[S4M]

> On what possible basis could anyone consider that appropriate?

Not a US citizen here, but I think the reason is that a US citizen has more privileges than someone else: it's easier to travel and get a work permit abroad, if something goes badly they are still under protection of the US government, etc.

This is due to the fact that USA are the most powerful country on Earth, and one of the reasons for that is its military power, which is very expensive.

So the US citizen residing somewhere else would still have to pay their share to be protected by their country.

Not saying that I completely agree but I think it's a valid reason.

[mike_hearn]

> I think the reason is that a US citizen has more privileges than someone else

Not the case. I have read that the most powerful passport in the world (as in, getting into countries visa free) is the British passport.

Additionally Americans, unlike citizens of other countries, get no protection from their host government. If they get evacuated from a disaster zone they get charged for the costs. And as everything the US Gov does is horrendously price inflated, there are cases of people getting "rescued" and then wishing they'd been left behind after being served with massive bills.

The way the USA taxes citizens abroad is indefensible. There's literally not one single defence for it.

(btw: there are two different Mike Hearn's posting in this thread! I am the other one)

[djrogers]

> If they get evacuated from a disaster zone they get charged for the costs. And as everything the US Gov does is horrendously price inflated, there are cases of people getting "rescued" and then wishing they'd been left behind after being served with massive bills.

Citation please? The only thing I've ever heard of even remotely close to this ate the occasional local search and rescue operations that are caused by poor judgement. That has nothing at all to do with the U.S. government.

The next time there's a disaster in almost any country - look around. That's a U.S. Navy carrier providing electricity for emergency relief. Those are U.S. Marines distributing rice, ponchos, and water. Those are U.S. Navy Corpsmen delivering first aid to the wounded.

As bad as people like to make this country out to be, we are the first ones there with the biggest shovel any time another country needs to be dug out.

[mike_hearn]

http://travel.state.gov/content/passports/english/emergencie...

Click the "Will the U.S. government pay for my travel? How much will it cost?" section.

As bad as people like to make this country out to be, we are the first ones there with the biggest shovel any time another country needs to be dug out.

It's not so. Go look at Yemen. The Chinese, Indians and Pakistanis evac'd their citizens when the war started. The USA left theirs to rot.

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/apr/01/american-civili...