They are a big country, but they would never have the resources or infrastructure to maintain a force of any significant threat on their own. What they have been doing is becoming a honeypot to the people that are truly in charge in the west. They have practically become a financial narcotic to the world banks and the biggest investors, in doing so they get to influence what happens in our side of the globe.
Each side has differing goals, but they both have a stake in each others growth and wellbeing.
Russia would be a formidable enemy if we had anything to fight over. The fact of the matter is that that we have no interest in that region of the world, other than the fact that we have agreements with some of their bordering nations.
Like how we put a lot of effort into the defense of Ukraine, and in return we give them even more money for development. I feel bad for their predicament and all, but we honestly should have no state interest in their protection.
It usually is a matter of convenience. The majority of victims are other migrants, or people in the immigrant communities. The chances are minuscule if you stick to well lit and well traveled locations, but it has been known to happen from time to time.
Republicans in congress always talk a good storm and sometimes push through half hearted measures, but they often compromise in order to push corporate friendly trade deals and war spending among other things.
After getting scraps in return for policies we don't agree with, they expect praise saying the democrats would take it all, so keep voting for us so you don't lose everything.
I keep seeing people say that politicians fear antifa, the only people who fear antifa are local store owners on the streets they frequent. Politicians pretend to be afraid in order to push whatever agenda they believe in. Antifa is absolutely nothing to them, with one order they can clear them out, they just choose not to.
If Antifa didn't exist, there would be another excuse lined up.
Taiwan has gone through periods of almost complete CCP infiltration, complete with rigged elections.
It has only been since the Hong Kong problems that the massive anti CCP movements became very public.
So I agree that just because someone is Taiwanese doesn't mean they are not a CCP agent.
Yeah, I saw some pretty interesting studies regarding people's propensity to do dishonest things. Most people are capable of small infractions from time to time, but if it is not questioned it continuously becomes bigger.
They found that when people confess or acknowledge their actions, it sorta works like a reset for the mentality of a majority of people, stops the snowball so to speak.