If violence is not solving your problem, you are not using it enough.
The US was founded basically by taking over and killing off almost all of the natives in the country. With violence it started its history. With violence it gained its first pot of gold with slavery. With violence it walked out of the Great Depression by selling weapons and resources to countries from both sides of World War 2. With violence it cemented its domination and with violence it enforced its will on other countries.
Protection Money
In the movies, we often see the triads roaming along the streets collecting protection money from the poor citizens. On top of it, they also set up some sleazy businesses in certain locations. Each triad has their own territory which they managed. Because of their numbers, the poor citizens had to suffer and the police had trouble clearing out all of them. Corruption in the police force and the government officials made it even more difficult to weed out these people.
On the international stage, the US has deployed approximately 173,000 troops in 159 countries, with 750 bases in 80 countries. Of the 80 countries, Japan had 120 active US bases, followed by Germany and South Korea at 119 and 73 respectively, making them the top 3 countries with the most US bases. In name, this is the US actively helping out its allies to maintain peace in the region. Naturally, these countries have to pay US a certain sum of money to maintain their forces over there.
Just like how the commoners cannot build up their own community, Japan is not allowed to have its own military, but has to rely on US for its defence. Forcing people to pay protection money in order to maintain the forces in the region is like what the triads do. You better pay or else.
Control
On the surface, the US is maintaining peace, but in actual reality they are controlling these countries with brute force. One cannot said to be fully independent and sovereign if another country had so much military forces inside your own country. The crimes which US soldiers did in these countries and got away scot-free have been documented far too many, but that is not today’s main topic. The mere military presence is a constant reminder and threat that Big Brother’s words are absolute.
With a defence budget of about 773 billion USD, it spends more than the next 10 countries combined, yet it criticises others when they increased their defence budget. Having an extensive nuclear stockpile of its own, it actively tries to tear down countries which tried to have their own nuclear ability. Only when others remain weak will they continue to remain under its control, with free rein to apply its double standards everywhere from starting a war to defence spending.
In fact, the Pentagon spent so much time and resources fighting wars it might as well change its name from Department of Defense to Ministry of War.
Capability And Willingness To Exercise Violence
One is feared when he has the ability and the willingness to execute violence. That is why the triads are feared by the common man. A man is not feared when he has the gun but dares not shoot, nor a man who is willing to fight but has no strength. China has the ability, but not the willingness to exercise outright violence, hence other countries are more willing to keep on testing the red line. After Pelosi’s visit to Taiwan, more foreign delegates visited Taiwan and will continue to do so. Russia was originally the same, giving in repeatedly while NATO expanded right up to Russia’s doorstep, stepping on the very last red line. Once the war was started, everybody knew Russia was willing to go down the road of violence. Once one has proved that he is willing and able to exercise violence, one’s words hold weight. This is evident from the original no-fly zone which Europe intended to put up over Ukraine, but Russia declared that whoever does it is an enemy of Russia. We have not heard anything about the no-fly zone after that.
I do not need to provide further proof to US’ military capabilities. Its constant war in modern history includes the Eight-Nation Alliance, Korean War, Vietnam War, Afghanistan War, Iraq War, Libya War etc proved its willingness to shed blood. That is why US’ words hold weight. US does not play by the rules it set, breaking them one after another because no one else is strong enough to fight him. Just like that big bully in the classroom.
Punishment To Those Who Defy Its Rule
In the olden days, kings and emperors are mandated by the heavens. It is by the will of the divine that they rule over the common man. Naturally, treason is a heinous crime punishable not by death to the individual, but to the extended families as well. The old, the adults, the young, the women and the children. All were executed. The intention was clear: to punish those who were grievously wrong, to send a message to those who were thinking of doing wrong and to completely eliminate any potential chance at revenge.
In November 2000, Iraq decided to sell its oil in Euro, moving away from the established petro-dollar system. In 2003, US invaded Iraq under the pretext of Iraq having weapons of mass destruction. Saddam Hussein was killed and a tube of laundry powder was presented in the United Nations by Collin Powell. Nobody could say anything.
