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I appreciated the link but it didn't answer my question.

I'll tell you the story then. Back when our country was young, large square-rigged U.S. merchant vessels carrying trade goods traveled between ports in the Mediterranean and the Carribean and, finally, to our shores. During Jefferson's term as president, our ships were systematically attacked and plundered by the so-called Barbary Pirates operating out of Tripoli (current day Libya). When Jefferson sent people to investigate, he was delivered a message from the thug government at Tripoli (which was not only harboring the pirates but sponsoring them): Pay us a ransom or your ships will be plundered. Jefferson's response was to send U.S. warships to Tripoli and destroy them. U.S. Marines set ashore on the Barbary Coast, marched through the Sahara Desert, and liberated the Tripoli government from the hands of the pirates that had previously overthrown its benign monarch. If you've ever heard the Marine Corps Hymn, you will hear the words: "From the Halls of Montezuma to the shores of Tripoli..." That's where the reference to Tripoli comes from. Also, in return for liberating his people, the monarch presented one of the officers, Lt. O'Bannon, a mameluke sword, which is still carried by Marine Corps officers in homage to that battle.

So go on ... tell me how our Founders thought that our self-defense ended at our borders. Because I really find it amusing coming from people with such a woeful disregard for our long and vibrant history, when that history disproves their contentions.