Asian perspectives of the US have shifted from a country once perceived as a force of “moral legitimacy” to something akin to “a landlord seeking rent,” Singapore’s defense chief said on the sidelines of an international security meeting.

https://archive.is/KYXtX

  • Asian perspectives of the US have shifted from a country once perceived as a force of “moral legitimacy” to something akin to “a landlord seeking rent,” Singapore’s defense chief said
  • Buffalox@lemmy.worldEnglish
    61·
    7 hours ago

    Are you really saying Trump is the same? Nothing has changed with Trump?

    • alykanas@slrpnk.netEnglish
      35·
      6 hours ago

      I’ve gone back over my comment, and I can’t see any where I said anything about Trump.

      I checked what Ng Eng Hen said, and he didn’t mention Trump, so do you mind if we stay on topic ?

      • Buffalox@lemmy.worldEnglish
        21·
        5 hours ago

        Viewing US as landlord is about how USA behaves towards them.
        How USA behaves towards foreign countries is determined primarily by the president.
        You stating it’s the same, is the same as stating Trump is no different from other presidents.
        If you were misunderstood, it would be better to explain what you actually meant.

        • alykanas@slrpnk.netEnglish
          3·
          3 hours ago

          Viewing US as landlord is about how USA behaves towards them.

          towards everyone, is his point. He doesn’t cite anything singapore specific

          How USA behaves towards foreign countries is determined primarily by the president.

          nope. it’s long standing US foreign policy. president come and go, USA efforts to steal or secure the earth resources for themselves remain unchanged. Ask :

          • Chile, backed a coup against President Salvador Allende, who had nationalized Chile’s copper industry, replacing him with General Augusto Pinochet. This ensured that U.S. companies, such as Anaconda Copper and Kennecott, continued benefiting from Chilean resources.

          • Venezuela, has the world’s largest proven oil reserves. The U.S. has long influenced Venezuelan politics, including supporting a failed coup against Hugo Chávez in 2002 and imposing sanctions on Nicolás Maduro’s government.

          • Saudi Arabia, instigating the Petrol dollar in exchange for backing the house of saud in their theocratic dictatorship.

          • Brazil, covertly supported the military coup that overthrew President João Goulart,

          • Argentina, U.S. supported the military coup against Isabel Perón, leading to a brutal dictatorship (1976–1983). Then Operation Condor , of course.

          • Iraq, a million dead, to secure oil and contracts.for American and allied companies . Previously oil in Iraq was nationalised.

          • Ukraine. Troops in 2014, election interference, in exchange for agri contracts for monsato Thats not including today, where they are trying to walk away with the mining contracts., despite insisting it’s Europes problem.

          …then there’s DR Congo, Afghanistan and so on.

          but I suspect you think America has been benevolently defending these places in the name of freedom, and that Trump is some sort of rogue. From the persepective of the rest of the world, He hasn’t said, or done anything even make the top ten yet.

          • Buffalox@lemmy.worldEnglish
            1·
            44 seconds ago

            but I suspect you think America has been benevolently defending these places

            I don’t, but Yes USA has manipulated countries in the past, your list is about 7 incidents in 50 years depending on how they are counted. But I’m not sure we can really hold for instance Afghanistan against USA, the conditions and atrocities in Afghanistan are actually worse both before and after the allies were there. And the invasion was legitimate endorsed by UN and a reaction on an attack on USA. The main problem is that it was a futile effort. And it’s mostly the same with DR Congo.
            Venezuela under Hugo Chavez is a disaster of poverty, inefficiency and suffering despite the riches of the country. And no doubt it’s an illegitimate totalitarian government with fake elections.

            In Argentina Juan Peron was inspired by Italian fascism, and became a dictator himself, Isabel Peron became president purely due to nepotism, without election because Juan Peron died. She was NOT liked by the population, and not a legitimate leader.

            I’m not saying these things necessarily justify outside interference (except Afghanistan), but the situations you mention although they are mostly bad, they are not equally bad. And Trump is already at it with 3 countries in 1 month that we know of.

            Trump is Threatening to invade Greenland despite it’s a trusted NATO ally. he is also saying USA will take over Gaza, and throw out all the Arabs. And finally extorting Ukraine for money to help defend a democracy against Russia, which is also US and NATO interest to prevent take over Ukraine.

            USA may have been a mixed bag before, with some very bad things mixed in, but also a defender of democracy and freedom, but now USA is no longer a mixed bag, it’s ALL bad.
            So IMO you still can’t claim Trump isn’t worse than any other US president ever.
            You are making a false equivalence, although we agree on at least most of the examples from your list are bad too.

            PS: You forgot overthrowing democracy in Iran, and instating the Sha as dictator. That’s one of my personal top points of bad things USA has done.