Posted on 01/06/2011 7:41:19 PM PST by americanophile
Anything Reps. Ron Paul (R., Tex.) and Barney Frank (D., Mass.) both support should give the rest of us pause. Their proposal to slash defense spending by $1 trillion over a decade — only the most recent joint effort by the new isolationists on the Left and Right to curtail American military strength around the world — is as foolhardy as it is unrealistic. Were such a policy enacted, the nation and the world would be set on a path not toward peace, but toward instability, conflict, and a lessening of freedom in many corners of the world.
As the deteriorating situation on the Korean peninsula reminds us, the security concerns of the United States do not disappear in times of economic distress. America’s interests, whether economic, strategic, diplomatic, or moral, cannot be set aside when Congress tires of them. The United States and the world paid a severe price for the ostrich-like behavior too many democratic nations exhibited during the 1920s and 1930s. Reps. Paul and Frank appear determined to repeat this mistake.
The United States continues to face an array of global challenges that require a modern, technologically superior military. It is very much in the interests of the United States to uphold the territorial integrity and economic independence of much of Asia, maintain the security of critical waterways such as the Strait of Hormuz, and protect American trade from pirates and terrorists worldwide. Rather than regard the nation’s defenses as a ready source of money available for diversion to domestic concerns, Congress and the president should identify the challenges America faces and assure that its military is able to meet them.
(Excerpt) Read more at nationalreview.com ...
ping
What about this? A continuation from an earlier aside today. Has the time come for us to reduce our foreign presence in a major way? To return to a concept of national defense more in line with our traditional republican (small ‘r’) notions of the proper role of the military? We know the dems just want to use the money to bride their constiuents, but from a conservative standpoint, has our foreign presence since WWII - so much now criticized as an imperial one - now outgrown both our own strategic needs and our ability to pay for it? Conversely would we be drawing down at precisely the time when new emerging threats like China, Iran, etc., are ramping up? Will there ever be a time to drawn down? Will there ever not be a threat? How long can we go on bribing foreign nations to be friendly, to choose freedom? I would love to here some informed FReeper views on this. I’m open to both viewpoints.
Maybe we ought to try THIS flavor of isolationism?
NOTICE TO ALL FOREIGN CITIZENS and THEIR GOVERNMENTS!
(EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY)
1. As a sovereign nation, you have the same rights to govern your nation as we have. Whether freely elected or despotic tyranny, how you run your government and DOMESTIC affairs is between you and your leaders. If you people don’t like how your government is behaving, we suggest you read some American history for the period between, say, 1774 and 1789. The world is awash in various sorts of small arms and other weapons. Getting enough to turn out your tyrant-du-jour ought not be a problem. Yes, many people will die (just as they did HERE in the late 1700s). It’s the price of freedom. But — and this is important to us — our SOLDIERS will not be among the dead. And even MORE importantly, MY kids and grandkids won’t be there. And trust us when we tell you that the casualties of your revolution will pale compared to those you will suffer should we be forced to invoke Clause 3!
2. Please pay SPECIAL attention to the word “domestic” in number 1.
3. The MINUTE we become privy to firm, corroborated intelligence that you have plans to harm the United States or one of our recognized allies — or, worst case — DO, in fact carry out such an operation, the United States and any such allies who wish to assist will come to you and request that you cease and desist. If you refuse to do so, we will TURN MOST OF YOUR LAND INTO A SMOKING RUIN. If you’ve never seen RUBBLE BOUNCE, it’s quite a sight. Just as the Japanese saw that in 1945, we saw a good bit of that on 9/11 – and will never forget it. The Japanese never forgot it – and neither will those of you who survive! We include in this list of threats AIDING, ABETTING, HARBORING, TRAINING OR SUPPLYING THOSE WHO, ALTHOUGH NOT CITIZENS OF YOUR NATION, MAKE PLANS TO HARM US OR AN ALLY.
We wish to live and have peaceful, honest and fair trade with all peoples — BUT harm us or injure/kill American/allied citizens AND YOUR WORLD AS YOU HAVE KNOWN IT WILL SIMPLY GO AWAY — FOREVER. No more PC “Nation Building” crap. Our military will be employed ONLY for those tasks for which they have been traditionally trained throughout history: TO KILL ENEMY TROOPS AND DESTROY ENOUGH OF THE ENEMY’S “STUFF” TO CAUSE THEM TO QUIT THE FIGHT. If some of you think we need “Nation Builders,” send in the UN — from which America will have withdrawn and “off-shored” to somewhere in Europe. (and good luck with these clowns).
(If you have never seen it, slide on down to Blockbuster and rent “The Day the Earth Stood Still” with Arabic/Farsi subtitles, of course. REREAD 3 AND THINK “GORT.”)
And also remember that, since we have pulled our guys out of other nations and closed those bases – horribly costly activities with which we are no longer burdened — we have devoted those diverted resources to new, more effective human intelligence gathering methods using many of YOUR citizens as paid snitches (no more stupid Church Amendment!) so we WILL KNOW when you’re up to no good. And don’t forget that those freed up resources will allow development of more devastating weapons should we need them. Trust us when we tell you that they’re really cool.
