naturally, none of that changes the fact he's providing training to people that might or will try to kill his [former] countrymen and brothers in arms. illegal? possibly not. immoral? certainly, in my eyes at least.
The irony is that giving up his citizenship did nothing to prevent him from being arrested on US charges. And while not guaranteed by any stretch the US government doesn't lose too many cases like this.
When the only other country who does this kind of taxation is
Eritrea, you have to ask yourself: did everyone else get this decision wrong, or did we?
We are pretty unique when compared with other first world nations when it comes to several things, this is certainly one of them but the reach and willingness of US law enforcement to persecute folks who aren't even US citizens on charges like this is another pretty unique thing we do. How do we get away with doing stuff like that? We are still the most powerful country on the earth with a very outsized role and attendant power in finance, commerce and business with the dollar still remaining the world's 'reserve currency' going on ~80 years now and have the legal and administrative structure to not only handle it all but enforce our rules and laws on it all.
So with that power comes the ability to throw our weight around and do things other countries don't or won't do, to include making folks pay tax wherever they are from Monaco to the
moon and arresting non-citizens for evading US sanctions like this moron found out. Having seen first hand several first world country's reluctant to apply the law to many because it was too much of a challenge or even incapable of doing so I prefer the US way of doing things.
I'm also not convinced what the perks are of being a U.S. citizen overseas with the exception of consular assistance, which isn't really relevant here.
honestly, i completely agree. if you live in a stable, developed nation, you aren't really gaining anything tangible imo.
No one is forcing folks to stay American citizens, it is a free country after all. But that doesn't mean I and others won't think less of someone doing so because of greed, and it doesn't mean Uncle Sam won't come to get you if you run afoul of US law.
'Murica, fuck yeah.