless nation. We make difficult choices. Let’s make this difficult one, and act. Where do these men appear from to hold the world ransom for fear of war? I have family in the armed services. I have grandchildren being raised in a nation that stands for democracy, human rights, pride, and a willingness to be a better country.

I haven’t lost hope

I stand behind Mr. President. Have the courage, sir. God bless you.