[quote]Headhunter wrote:
As an example, what prevents pirates from simply confiscating oil tankers?
[/quote]
Hopefully, private enterprise is responsible for its own actions and not dependent on government protectionism. I know self-ownership and responsibility is a novel concept that has lost its meaning but it is still the only right and proper way to act.
I understand what you are arguing but I think your precepts are incorrect. Your contention is that the US bears the economic burden unfairly to the benefit of the rest of the world and you assume its actions are moral and just. But are they?
I think what the US is doing to itself economically is not the moral responsibility of the rest of the world; especially since the US is only acting at the behest of world leaders and not the majority of its inhabitants. Even still, we as Americans do not bear the moral burden of enforcing “fairness”. This can only be done through coercion and the threat of violence by taxing unfairly the labor or free individuals. How does that make our actions moral?
The good intent of the offending nation is of no consequence if the outcome is hegemony.