They are good questions, the kind that citizens of nations that have embarked on imperialist quests are inevitably faced with. How much "collateral damage" can my conscience endure? What if these questions of right and wrong are not really questions at all, but diversions to distract from the real project,which asks no questions and expects no "answers".We act as though these issues arose last week and that solutions can be produced by analysing forces existing only in the moment, with no historical context.Each new crisis pointedly shows the impossibility of leading strategically once the running of the state involves a "permanent and massive shortage of historical knowledge."

Trout, I get what you're saying a little more here.

But still, these are questions I've brought up in different forms for a while now.

And, if you're implying that I'm trying to distract people, well... I don't know what to say. I do want answers, and I'm willing to change my mind. Certain forms of imperialism aren't such a bad thing. I don't want us to own or control the country, but I have to problem with transmitting values such as "beating women isn't cool or funny" and the like.