Posted by dovetailjoint on May 29, 2019, 4:15 pm, in reply to "Re: Absolutely Brooks"
I think it's possible for people, perhaps especially liberals, to hold two or more mutually contradictory thoughts in their heads at the same time, based souly on the important difference they apply to 'us' and 'them.'
This is all rather primative, but then the world is rather primative. We are 'good' people, therefore, our actions even if they are extraordinarily 'bad' are tempered and seen in the light of our inherent 'goodness.' For us, the good side, our intentions are paramount, our underlying goodness. We are cruel to be kind and don't enjoy torturing people or countries. Why can't these people just surrender and stop us having to wipe their shitty little countries off the ####ing map?
Tony Blair meant well according to the Guardian. He's very charismatic and likeable, after all, compared to Assange. It's difficult to fall out of love with him, compared to Assange, who eventually falls out with everyone.
The enemy, however, are different. Putin and Assad like inflicting pain and suffering on innocent civilians, even though this is often not to their advantage and makes no real sense, because they are... evil people, not like us at all. They are bad people.
So the mountains of dead pile higher and higher, but we profoundly regret this, being forced to do terrible things in wartime. The price is high, but worth it. In the end even th Iraqis will see that the total destruction of their country was a necessary price for their freedom and they will forgive us our sins and learn to love us again.
This is how our ruling elite think, this is how they can have high moral principles, yet at the same time commit warcrimes and terrible atrocities. It's only from the outside that they appear to hypocrites and monsters.