admice

Especially regarding the behavior of governments.

I looking back recently at the reasons for deposing the Taliban (oil pipeline agreeement) and Iraq, I am morallly opposed to those actions, but they achieved something that benefitted some of society. Should one even consider such questions as to the morality of such actions? Does it make govenrments more disfunctional (and deceitful?)

Abel Stable

Here you need to ask who those people were that benefitted. Was it for altruistic or selfish motives? Next question is, how were others affected? And since we're dealing with global issues, how does the outcome effect other countries & how do the U.S.'s actions reflect on its people?

Here is a nice article, - and by "nice" I mean "creepy."

meritocrat

I think morality should be relevant pertaining to governmental actions. If a state attacked another for no reason, would you consider that an ethical action?

Regarding the Taliban, well I feel most would state that the regime was too repressive (certainly by Western standards). Nonetheless the ultra-social authoritarian nature of the Taliban should not have been a reason to depose (yes I know Bush ordered the attack on Afghanistan as they were harbouring terrorists).