Do you think it is ethical to work for a company that builds drones, weaponry, or supplies parts to the military?

zokr@lemmy.world to No Stupid Questions@lemmy.world – 156 points –
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I don't think it is inherently unethical to work for a defense supplier, but it obviously depends on the country it is supplying. We in the West certainly need a strong defense industry. China and Russia both have publicly declared their intention to conquer other countries. Just ask Ukraine or Taiwan. Or Europe. Europe can't properly support Ukraine because its defense industry is so fragmented, politicized and atrophied.

We in the West certainly need a strong defense industry.

But our defense industry sells arms to more or less anyone willing to pay. Most types of arms have basically become commodities, and the net effect of anyone producing more is that arms become cheaper and more accessible worldwide.

I'm no expert on arms control, but I'm pretty sure the industry in the West can only sell to approved countries. But, yes, I take your point that there is always some form of arms race happening in the world and keeping the arms industry going means having to sell more arms, which will be used to kill people at some point. Unfortunately, we still need a defense industry.

We in the West certainly need a strong defense industry. China and Russia both have publicly declared their intention to conquer other countries. Just ask Ukraine or Taiwan.

But just don't ask Korea, Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, Iraq, Lybia, Panama, Afghanistan, Palestine, Lebanon, Yemen... am I right?

Korea seems like a really bad example for you, since the South relies on the US to prevent invasion.

I wonder who was leading South Korea for like forty years after the war? There's no way it would a fascist dictator was it? Yes, no peace treaty was ever signed. What is your point exactly? Why do you think the north has somehow less of a claim than a country that had to be propped up by the world's biggest bully for decades?

Come on, more even the north admits they don't want unification, just that South Korea is their number one enemy.

As for the dictator, yes the was bad and dark times. But nowadays SK definitely doesn't want to get taken over by NK.

Yeah, since literally this year. Nearly sixty years on.

As for the dictator, yes the was bad and dark times.

The US didn't seem to.see that as a problem.

No, do ask them. Go ahead. Some will try to outright murder you for unrelated reasons. Some do not regard the US as a threat any more and the rest will turn out to be goddam assholes you'd wish to be bombed again.

Ah yes, America killing literally tens of million: righteous! China killing literally no one, absolute scum of the earth!

Never takes much for the shoe to drop with you people.

When did America kill tens of millions? China certainly did kill tens of millions under Mao. Did you make a mistake and reverse the order?

You can't possibly be serious. You've got to be a troll.

Vietnam: 3~4,000,000 (not account for the the devastatinf effects of agent orange) Cambodia: 500,000 (not counting US involvement in continuing Khmer Rouge's massacres) Laos: 50,000 (not accounting for the still ongoing issue of unexploded ordinances) Korea: 2~4,000,000 Iraq desert storm: 1,000,000+ Iraq/Afghanistan/Syria: 400,00 direct violent deaths and 3~4,000,000 indirect deaths.

Shall I continue?

Not going to retract your comment about China then?

He has never claimed that China hasn't murdered anyone? Neither has he opposed your claim that China killed millions (which they sure did).

It's really sad to see this type of reactions when people try to say anything against the US. Questioning the US is not the same thing as supporting china, whatever US politicians want you to believe.

What? You clearly didn't read the thread. This was his comment:

"China killing literally no one, absolute scum of the earth!"

Edit: Also, I didn't try to excuse US killing. I just can't believe that anyone would claim that China has killed literally no one and then set that up against a claim that the US has killed tens of millions.

You're conflating policy failures (for which he absolutely took responsibility) to wars of aggression. If you can't see how these two aren't the same you can't be helped.

Found the tankie, lol!

Excusing Mao's world record mass murders as a "policy failure".

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