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Posted on 07/19/2009 11:09:55 AM PDT by camp_steveo
"It is our true policy to steer clear of entangling alliances with any portion of the foreign world."
~ George Washington
I have written before about the critical need for Congress to reassert its authority over foreign policy, and for the American people to recognize that the Constitution makes no distinction between domestic and foreign matters. Policy is policy, and it must be made by the legislature and not the executive.
But what policy is best? How should we deal with the rest of the world in a way that best advances proper national interests, while not threatening our freedoms at home?
I believe our founding fathers had it right when they argued for peace and commerce between nations, and against entangling political and military alliances. In other words, noninterventionism.
Noninterventionism is not isolationism. Nonintervention simply means America does not interfere militarily, financially, or covertly in the internal affairs of other nations. It does not mean that we isolate ourselves; on the contrary, our founders advocated open trade, travel, communication, and diplomacy with other nations.
Thomas Jefferson summed up the noninterventionist foreign policy position perfectly in his 1801 inaugural address: "Peace, commerce, and honest friendship with all nations — entangling alliances with none." Washington similarly urged that we must, "Act for ourselves and not for others," by forming an "American character wholly free of foreign attachments." ...
more: http://mises.org/story/2514
(Excerpt) Read more at mises.org ...
George Washington
Any notice, the more the U.S. is involved in other countries, free trade schemes, globalism, wars, disputes, open borders, etc, etc, the lower our standard of living, the worse our economy becomes, our debt has become limitless, and all the while our government grows larger?
I still don’t see the fault in RP’s foreign policy position.
Why do we have to maintain bases in Europe? Can’t they take care of themselves? Same thing with South Korea. Why can’t they take care of themselves?
The same question goes for every other country that we are in.
Furthermore, What difference does it make to the US if a foreign country is controlled by a dictator? Maybe the people of those countries should start their own revolution, like the US did.
Our national debt isn’t shrinking folks, and our FP is costing us $1 TRILLION per year. That’s too much.
This policy can still work, provided we take into account modern developments. ICBM’s, nuclear & biological weapons, and even large attacks like 9-11, mean we cannot sit back and be defended by our oceans. The best defense is to warn the world that we will tolerate NO attack on our country or people. The best way to warn the world of this is to obliterate any country or group that violates this tenent.
We have failed to answer attacks this way for 50 years and now no one takes us seriously. Which means that until we get back to sure, swift and final punishment for all transgressors, we can never go back to Washington’s foreign policy ideal. If you are going to walk softly, you must have a big, and terrible stick.
I always like while we are spending tens of billions in Iraq, rebuilding all their crap, schools etc, our own GD infrastructure is going to hell.
How stupid is this?
I wonder if the Iraqis can or will loan us some money to help out with our neglected infrastructure in repayment for all we have done for them?
Fine, you pledge it out of your account. Just leave mine the hell alone.
Woof. Your sarcasm will be lost on many.
"Fine, you pledge it out of your account. Just leave mine the hell alone."
Since I have no money for supercops or the U.N. can they omit my account too?
Find a way to funnel the money to the right people, and the same can be done here. It’s just easier to skim off the graft half a world away.
You kidding?
We've probably spent close to a trillion dollars in other countries in just the past few years, while our own infrastructure, economy, borders etc go to hell...This after all, is our national suicide, country killing policies.
I only wish things weren't so screwed up to the point, where obvious sarcasm is no longer recognized.
Thank you for the link and information.
I need education all the time.
Much appreciated.
ping for later.
And see my FR homepage explaining the “definitive object” in Iraq; specifically, to begin eliminating the direct causes of extremist ideology that manifest as terrorist attacks (poorly articulated by our former president as “draining the swamps”).
Thank you for the link and information.
I need education all the time.
Much appreciated.
_____________________________
You are welcome my friend.
I too am always seeking knowledge and information that will help me gain a better understanding.
You hit the nail on the head.
Financing the UN is just a way of stealing our money and leaving our US leadership unaccountable for it. The UN spends the money in some 3rd world or war-torn nation and the money miraculously disappears, only to reappear in offshore corporate accounts or in the pockets of some bloated bureaucrats who then spend some of that money lobbying the US Congress for MORE money for their "projects".
Add to that NATO, whose original charter was wholly defensive, but who has since turned into an aggressive bully scaring nations into joining them. Then we have to fund those NATO projects, too -- increasing the chances of conflicts that require "UN assistance". It's a giant shell game.
Americans need to realize that the more we interfere in the politics of the world, the more that the world is going to interfere with us and with our politics. The more we attempt to manipulate them and their governments, the more that they will attempt to manipulate us and our government.
There was a time when America was loved and respected in the world -- and that was our real power. The people of other countries tried to emulate us and believed in us, even when their own governments were fighting against us.
Now, we don't even believe ourselves or trust our own government.
We need to restore our integrity and credibility as a country. Until we do -- until we restore the Americans faith in our own country, no one will respect us, because we don't even respect ourselves or own policies.
If we had a choice to check yea or nay on our tax forms for global projects involved in "creating alleged democracies", "policing" the world, supporting with humanitarian aid terror minded states, supporting the so called Palestinians, fighting alleged global hunger for a people who multiply like rabbits, funding global abortions, funding dictators, etc etc, the funds, in all likelihood, would be non-existent.
This is why we are not provided the choice. The indentured servant has no standing in these matters. Since these matters are reserved for the international masters who know what is best for the servants, and their well being. Should we protest too much, well, they know how to punish us.
Actually, I was talking about the private contractors who are screwing over the American taxpayer while rebuilding Iraq. But you go ahead.
I agree. We should have the strongest military on the planet and be ready to pound into rubble anybody who dares attack us, but why we need the empire to stretch into 120 or so countries - especially when the empire if flat broke - is beyond my ken.
I know a guy who recently acquired a contract job in Kuwait. He will be paid 80k a year plus expenses to create websites for extending and aiding communications between commands. I remember doing that for much less while serving in the Marines. We had teletype to communicate between commands. Had I known how valuable my services were, I would have demanded a pay increase. :)
Oh yea, before I forget, your pal should take the safe route, always include the sarc on/off. There’s really no need to excite the unknowing unnecessarily. Unless of course, the intent is to create victims to laugh at. In that case, it’s disgusting as well as shameful. Since we are not mind readers, and it’s not like everyone knows everyone else.
While I confess I thought the comment might be sarcasm, I was not totally convinced either way. Moreover, until I get a confirmation from the perp him/herself, I’m still not 100% sure. So there.
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