this post was submitted on 18 Jun 2025
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Memes

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[–] dessalines@lemmy.ml 37 points 2 days ago (4 children)

And a bunch of dronies in other threads are going on about how "authoritarian" insert X US enemy country is.

No other country has committed more atrocities and wreaked more havoc on the world than the US in the 20-21st centuries.

[–] yogthos@lemmy.ml 24 points 2 days ago

It's not even close, it's also the primary driver of the climate crisis that threatens us as the species.

[–] HiddenLayer555@lemmy.ml 17 points 2 days ago (1 children)

Is that the whataboutism they keep accusing us of?

[–] DragonSidedD@lemmy.ml -5 points 2 days ago (1 children)

Yes, that is exactly what this is.

It is simultaneously true that:

  • The USA has been the global hegemon for almost a century. During this time it has committed serious crimes and needlessly caused many civilian deaths in pursuit of its political goals. To make matters worse, the current US President is overtly antidemocratic and credibly threatening allies and enemies alike.

AND

  • The regime in Iran is overtly theocratic -- and therefore fundamentally disconnected from reality. Its leaders, their media, and as such some of society at large has a Blame-Everyone-Else mentality that MAGA would find extreme. They honestly, truly, deeply believe that God will relieve their suffering only if they can kill all the evil Jews in the Holy Land, and restore the Just rule of Islam (which they happen to speak for). And nukes is the only realistic way they can do that.
[–] dessalines@lemmy.ml 10 points 2 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago) (1 children)

You dronies are so transparent. You only come out to decry X country as soon as the US or its vassals attacks it. Then its all both sides bad.

No country is perfect, but Iran is doing what very few countries are brave enough to do rn, and defending themselves from the child-killing scourge of the middle east.

Even if you oppose Iran's sovereignty or its theocracy, you'll have to admit that Iran's theocracy does far less harm than any given western country does.

[–] daniskarma@lemmy.dbzer0.com 4 points 2 days ago (1 children)

You could really left in "since 1945".

Pre 1945 there are some good contestants for more atrocities and more havoc.

[–] dessalines@lemmy.ml 12 points 2 days ago

There's certainly a lot after that, but this Smedley Butler quote is from 1935:

I spent 33 years and four months in active military service and during that period I spent most of my time as a high class muscle man for Big Business, for Wall Street and the bankers. In short, I was a racketeer, a gangster for capitalism. I helped make Mexico and especially Tampico safe for American oil interests in 1914. I helped make Haiti and Cuba a decent place for the National City Bank boys to collect revenues in. I helped in the raping of half a dozen Central American republics for the benefit of Wall Street. I helped purify Nicaragua for the International Banking House of Brown Brothers in 1902-1912. I brought light to the Dominican Republic for the American sugar interests in 1916. I helped make Honduras right for the American fruit companies in 1903. In China in 1927 I helped see to it that Standard Oil went on its way unmolested. Looking back on it, I might have given Al Capone a few hints. The best he could do was to operate his racket in three districts. I operated on three continents.

And of course there's the native american genocide, unparalleled in history, which mostly took place in the 1800s.

[–] Dialectical_Idealist@lemmygrad.ml 2 points 2 days ago (1 children)
[–] dessalines@lemmy.ml 10 points 2 days ago (2 children)

For the 1800s (and probably earlier), definitely. Someones needs to make the equivalent of the list of US atrocities but for the UK.

[–] PolandIsAStateOfMind@lemmy.ml 10 points 2 days ago

Someones needs to make the equivalent of the list of US atrocities but for the UK.

[–] Samsuma@lemmy.ml 3 points 2 days ago (1 children)

and while that someone is at it, we need a lotta someones to list atrocities committed by each and every single European country.. hoooh boy it'd sure take a while..

[–] eldavi@lemmy.ml 5 points 2 days ago

it would be shorter if you list the atrocities they DIDN'T commit

[–] phoenixz@lemmy.ca 7 points 2 days ago

And that list isn't even complete

[–] Zerush@lemmy.ml 5 points 2 days ago

New US defense headquarter

[–] umbrella@lemmy.ml 15 points 2 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago) (1 children)

here is a more comprehensive list

[–] ShinkanTrain@lemmy.ml 19 points 2 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago) (2 children)

I thought you were joking but Wikipedia really does say that....

[–] phoenixz@lemmy.ca 4 points 2 days ago

Wikipedia burn