Which country is the biggest threat to world peace ?

[Johan]

China fires back, calls US 'the biggest threat to world peace, stability and development' after FBI warnings​

https://www.foxnews.com/politics/ch...orld-peace-stability-development-fbi-warnings


To our american friends : Please, don't take the presence of the Us in the poll as provocation, you gotta admit that it's only fair that I would put them in the poll since quite many people consider them to be a threat to peace (and I'm not only talking about chinese/russian official...).



I myself would pick China as the #1 threat to peace, closely followed by Russia and Saudi Arabia.
I wouldn't even put Iran in my top 5 since I consider North Korea and Pakistan to be much more dangerous...

 

[tvstrip]

I'll play devil's advocate and stir things up with: Israel

There are of course the obvious countries like the choices listed, but there's a lot that can be said about Israel that's just as concerning.
-They're basically known to have nuclear weapons, while actively preventing others in the region from acquiring them (airstrikes on Iraqi/Syrian reactors, Stuxnet against Iran)
-They routinely carry out assassinations around the world. They get caught every so often but never seem to get punished (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Israeli_assassinations)
-They're unreliable allies (we've talked about the implications of weapons in the Ukraine war)
-They don't seem too concerned with collateral/civilian casualties, especially when they conduct retaliatory strikes
-They cozied up to trump to get what they want, which speaks to their character
and
-Palestinians. Enough said.

That's not to say they are the only ones who do these things (with the exception of the last one), but they don't seem to face the same negative attention or consequences. The assassinations are pretty troubling - it's not about killing terrorists. They've killed scientists who work for other countries, legitimate military/political figures etc. They just seem to do their own thing and no one really tries to stop them. That's dangerous.

 

[Johan]

I'll play devil's advocate and stir things up with: Israel

I thought about adding them to the list. But putting both America AND Israel seemed a little too provocative.
Also since Netanyahu isn't in office, it seems to me that Israel is quite less war-mongering, probably because one of the two altenate PM i s from Yesh-Atid a party that's much more enclined to negociate with the palestinians rather supporting every colons, every israeli settlement, with force if they think it's necessary (that is to say everytime palestinians do not simply retreat immediately).

They just seem to do their own thing and no one really tries to stop them. That's dangerous.

Probably because the US government always support pretty much everything they do. It takes a lot from Israel for the US government to just give them a gentle slap on the hand (and it takes a Democrat in the Oval Office, Republicans would never think about not supporting Israel to them, if you're not suporting whatever the Israeli government does, you're a dangerous anti-semite).

 

[VillellaMcMeans]

I voted for America since the most powerful is usually the biggest threat...and for most of the same reasons already listed by @tvstrip but especially for the reasons of carrying out foreign/domestic assassinations while never getting punished and for being cozy with trump...can't get any cozier than making him president...

 

[John_8581]

I voted for America since the most powerful is usually the biggest threat...and for most of the same reasons already listed by @tvstrip but especially for the reasons of carrying out foreign/domestic assassinations while never getting punished and for being cozy with trump...can't get any cozier than making him president...

That's only going to happen .. if that whack-job Donald Trump Sr. is re-elected and in the White House in 2024.

As Mr. T. used to say in Rocky III, "I pity the fool."

 

[gmase]

Russia. Their actions over the past 6 months provides the evidence. The lack of a Russian economy provides a constraint on what they can do though.

‘All of the Above’ would be best answer.

 

[Mr. Daystar]

Russia. Their actions over the past 6 months provides the evidence. The lack of a Russian economy provides a constraint on what they can do though.

‘All of the Above’ would be best answer.

I voted Russia, because Putin seems very Hitleresque. He doesn't seem like a good loser, or a gracious winner, on top of being a total whackadoodle. I feel China would be more of a straight forward threat, launching military action, and declaring it, where as Putin, seems like after holding his breath, and stamping his feet won't get him his way, he'll toss nukes into the works, just to get attention.

 

[tvstrip]

8 months ago Russia may have been high on the list. But between their inability to take Ukraine after half a year and putsky's visible health problems, they're way, way down the list for me.

But since Friday, Israel has shown why they belong on this list:
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2022/8/7/six-palestinian-children-killed-as-israel-attacks-gaza

A senior commander of a Palestinian armed group and six children have been killed in the Gaza Strip as Israeli jets continued their bombing of the besieged enclave.
In a statement on Sunday, Islamic Jihad confirmed that Khaled Mansour, its commander in the south of the Gaza Strip, had been killed in an Israeli raid on Saturday.
Israel has warned that its campaign against Islamic Jihad could last a week, and its attacks on Gaza have destroyed apartment buildings and struck refugee camps.
At least four children were killed in a blast close to the Jabaliya refugee camp on Saturday, according to Hamas, the group that governs the Gaza Strip

Unlike the Flying Ginsu, there's no way that's not causing mass collateral casualties.