4. And speaking of “cool,” once those smoking ruins have sufficiently cooled – and the radiation levels have fallen — we will put boots on the ground, clear any remaining resistance and seize your former property for the benefit of those who participated in the neutralization of the threat you posed. Casualties among our troops should be very limited because, as we think you have seen, the weapons possessed by the United States will leave very few to resist. REREAD 4 AND THINK 51st STATE!
Call us with any QUESTIONS. Or visit our web site at www.bendoverandkissyourassgoodbye.gov
Thank you for your support in this vital matter.
The SANE People of the United States of America (all 30 of us).
Until this becomes our policy, we continue to honor those who have paid the ultimate price for the freedoms so many of us now take for granted.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_WDrbbtaO0E
A photo was recently posted on the web showing a white board in a Marine barracks in Iraq on which one trooper had written the following:
“America is NOT at war. The United States military is at war. America is at the MALL!”
Indeed!
PS: Once we rid ourselves of Obama and his thugs, we’re going to tap our OWN natural resources so we won’t be needing all that petroleum from the Middle East. You folks over there might want to accelerate your program to convert sand and oil into something edible. Later, dudes!!
Ron Paul is not who people think.
The time to prepare for war is in the time of peace. If not, you surely invite war.
How many national borders are we now protecting while ignoring our own?
We provide a strong defense for everyone but ourselves. The idea of a strong military has gone off the tracks.
If Thomas Jefferson had known we would one day be gambling American lives defending Taiwan from China he would have called us insane.
I believe it is time to draw down and let all countries take care of themselves. I beleive that not being isolated but being open to trade with other countries while letting businesses know that we will not protect them outside our border.
It is time to let go of the police man of the world role.
We have a lot of business to take care of at home...see tagline.
I think it is time to reevaluate. I don’t see any advantage to our present foreign policies...not to mention their cost in blood and treasure.
If fighting the terrorists overseas was so successful, why then have we become a draconian society whereby we must radiate our citizens before we put them on planes and why have our liberties and privacy been diminished in the name of fighting terrorism.
It is pretty obvious, to most of us, that something is not working and hasn’t worked well...especially under this administration. I say bring our boys home and let them eat each other in Afghanistan and Iraq. Enough is enough...and it is breaking the bank.
I agree with the previous post, that our real security lies in drilling for our own oil and I will add it is and always has been a matter of national security. Our borders are wide open and dangerous. Anyone that tells you other wise is either a fool or a liar.
Considering this administration’s decision to make our military an instrument of social change and considering the cuts they want to make in our combat units....I say let’s cut and stop paying for the garbage that will become the “New” military.
God Bless Our Military and the men that have fought and those who have died for our freedoms. I will never forget what you have sacrificed for this nation.
There is no question we need to reevaluate our foreign policy.
There is no question we must cut defense and military budgets — trim waste and END outdated and duplicate programs.
BUT, cutting a TRILLION dollars in a decade is SUICIDE.
Ron Paul is DELUSIONAL — he somehow believes if we withdrawn from the world, abandon our allies (particularly ISRAEL) that our enemies (particularly Islamofascists) will “leave us alone.” He willfully BLIND to their clear and REPEATED goals. And as for Barney Frank — he doesn’t mind us being defenseless — he enjoys being dominated anyway.
BEWARE those who would reduce our military to the point that we have NO ready force to speak of that can respond to MULTIPLE threats within AND/OR BEYOND our borders. We only WIN if we are prepared for EVERY contingency — and we’re willing to fight to win.
So, tell me how you really feel. Hahaha, I appreciate the passion, and I think you make some good points.
Why would the regional powers ignore their regional conflicts, try to cross the Atlantic or Pacific to attack the US??? I think the ingrates in Europe, Asia and Middle East should be taught a lesson of what the world would be like if the US did not exist. Unlike Ron Paul I think we need to develop self sufficiency before we pull out from the world. China will dominate the Far East but will end up fighting with the Indians, Russians, Japanese/South Korea, and Vietnam. Russia will bully EU and Middle East. Iran will threaten the Persian Gulf and Israel. The China will attract enemies, Russia will attract enemies, Iran will attract enemies, etc, etc, etc. The US if properly prepared will be untouched. Remember how we became a world power after WW2. We did not out build the world, the world destroyed their production centers and burned out their treasuries fighting brutal wars amongst themselves. We were the only nation with cities and factories unscathed by war.
Every time I read one of the names of our KIA, and hear the hateful Muslims denouncing us while we rebuild their nation, my stomach turns. I continue to tell myself that we’re in places like Afghanistan and Iraq to fight a committed enemy there, so that we don’t have to fight them here, and there is some validity to that, but does our continuing presence create more trouble than it prevents?
I just hope we’re planning for the right war. Billions here, billions there on systems, platforms and equipment that commanders say they don’t want or need to preserve an incremental budget system is madness.
I think there’s much in post-FDR America especially that Jefferson would be appauled at.
Increasingly I’m thinking we need to reevalutate. We are overextending and bankrupting ourselves like all the great and defunct empires of history.
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