I knew - KNEW - the guilt trolls would show up before long.

[dreamnightwind]

78. Sorry, that's how it works

In the minds of the rest of the world, citizens of a democratic government are viewed as being responsible for the actions of their leaders. Sure they understand that we don't literally approve of everything our leaders do, but by and large, with a policy so well understood and widespread as the escalating remote control killings of their family members, we are viewed as responsible, and rightly so. That's what the whole "not in my name" peace movement was about way back when. If we don't like it, we're supposed to push back on our leadership until either the policy changes or the leaders are replaced.

I have no quarrel with your vote for Obama, I realize that your choices were limited, they always are. But these actions are indeed done in our name, and if you don't like that, you and all the rest of us need to very loudly let our leaders know about it.

As for your arguments, you need to make them to the Pakistanis, the people in Yemen, Afghanistan, and everywhere that innocent civilians are being killed by our government, not to me. I am completely on your side in this regard. Some of them might buy your arguments, many of them will point to the empty beds of their deceased loved ones and tell you to go to hell, or even try to send you there. And that's how we are looked at today in the eyes of many around the world. It is for that reason, if not for better ones, that we cannot tolerate these policies by our government.