Europeans’ response to Russia’s war on Ukraine confirms their profound dependence on the US – an unwise position given the security challenge in Europe and coming geopolitical competition with China.
The report is absolutely scathing. Some choice quotes:
But when the next crisis came, both the US and the governments of Europe fell back on old models of alliance leadership. Europe, as EU high representative for foreign affairs Josep Borrell loudly lamented prior to Russia’s invasion, is not really at the table when it comes to dealing with the Russia-Ukraine crisis. It has instead embarked on a process of vassalisation.
But “alone” had a very specific meaning for Scholz. He was unwilling to send Leopard 2 tanks to Ukraine unless the US also sent its own main battle tank, the M1 Abrams. It was not enough that other partners would send tanks or that the US might send other weapons. Like a scared child in a room full of strangers, Germany felt alone if Uncle Sam was not holding its hand.
Europeans’ lack of agency in the Russia-Ukraine crisis stems from this growing power imbalance in the Western alliance. Under the Biden administration, the US has become ever more willing to exercise this growing influence.
The government can pass laws in the UK, unpopular ones mean they get voted out
You once again show a simplistic understanding of how your own political system works. The two parties you have that have a chance of wining are Conservatives and Labour. Both parties consistently pass policy that's hostile towards the working majority and benefits the oligarchs, yet it's pretty much impossible for an alternative party to get into power. The fact that you get to choose between two turds doesn't make your system democratic. It's an illusion of choice and it's clearly enough to convince a lot of you that you have some sort of power.
The way people get elected into your government is by having election campaigns, and these need a lot of funding. So the people the government actually answers to are the ones who pay for these campaign. That's who gets represented in practice, and that's why there is a continuous wealth transfer to the top that's happening.
What’s the process for the Chinese people?
Voting, when a candidate doesn't do what they got voted in to do then they get voted out. Having a single party or multiple parties is completely tangential to that. However, since Chinese system isn't based around having huge campaign funds, it makes it possible for regular working class people to actually participate in politics.
Elections in the People's Republic of China occur under a one-party authoritarian political system controlled by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP).[1][2] Direct elections, except in the special administrative regions of Hong Kong and Macau, occur only at the local level people's congresses and village committees, with all candidate nominations preapproved by the CCP
The results are clearly far more democratic than what we see in the west as I've already explained above. By any measure you choose, Chinese government does a far better job representing the interests of the working majority than any western government. But you keep on thinking that your system is superior.
Operation Fox Hunt (Chinese: 猎狐专项行动; pinyin: Liè hú zhuānxiàng xíngdòng) is a Chinese covert global operation whose purported aim is anti-corruption under Chinese Communist Party general secretary Xi Jinping's administration. As of 2017, it has led to the arrest of over 40 of its 100 most wanted globally.[1][2][3] The program has been accused of targeting Chinese dissidents living abroad to stop their activism under the guise of returning corrupt Chinese nationals to China to face criminal charges.
And how is Assange being tortured? He's being detained pending extradition and having his day in court. Unlike those under authoritarian regimes....you don't get irony do you?
Equating legality with morality is a logical fallacy. When slavery was legal, people who freed slaves were criminals. Using your logic we should've been siding with the slavers. You sound like a very rational and intelligent person.
Ah yes, imprisons political opponents the way the west does with Assange, Manning, and others. Also love how your argument is that you just haven't tortured him enough akChuAlly.
The crime your government is torturing Assange for is reporting on US army massacring unarmed civilians from a helicopter gunship. The fact that you're chill with that clearly shows that you don't actually care about human rights or democracy in the slightest. The only thing you care about is your own privileges that you get by virtue of winning the birth lottery in your shithole country.
It's good to know you're on record supporting torture of journalists. I really don't have to say anything else to discredit whatever bleatings come out of you regarding human rights going forward.