[Captain Kirk]

Please explain why the “isolationist” policy was “fine” during the late eighteenth and early nineteenth century when the U.S. was encircled on all sides by major (usually hostile powers): Britain to the North, France to the West, and Spain to the South. One would think, if your theory is accurate, that isolationism would have been the worst policy under such circumstances. Actually, our policy of avoiding foreign policies and entangling alliances made sense now (when we were actully more threatened on our borders) just like it does now.

[jrooney]

You didn’t have air flight like you have today with jumbo jets that carry lots of people that can be flown into buildings causing mass casualties.

[2ndDivisionVet]

At that time (post War of 1812)we had the protection of the British Navy, which hardly exists today. Also, we were pretty good at playing one against the other back then. We are just too powerful, have so many trade relations and energy sources all over the globe, and cannot afford to be isolationist in this day and age, no matter how tempting it might seem. Should we be the “world’s policeman” and get involved in places like Darfur, Haiti or Kosovo, where our national interests aren’t at stake? No, not in my opinion. But Iraq, Iran, North Korea or even Venezuela? Yes, we need to take care of trouble spots.

[pissant]

We fought more damn wars than you could shake a stick at. We’ve never been isolationist for any length of time.

[jonrick46]

Isolationism is a idea that went out with wooden ships and the horse and buggy days. Now we live with global communications, international jet travel and nuclear technology. There are many who long for yesteryear when the keyboard was made of ivory and an apple was not an Ipod. If fact the Islamo Fascists really really long for yesteryear so that their notions of sharia are not challenged by a world advanced by scientific knowledge. For Ron Paul to sway patronage by using the Constitution to justify isolationism is like using the Bible to justify homosexuality. It is a nice try, but it puts him in the Mood Bat wing.