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Who Got Us Into These Endless Wars?
Townhall.com ^ | August 9, 2016 | Pat Buchanan

Posted on 08/09/2016 9:27:57 AM PDT by Kaslin

"Isolationists must not prevail in this new debate over foreign policy," warns Richard Haass, president of the Council on Foreign Relations. "The consequences of a lasting American retreat from the world would be dire."

To make his case against the "Isolationist Temptation," Haass creates a caricature, a cartoon, of America First patriots, then thunders that we cannot become "a giant gated community."

Understandably, Haass is upset. For the CFR has lost the country.

Why? It colluded in the blunders that have bled and near bankrupted America and that cost this country its unrivaled global preeminence at the end of the Cold War.

No, it was not "isolationists" who failed America. None came near to power. The guilty parties are the CFR crowd and their neocon collaborators, and liberal interventionists who set off to play empire after the Cold War and create a New World Order with themselves as Masters of the Universe.

Consider just a few of the decisions taken in those years that most Americans wish we could take back.

After the Soviet Union withdrew the Red Army from Europe and split into 15 nations, and Russia held out its hand to us, we slapped it away and rolled NATO right up onto her front porch.

Enraged Russians turned to a man who would restore respect for their country. Did we think they would just sit there and take it?

How did bringing Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia into NATO make America stronger, safer and more secure? For it has surely moved us closer to a military clash with a nuclear power.

In 2014, with John McCain and U.S. diplomats cheering them on, mobs in Independence Square overthrew a pro-Russian government in Kiev that had been democratically elected and installed a pro-NATO regime.

Putin's response: Secure Russia's naval base at Sevastopol by retaking Crimea, and support pro-Russian Ukrainians in Luhansk and Donetsk who preferred secession to submission to U.S. puppets.

Fortunately, our interventionists failed to bring Georgia and Ukraine into NATO. Had they succeeded, we almost surely would have been in a shooting war with Russia by now.

Would that have made us stronger, safer, more secure?

After the attack on 9/11, George W. Bush, with the nation and world behind him, took us into Afghanistan to eradicate the nest of al-Qaida killers.

After having annihilated some and scattered the rest, however, Bush decided to stick around and convert this wild land of Pashtuns, Hazaras, Tajiks and Uzbeks into another Iowa.

Fifteen years later, we are still there.

And the day we leave, the Taliban will return, undo all we have done, and butcher those who cooperated with the Americans.

If we had to do it over, would we have sent a U.S. army and civilian corps to make Afghanistan look more like us?

Bush then invaded Iraq, overthrew Saddam, purged the Baath Party, and disbanded the Iraqi army. Result: A ruined, sundered nation with a pro-Iranian regime in Baghdad, ISIS occupying Mosul, Kurds seceding, and endless U.S. involvement in this second-longest of American wars.

Most Americans now believe Iraq was a bloody trillion-dollar mistake, the consequences of which will be with us for decades.

With a rebel uprising against Syria's Bashar al-Assad, the U.S. aided the rebels. Now, 400,000 Syrians are dead, half the country is uprooted, millions are in exile, and the Damascus regime, backed by Russia, Iran and Hezbollah, is holding on after five years.

Meanwhile, we cannot even decide whether we want Assad to survive or fall, since we do not know who rises when he falls.

Anyone still think it was a good idea to plunge into Syria in support of the rebels? Anyone still think it was a good idea to back Saudi Arabia in its war against the Houthi rebels in Yemen, which has decimated that country and threatens the survival of millions?

Anyone still think it was a good idea to attack Libya and take down Moammar Gadhafi, now that ISIS and other Islamists and rival regimes are fighting over the carcass of that tormented land?

"The Middle East is arguably the most salient example of what happens when the U.S. pulls back," writes Haass.

To the CFR, the problem is not that we plunged headlong into this maelstrom of tyranny, tribalism and terrorism, but that we have tried to extricate ourselves.

Hints that America might leave the Middle East, says Haass, have "contributed greatly to instability in the region."

So, must we stay indefinitely?

To the CFR, America's role in the world is to corral Russia, defend Europe, contain China, isolate Iran, deter North Korea, and battle al-Qaida and ISIS wherever they may be, bleeding our country's military.

Nor is that all. We are also to convert Syria, Iraq, Libya, Yemen and Afghanistan into pro-Western preferably democratic countries, and embrace "free trade," accepting the imported merchandise of all mankind, even if that means endless $800 billion trade deficits, bleeding our country's economy.

Otherwise, you are just an isolationist.


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Editorial
KEYWORDS: buchanan; cfr; nato; patbuchanan; russia; wars
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1 posted on 08/09/2016 9:27:57 AM PDT by Kaslin
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To: Kaslin

The Uniparty.


2 posted on 08/09/2016 9:28:17 AM PDT by dfwgator
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To: Kaslin

When in doubt, the answer is still Bush....


3 posted on 08/09/2016 9:29:56 AM PDT by showme_the_Glory ((ILLEGAL: prohibited by law. ALIEN: Owing political allegiance to another country or government))
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To: Kaslin

The Uniparty.


4 posted on 08/09/2016 9:30:53 AM PDT by DarthVader (Politicians govern out of self interest, Statesmen govern for a Vision greater than themselves)
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To: Kaslin
"Isolationists must not prevail in this new debate over foreign policy,"

By all means, let's add to the giant mess we created by meddling in it even more.

This guy would be the last one in favor of intervention if he was the one shipping out to fight.

5 posted on 08/09/2016 9:31:13 AM PDT by gunsequalfreedom
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To: Kaslin

What’s that a photo of?


