$440,000 of taxpayer money used to murder 55 innocent people

[Pointedstick]

That's what the alternate headline might be for this extremely moving and depressing article.

http://www.independent.co.uk/voices/i-a ... ml#gallery

I am in the strange position of knowing that I am on the ‘Kill List’. I know this because I have been told, and I know because I have been targeted for death over and over again. Four times missiles have been fired at me. I am extraordinarily fortunate to be alive.
[...]
I am aware that the Americans and their allies think the Peace Committee is a front, and that we are merely creating a safe space for the Pakistan Taliban. To this I say: you are wrong. You have never been to Waziristan, so how would you know?

The mantra that the West should not negotiate with “terrorists” is naive. There has hardly ever been a time when terrorists have been brought back into the fold of society without negotiation. Remember the IRA; once they tried to blow up your prime minister, and now they are in parliament. It is always better to talk than to kill.

I have travelled half way across the world because I want to resolve this dispute the way you teach: by using the law and the courts, not guns and explosives.

[Libertarian666]

If this isn't enough to convince you to re-convert to libertarianism, I don't know what would be enough.

[Pointedstick]

If this isn't enough to convince you to re-convert to libertarianism, I don't know what would be enough.

In terms of foreign policy and military interventionism, I never left.

[Kriegsspiel]

Dropping a missile on a target you haven't positively ID'd? Based on SIGINT? Horrendous; that's not the way you should kill people.

[Libertarian666]

If this isn't enough to convince you to re-convert to libertarianism, I don't know what would be enough.

In terms of foreign policy and military interventionism, I never left.

I'm glad to hear that, but unfortunately the existence of government is the problem.

[curlew]

I'm glad to hear that, but unfortunately the existence of government is the problem.

So what planet do you recommend we all relocate to?

[Libertarian666]

I'm glad to hear that, but unfortunately the existence of government is the problem.

So what planet do you recommend we all relocate to?

I don't think interplanetary travel is available yet.

So in the meantime the best bet is for a bunch of like-minded people to move together to a country that is a lot less intrusive in the affairs of its residents.

[jafs]

Where would like to live?

[Libertarian666]

Uruguay has a lot to recommend it.

[Kriegsspiel]

So what planet do you recommend we all relocate to?

I don't think interplanetary travel is available yet.

So in the meantime the best bet is for a bunch of like-minded people to move together to a country that is a lot less intrusive in the affairs of its residents.

Of course any libertarian/anarchist paradise could be quickly invaded by even a second-rate state with a conscripted military.  A lasting anarchist society is as practical as a global Disneyland.

It would just look like Afghanistan.

[jafs]

Uruguay has a lot to recommend it.

Why aren't you living there?

[MachineGhost]

It would just look like Afghanistan.

I like Somalia myself.  It's a nice safe and very secure country with no pesky government at all.

[Mountaineer]

North Korea is nice, depending on your circumstances.

... M

[Greg]

I'm pretty sure this is why Elon Musk wants to get to Mars. He wants to colonize it and turn it into a libertarian paradise. At least for a little whiles you don't have to worry about a big army coming to you and trying to take it over/take it away from you.

[Libertarian666]

So what planet do you recommend we all relocate to?

I don't think interplanetary travel is available yet.

So in the meantime the best bet is for a bunch of like-minded people to move together to a country that is a lot less intrusive in the affairs of its residents.

Of course any libertarian/anarchist paradise could be quickly invaded by even a second-rate state with a conscripted military.  A lasting anarchist society is as practical as a global Disneyland.

I would imagine that an anarchistic society would use assassination to end wars very rapidly, not having the same reluctance to use such an approach that governments have. It's possible to assassinate just about anyone with high technology and a willingness to die if necessary.

[Libertarian666]

I don't think interplanetary travel is available yet.

So in the meantime the best bet is for a bunch of like-minded people to move together to a country that is a lot less intrusive in the affairs of its residents.

Of course any libertarian/anarchist paradise could be quickly invaded by even a second-rate state with a conscripted military.  A lasting anarchist society is as practical as a global Disneyland.

It would just look like Afghanistan.

I thought the meme was "without big government we would all be living in Somalia". When was it changed to "Afghanistan"?

[Libertarian666]

North Korea is nice, depending on your circumstances.

... M

What circumstances would make North Korea "nice"?

[Kriegsspiel]

Of course any libertarian/anarchist paradise could be quickly invaded by even a second-rate state with a conscripted military.  A lasting anarchist society is as practical as a global Disneyland.

It would just look like Afghanistan.

I thought the meme was "without big government we would all be living in Somalia". When was it changed to "Afghanistan"?

I hadn't heard of that meme 

[Pointedstick]

It's possible to assassinate just about anyone with high technology and a willingness to die if necessary.

You know it sounds like something that happens a lot in Somalia and Afghanistan, but I'm having trouble putting my finger on it.

[Libertarian666]

It's possible to assassinate just about anyone with high technology and a willingness to die if necessary.

You know it sounds like something that happens a lot in Somalia and Afghanistan, but I'm having trouble putting my finger on it.

And how are the attempts to impose external rule on those countries going?

Not very well, which was my point.

[Pointedstick]

It's possible to assassinate just about anyone with high technology and a willingness to die if necessary.

You know it sounds like something that happens a lot in Somalia and Afghanistan, but I'm having trouble putting my finger on it.

And how are the attempts to impose external rule on those countries going?

Not very well, which was my point.

True. However, they have not succeeded in ending external attempts to control them, nor have their anarchic tendencies resulted in them becoming highly desirable places to live with strong market economies, high degrees of prosperity, respect for individual rights, or common destinations for foreign investment and liberty-minded individualists.

Which is other people's point. So maybe everyone's right!

[Libertarian666]

You know it sounds like something that happens a lot in Somalia and Afghanistan, but I'm having trouble putting my finger on it.

And how are the attempts to impose external rule on those countries going?

Not very well, which was my point.

True. However, they have not succeeded in ending external attempts to control them, nor have their anarchic tendencies resulted in them becoming highly desirable places to live with strong market economies, high degrees of prosperity, respect for individual rights, or common destinations for foreign investment and liberty-minded individualists.

Which is other people's point. So maybe everyone's right!

You seem to think that I am claiming that any anarchistic society, that is, one without government, will necessarily be a highly desirable place to live with respect for individual rights, etc.

That's not what I'm claiming. What I'm claiming is that if you have:
1. A society composed primarily of people who have respect for individual rights; and
2. there is no government to oppress them, then
3. that society will be a highly desirable place to live.

I hope that clarifies my position.

[Pointedstick]

Right, and I generally agree with that--at least theoretically seeing as how we don't have a lot of examples out there that meet those criteria.