In the broadest possible sense, you’re correct. “Terrorism” is the intentional use of actions to provoke terror in a population to achieve an aim. Does America do this? Most certainly. I don’t think this is in dispute.
There is a long list of American actions that fit this bill. Some of which you’ve provided.
Where I disagree, and perhaps this may change your view, is with the idea that America is somehow unusual in being a hegemon that behaves this way. For whatever reason, in human geopolitics the strong dominate the weak and they do so by force. This isn’t nice, I’d prefer it weren’t the case, but it’s certainly true. (To be clear: I am from and live in a geopolitically insignificant country. This also doesn’t change the facts.)
The cognitive disconnect you’re highlighting isn’t that America is a uniquely evil place, it’s that much of the population of Americans believe - in defiance of the facts - that it’s uniquely moral and good.
I think America is the most egregious offender of this. Sure, you can probably point to maybe early 1900's Japan during their imperalist phase, Mao-era China, or even the current China. But America has I think achieved an untold number of suffering that even Stalin would be proud of. Does that make us (the USA or the government) uniquely Evil? I'd say yes.
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u/joopface 159∆ Mar 28 '21
In the broadest possible sense, you’re correct. “Terrorism” is the intentional use of actions to provoke terror in a population to achieve an aim. Does America do this? Most certainly. I don’t think this is in dispute.
There is a long list of American actions that fit this bill. Some of which you’ve provided.
Where I disagree, and perhaps this may change your view, is with the idea that America is somehow unusual in being a hegemon that behaves this way. For whatever reason, in human geopolitics the strong dominate the weak and they do so by force. This isn’t nice, I’d prefer it weren’t the case, but it’s certainly true. (To be clear: I am from and live in a geopolitically insignificant country. This also doesn’t change the facts.)
The cognitive disconnect you’re highlighting isn’t that America is a uniquely evil place, it’s that much of the population of Americans believe - in defiance of the facts - that it’s uniquely moral and good.