6 posted on 08/09/2016 9:31:16 AM PDT by Menehune56 ("Let them hate so long as they fear" (Oderint Dum Metuant), Lucius Accius (170 BC - 86 BC))
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To: showme_the_Glory
When in doubt, the answer is still Bush....

There ya go!


7 posted on 08/09/2016 9:33:33 AM PDT by gunsequalfreedom
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To: Kaslin

The 50 neo con sobs who signed this bs and their bosses who pay them is a good start to answering the questions.

Donald J. Trump Statement on Politically Motivated Letter
Trump-Pence ^ | August 8 2016 | Donald J Trump
Posted on 8/9/2016, 5:07:39 AM by euram

“The names on this letter are the ones the American people should look to for answers on why the world is a mess, and we thank them for coming forward so everyone in the country knows who deserves the blame for making the world such a dangerous place. They are nothing more than the failed Washington elite looking to hold onto their power, and it’s time they are held accountable for their actions.

These insiders – along with Hillary Clinton – are the owners of the disastrous decisions to invade Iraq, allow Americans to die in Benghazi, and they are the ones who allowed the rise of ISIS. Yet despite these failures, they think they are entitled to use their favor trading to land taxpayer-funded government contracts and speaking fees. It’s time we put our foot down and declare that their gravy train is over: no longer will Crooked Hillary Clinton and the other disasters in Washington get rich at our expense.

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/3457877/posts


8 posted on 08/09/2016 9:34:20 AM PDT by Grampa Dave ((My passion for freedom is stronger than that of the Democrats whose obsession is to enslave me.))
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To: Kaslin

Muhammad did, starting around 630AD. They tried conquering the West ever since... Yea, Bush played a big part of current events, but we were going to have to fight for our survival sooner or later... Just ask Charles Martel. Little off topic..but oh well.


9 posted on 08/09/2016 9:37:41 AM PDT by wright2bear
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To: dfwgator; All

IOW, the left. When the communists declared over a half-century ago that they were out to take over both major US political parties, they did not do things by halves.


10 posted on 08/09/2016 9:38:10 AM PDT by Olog-hai
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To: wright2bear
There is a rank due to the United States among nations, which will be withheld, if not absolutely lost, due to the reputation of weakness. If we desire to avoid insult, we must be able to repel it. If we desire to secure peace, one of the most powerful instruments of our rising prosperity, it must be known that we are at all times ready for war.

George Washington, Fifth Annual Message to Congress, 12/03/1793
No, it is not off topic FWICS.

The left knows what it’s doing, by weakening the military and sapping the will of the people to fight. The reputation of weakness is getting ingrained, and the other tyrants across the globe are becoming emboldened.
11 posted on 08/09/2016 9:43:36 AM PDT by Olog-hai
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To: wright2bear

Muhammad did, starting around 630AD. ....

Currently Saudi Arabia is trying to take over the USA by buying businesses and politicians from OIL profits they got form us. Iran and Russia are at odds in Syria over who will sell oil to Europe. Meanwhile our Military Industrial Complex is selling the weapons to keep the argument going.


12 posted on 08/09/2016 9:43:44 AM PDT by mountainlion (Live well for those that did not make it back.)
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To: Kaslin

Trump is the best thing that happened to the Council on Foreign Relations...

It’s not a matter of isolationism...We and Trump aren’t going to be isolationists...We are going to be involved in world affairs but we will be America First...

The CFR wants the U.S. to be equal, not first...Equal with Somalia...Equal with Syria and equal with Mexico as can be seen by how they are trying to flood our once great country with these terrorists and freeloaders...


13 posted on 08/09/2016 9:44:14 AM PDT by Iscool
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To: Kaslin

The Muslims started this. And the war (there really is only one) will continue until Islam is defeated.


14 posted on 08/09/2016 9:44:42 AM PDT by BenLurkin (The above is not a statement of fact. It is either satire or opinion. Or both.)
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To: Kaslin

Buchanan as he always is. Not defending isolationism as a concept, but claiming that America has always been wrong and those opposing always right so America might just do everyone a favor and disapear from the world stage.


15 posted on 08/09/2016 9:47:37 AM PDT by Krosan
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To: Kaslin

How would the world look had the US not done what was done before the Obama years? I wonder?


16 posted on 08/09/2016 9:48:03 AM PDT by elpadre (AfganistaMr Obama said the goal was to "disrupt, dismantle and defeat al-hereQaeda" and its allies.)
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To: Kaslin

Bookmark


17 posted on 08/09/2016 9:48:10 AM PDT by dragnet2 (Diversion and evasion are tools of deceit)
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To: Kaslin
Bet the author either lives in a gated community or one that's smothered by police who insure the riff faff don't bother the residents.
18 posted on 08/09/2016 9:51:13 AM PDT by Rashputin (Jesus Christ doesn't evacuate His troops, He leads them to victory !!)
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To: Olog-hai
The left knows what it’s doing, by weakening the military and sapping the will of the people to fight. The reputation of weakness is getting ingrained, and the other tyrants across the globe are becoming emboldened.

True. Ashamed the left is so ignorant in their so-called "superior intellect". You learn from history what happens when countries give in and show weakness to islam and communism...heads will roll so to speak, and the left's right along with it. They will not care.

19 posted on 08/09/2016 9:51:19 AM PDT by wright2bear
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To: Kaslin

Yeah, blame Bush. But it was Carter that supplied the weapons to try to get Iraq to take Iran. (VX) And brokered the deal for China, France, Russia, Germany, and England to support with other material. But the monster, Iraq, broke loose and went after Israel. Then we had to stop Saddam.

red


20 posted on 08/09/2016 9:56:10 AM PDT by Redwood71
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