Libya, Afghanistan, Syria - take your pick. On why leftists in the West need to understand their role. #politics #news #marxism #anarchism #communism #syria #libya #afghanistan #USA #democrats #neoliberals #history #education #humanrights
![The Problem with "Both Sides Are Bad" Narratives in Western Leftist Discourse
In conversations about global politics, particularly within Western leftist circles, there is a recurring tendency to critique US imperialism while simultaneously asserting that the countries resisting this imperialism are “also bad.” This often takes the form of a superficial moralizing stance: "Just because the US is bad doesn’t mean [insert country targeted by the US] isn’t also bad. There can be more than one bad guy!" While this might sound even-handed, it is an intellectually lazy and politically dangerous position that ultimately serves US hegemonic interests. A break down why this approach is flawed and counterproductive.
1. The Global Playing Field is Not Equal
I wrote this before, but it is crucial to understand that politics does not happen in a vacuum. Countries do not exist on an equal playing field. US imperialism is not just another actor in global affairs, it is the dominant force shaping the conditions under which all other nations operate. For over a century, the US and its Western allies have maintained a global capitalist system that subjugates countries in the Global South, forcing their hand: either submit to US hegemony as pliant "assets" or face relentless economic warfare, military aggression, and destabilization campaigns as "enemies."
When other nations commit human rights violations or take actions deemed "authoritarian," these actions do not occur in isolation but within a global framework shaped by US interventionism. Often, these nations are responding to existential threats posed by Western-backed reactionaries, sanctions, funded oppositions or military aggression. To equate their actions with those of the US, the architect of this global order, is both ahistorical and morally disingenuous.](https://friendica-leipzig.de/photo/preview/600/355766 "The Problem with \"Both Sides Are Bad\" Narratives in Western Leftist Discourse
In conversations about global politics, particularly within Western leftist circles, there is a recurring tendency to critique US imperialism while simultaneously asserting that the countries resisting this imperialism are “also bad.” This often takes the form of a superficial moralizing stance: \"Just because the US is bad doesn’t mean [insert country targeted by the US] isn’t also bad. There can be more than one bad guy!\" While this might sound even-handed, it is an intellectually lazy and politically dangerous position that ultimately serves US hegemonic interests. A break down why this approach is flawed and counterproductive.
1. The Global Playing Field is Not Equal
I wrote this before, but it is crucial to understand that politics does not happen in a vacuum. Countries do not exist on an equal playing field. US imperialism is not just another actor in global affairs, it is the dominant force shaping the conditions under which all other nations operate. For over a century, the US and its Western allies have maintained a global capitalist system that subjugates countries in the Global South, forcing their hand: either submit to US hegemony as pliant \"assets\" or face relentless economic warfare, military aggression, and destabilization campaigns as \"enemies.\"
When other nations commit human rights violations or take actions deemed \"authoritarian,\" these actions do not occur in isolation but within a global framework shaped by US interventionism. Often, these nations are responding to existential threats posed by Western-backed reactionaries, sanctions, funded oppositions or military aggression. To equate their actions with those of the US, the architect of this global order, is both ahistorical and morally disingenuous.")
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