The last major power that endorsed preemptive war and torture

[leftofthedial]

was Nazi Germany.

[Avalux]

1. We do appear to be going down that road.

And because people are afraid of the boogeyman, they will concede everything to this corrupt government. I hate the feeling of powerlessness.

[Kutjara]

2. And their leader liked to dress up in uniforms, too. n/t

[liberalmuse]

3. That would make a great bumpersticker! n/t

n/t

[Taxloss]

4. I think China and the Soviet Union more recently.

But point taken.

[leftofthedial]

5. Neither China nor the USSR had public policies of preemption

I don't believe.

[Taxloss]

6. I suppose that depends on what one could call "public".

The leaders of both were/are not particularly given to policy-launch press conferences - and they certainly HAD "pre-emptive" policies, whether they said so or not. Korea, Hungary, Czechoslovakia, Vietnam - it was all called "pre-emptive".

[leftofthedial]

7. they certainly have/had predatory foreign policies

much like America always has had (first directed at this continent, then this hemisphere, then the rest of the world--we call it "capitalism")

But only Hitler and king george have made it an overt policy.

[geek tragedy]

10. I disagree. Preventive war is actually hidden imperialism.

The Soviets also tried to disguise their imperialism, hilariously calling themselves anti-imperialist.

[leftofthedial]

11. umm, isn't that what I said

except to add that America calls its hidden imperialism "capitalism."

[man4allcats]

8. Thanks for posting this.

It is sad, but I believe true. Though I easily see the similarities, it is yet sometimes difficult for me to believe that America has come to this. God help us because He will not and should not forgive us.

[ryanus]

9. And before them, Rome

You know, fighting all those "defensive" wars.

I see no pattern. /sarcasm

[Lisa]

12. and they were into collective punishment, too! (n/t)

[leftofthedial]

13. one difference was that the Nazis were committed

to fielding a well-equipped army (I mean except for that invasion of Russia with no winter clothes thing . . . )