 

[tvstrip]

Also since Netanyahu isn't in office, it seems to me that Israel is quite less war-mongering, probably because one of the two altenate PM i s from Yesh-Atid a party that's much more enclined to negociate with the palestinians rather supporting every colons, every israeli settlement, with force if they think it's necessary (that is to say everytime palestinians do not simply retreat immediately).

Yeah, that didn't last long...

Israel elected a coalition government a month later that for the first time included members of an independent Arab-Israeli party, which was opposed to escalation with Palestinians. It also increased the number of work permits for Palestinians in Gaza to enter Israel in an attempt to alleviate the strip’s crushing poverty.

The short-lived coalition collapsed in June. Centrist Lapid, the caretaker prime minister, is preparing for elections on 1 November in which he faces pressure from Israel’s right wing to appear tough on terrorism.

 

[Little Red Wagon Repairman]

As an American I resent Israel and consider them a pack of rodents that draw us into too much trouble. Religion has done more to divide people than unite them and also killed more than it has saved.

 

[Little Red Wagon Repairman]

Interesting discussion between an ex-CIA guy and a number of Congressmen...

 

[Supafly]

My choice, looking at the possibilities:

The USA.

The country with by far the largest and most powerful military, combined with the system of the "football" the president has in reach at all times, to, directly, cause the end of the world as we know it, and the political system rotting away surely...

If someone like the past GOP presidents gets elected in again, I do not think it would help if only Trump would not get re-elected, we had a situation like Russia on steroids in the the USA.

So, right now, things go well, but sh*t is far from being over.

Concerning Israel:

I stand by them. Living next to a number of countries ruled by religious enemies, and having to deal with the Palestinians, who elected the Hamas in as their representatives, whose prime directive still is:

Wipe out every jew on earth... Israel has to make sure they stay on the surface of the earth. The ball is in Gaza's court, let them stand up and install an administration that actually wants a solution by making peace. Until then... they bring it on themselves.

 

[D-rock]

My picks are the US, China, and Russia. North Korea, Saudi Arabia, and Israel just don't have the size or as much influence to match the other three.

Now while I don't think the US is as bad as the other two in some ways, like the US is probably not going to invade an modern industrialized nation like Ukraine (although the US will invade just about any third world country if it feels like it) or at least if it does it will have a semi-nonsensical reason rather than a completely nonsensical one like Russia or China would use, the US meddles in every little thing in the world for it's own benefit. It doesn't do it for mostly altruistic reasons like it would have people believe.

Russia and China are like a more ruthless, authoritarian, amoral version of the US that's not as powerful as it, at least not yet in the case of China. Unlike the US they don't even bother to pretend like they are doing anything for the right reasons.

North Korea and Saudi Arabia might be the two worst nations on the planet when it comes to how they brutalize their own people. Saudi Arabia gets away with too much and has too much influence due to oil, and North Korea has both nuclear weapons and the most batshit insane leaders in the world in one package.

I don't in any way give Israel a pass. I don't give a damn if they are surrounded by people that might be worse than them, or if they are technically a "democracy". That's not how it works. Countries don't magically get karma points to spend to do terrible things because of something else they might have done that was good, and they treat Palestinians like dogshit. South Africa rightfully got demonized for it's apartheid country and human rights abuses. I don't know why Israel gets a pass. Not to mention that it's creation was one of the stupidest things the modern world has ever done. The holocaust was terrible, and the ancient Israelites whom modern Jewish people have actual little link to other than religion, were screwed over, but neither of that justifies just kicking out people that have lived their their whole lives.

I would even go one step further and say by their own religious teachings they supposedly follow they have fallen so far and treated other people so badly they should consider themselves proven to not deserve any land there just by what has become of the content of their character and what their actions say about the country as a whole. It's ironic considering all the times in their religious writings God pretty much let the Israelites get kicked to the curb by some other people for their sins, and yet they don't seem to care or learn.

 

[tvstrip]

I think it's worth reiterating that this past week's strikes were not in retaliation, but pre-emptive strikes on residential areas and refugee camps.
They also had nothing to do with Hamas or the PLO, both of whom had nothing to do with the targets and didn't retaliate against Israel.

