"I have always given it as my decided opinion that no nation has a right to intermeddle in the internal concerns of another;
that every one has a right to form and adopt whatever government they liked best to live under themselves;
and that if this country could, consistently with its engagements, maintain a strict neutrality and thereby preserve peace,
it was bound to do so by motives of policy, interest, and every other consideration."
--George Washington, from Letter to James Monroe, August 25,1796
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"The great rule of conduct for us in regard to foreign nations is, in extending our commercial relations to have with them as little political connection as possible.
So far as we have already formed engagements let them be fulfilled with perfect good faith.
Here let us stop."
-- George Washington, farewell address, 1796
RE: So far as we have already formed engagements let them be fulfilled with perfect good faith.
And that my friend, is the problem -— we have ALREADY formed so many engagements, singed so many defense treaties that we are duty bound to protect them with perfect good faith ( even when we don’t have enough resources to do so ).
Maybe it’s time to revisit them all...