In 2011, Libya wanted to push for a unified African currency, much like the Euro, just that the African currency would be backed by gold. Countries who wanted to buy oil from them would have to use their currency. In the same year, US and Europe under the name of NATO attacked Libya and destroyed Libya just like how US destroyed Iraq.
Europe did not touch Iraq, because Iraq’s support for the Euro was beneficial for them. But the US could not allow anyone to move away from its established system. Libya did not side with either US or Europe, hence it was destroyed by both swiftly. Till today, Iraq and Libya are broken nations, doomed to crawl at the feet of others with no chance at revenge.
Weapons Sales
Have you ever wondered why countries all over the world buy weapons from the super powers rather than develop it themselves? That is because unlike the lower level guns and rifles, high level weapons such as an anti-missile system and fighter jets are very costly to develop and build. Of course there is a factor of US forcing other countries to buy its weaponry. But it is also because its weapons are good.
Every war is a live demonstration of its arms capability in actual use. A comprehensive weapons package consists of air, land, sea capabilities encompassing hundreds or even thousands of individual components to build up a single system. To many poorer countries, developing such a capability by themselves is very expensive, with no guaranteed results of success. Even if they somehow manage to develop the technology for such weapons, producing them is also another big cost. To the smaller countries who only want to defend themselves but not to go to war, buying ready-made weapons is a much more cost effective and efficient method.
Smaller countries will never be able to produce weapons of the same technology at the same cost as the US, simply because of one basic economic principle – economies of scale. The US weapons industry produces so many weapons that it is able to take advantage of economies of scale, making buying its weapons packages a logical choice. The more weapons US is able to produce, the more it is able to cut down its cost, the more it is able to sell, the more it is able to earn and collect data, the more it is able to commit into weapons research and development (R&D), the more it is able to refine its weapons quality. To the US it is a virtuous cycle, but to the other countries, the more they buy from the US, the bigger the gap in weapons technology and the lesser incentive for them to develop their own weapons. This results in one more consequence – the continual expanding gap between the military might of US and other nations.
There is also one critical aspect of weapons sales which US benefits from. US knows exactly the weapons each country is holding, because these weapons are designed, developed and built by them. Nobody but the US knows better of the very weapons they built. If it ever comes down to a war, the US has an absolute advantage.
One sometimes wonders why the US hesitates to go to war with countries holding nuclear powers, despite being a clear number 1. That is because in a war with nuclear powers, even if the US wins and wipe out the other country in the end, it will be temporarily crippled. Considering all the enemies the US made over the years, it is logical to say given a chance, other countries will jump at the US and tear it apart. Naturally the US will prevent this, hence they do not go to war with nuclear powers. But if it ever comes to it, the weapons other countries are holding will place them at a disadvantage should it be used against the US. Other countries will think thrice before attempting to try anything against them.
Territorial Influence
Even if one does not have troops directly in the country, having sufficient troops in a neighbouring country will prove to be enough of a threat. Having US troops in Japan and South Korea as well as the occassional passing by of its aircraft carrier near Taiwan serves one important purpose too: to threaten China. Of course, placing troops all around the world is a gentle reminder that Big Brother is always near you, wherever you are, whoever you are, ensuring your safety and commitment to the world order led by the Big Brother. Big Brother is always right.
Interesting fact 1: That is why Afghanistan is always a target of other countries. Its geographical location is one which allows the occupying force to potentially exert a fair bit of influence towards other countries. However, Afghanistan is also known as Graveyard of the Empires.
Interesting fact 2: For all the high technological equipment the US had, they had to use donkeys during its Afghanistan occupation.
Conclusion
In the face of overwhelming power and violence, we realise that all talks about peace and rights are useless. From as small a case of commoners being bullied by corrupted officials or by the triads to as big as the international stage, this logic applies. Only when one has the capability to inflict violence upon others, can one be able to stand up and talk about peace. At the very least, when you are losing at a chess game, you can flip the table.
The Statue of Liberty is a friendly reminder to everyone that the freedom to plunder and control others is also a kind of freedom. The kind which only the strong has. In freedom we trust and towards peace we strive.