And Israel says they're going to continue these pre-emptive strikes whenever "necessary", even outside of its borders.
https://www.israeldefense.co.il/en/node/55413

“In the future, should it be necessary, we will launch a preemptive strike in order to protect the citizens of Israel, and defend its sovereignty and infrastructure. This is true on every front. From Tehran to Khan Yunis”

For those keeping score, Israel killed 44 civilians in order to take out 2 people.
https://apnews.com/article/middle-e...rael-general-1647b74a2e7be21f7bdfd42b61475099

Hamas remained on the sidelines as Israeli jets pounded targets in Gaza, killing two Islamic Jihad leaders in targeted attacks
Long-suffering Gaza civilians once again bore the brunt of the violence, with 44 Palestinians killed, among them 15 children and four women.

Imagine the outrage if the US killed 22 civilians to take out al-Zawahiri last week. But again, there's no outrage against Israel, who clearly sees these civilian casualties as totally acceptable (Notice how they never offer any sympathy, apologies or even acknowledge the innocent civilians they killed?). The fact that no one (other than the victims) is calling them out is dangerous.

 

[Supafly]

Okay, okay.

I have to step aside a bit from Israel. That is bad.

 

[tvstrip]

Here's some food for thought:

UN condemned Israel more than all other countries combined in 2022
https://www.timesofisrael.com/un-co...all-other-countries-combined-in-2022-monitor/

General Assembly resolution backing ICJ probe capped year that saw 15 anti-Israel measures, compared to 13 against rest of world

The General Assembly approved 15 anti-Israel resolutions last year, versus 13 resolutions criticizing other countries, according to a tally by the pro-Israel monitoring group UN Watch.

Russia was the focus of six resolutions condemning its invasion of Ukraine. North Korea, Afghanistan, Myanmar, Syria, Iran and the US were hit with one resolution each.

Not that it matters, as literally none of these resulted in any action taken against them.

 

[Little Red Wagon Repairman]

I know we in the USA stir up shit, Israel scurries around starting fires while accusing others of arson, but I think today and in the near future China is the biggest threat to World Peace.

 

[Mr. Daystar]

Here's some food for thought:

UN condemned Israel more than all other countries combined in 2022
https://www.timesofisrael.com/un-co...all-other-countries-combined-in-2022-monitor/



Not that it matters, as literally none of these resulted in any action taken against them.

Yeah, not to many people are willing to say that, Israel, is just as guilty as anybody else in the region, for causing trouble. Most of the time, just questioning their motives gets you labeled an anti Semite, and the holocaust card comes right out. and put into play.

 

[VillellaMcMeans]

I know we in the USA stir up shit, Israel scurries around starting fires while accusing others of arson, but I think today and in the near future China is the biggest threat to World Peace.

I think China is the biggest spying threat but will not be an overt threat...they've never started a war or invaded other countries overtly...they've only tortured and killed their own citizens...they're really careful not to cross the lines unlike Russia...so as powerful China is and will become I doubt that they would threaten the peace of other countries unless attacked first...

 

[tvstrip]

I think China is the biggest spying threat but will not be an overt threat...they've never started a war or invaded other countries overtly...
I doubt that they would threaten the peace of other countries unless attacked first...

For sure they are top tier spying threats, but I have to disagree with the latter.

Let's just start counting from the time the communists took over in 1949, since that's the current government.
https://economictimes.indiatimes.co...china-fought/articleshow/5357547.cms?from=mdr
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Chinese_wars_and_battles

You have:
1950 - The Korean War (They were never directly attacked by anyone, and they joined the side of the aggressors)
1950 - Invasion of Tibet (No ambiguity on the aggressor here)
1950-1955 Multiple battles with the Nationalists/Taiwan after the communists took control
1962 - Indo-China War (China attacking India, partly because of their support of Tibet + ongoing border disputes)
1967 - Sino-Indian War of 1967 (shorter encore war)
1964-1975 Vietnam War (similar to the Korean war)
1979 - Chinese Invasion of Vietnam (China was a supporter of the Khmer Rouge)

They also had multiple "clashes" with the Soviets, and of course all the "near misses" with almost every country in East/SE Asia.

The current Chinese government which has been in power since 1949 has had plenty of experience invading other countries. Granted, it's we haven't seen too much using current warfare such as stealth & drones, but they've shown they're willing to be the aggressors in the past, and I wouldn't doubt they'll try again.