Enemies

 

You’ve Got A Friend in Me

You got troubles, I've got 'em too
There isn't anything I wouldn't do for you
We stick together and see it through
'Cause you've got a friend in me
You've got a friend in me

Is the enemy of your enemy your friend?

Your enemy is probably also your friend’s enemy. But that does not mean that the enemy of your enemy is your friend. Some recent historical examples.

Saddam Hussein was considered to be a friend of the United States when he was at war Iran, an enemy of the US. But this led him to believe that he could invade another friend of the United States, Kuwait. And because of that invasion, Saddam Hussein became our enemy in both Gulf Wars.

The Mujahedeen were fighting the Soviet Union in Afghanistan. And that is why the United States believed that the Mujahedeen were our friends. That is until they expelled the Soviet Union from Afghanistan, became the Taliban, and gave shelter to Al Qaeda, our enemies.

Osama bin Laden was an admirer of the United States, until when fighting Saddam Hussein, the United States found it necessary to set up military bases in Saudia Arabia and other Muslim holy places. From the perspective of bin Landen that defiled those holy places. In retaliation he founded Al-Qaeda and sought support among the Taliban of Afghanistan.

Joseph Stalin signed a treaty with Nazi Germany and divided Poland with Nazi Germany. It was not until he was later attacked by Nazi Germany that that he became an ally of the United States. Afterwards, the Iron Curtain descended, and he again became an enemy of the United States.

In each instance the “friend” who bcame our enemy was NOT showing that  “There isn't anything I wouldn't do for you.” The "friend” was doing what is best for himself, his own User Optimal. A friend will benefit you even if that is not to his benefit, his own User Optimal. A friend does not ask what is in it for me. A friend asks what is in it for you. You can find common cause with an enemy if your User Optimals are the same. But a friend seeks to achieve YOUR User Optimal even when it is not HIS User Optimal.

The enemy of your enemy might be a friend. But it his actions with respect to you, not to your enemy, that determine whether he is a friend. In other words, “Ask not what your country he can do for you. Ask what you can do for your country him.”  That’s being a friend!