Pat Buchanan: U.S. Pays the High Price of Empire

Los Angeles Times ^ | 09/18/2001 | Patrick J. Buchanan

[Pokey78]

As the twin towers of the World Trade Center came down in flames, taking 5,000 Americans with them, an unserious era in U.S. history came to an end. "All is changed, changed utterly," wrote poet W.B. Yeats. President Bush has now received full authority to wage war against all who abetted the slaughter. It must be done. Our American family cannot permit the mass murder of our brothers and sisters to go unpunished. But as the president directs the moral outrage of his wounded nation, he will need the wisdom of Solomon.

[sneakypete]

>>It's not just the issue of "cheap" oil -- it's oil, period. Two-thirds of the world's known reserves are in the Middle East.<<

I'm pretty sure that number is false. It's the same figure I have been hearing for years,yet it doesn't take into account all the oil in Russia. The reason for this is that Russian oil wasn't available to us until after 1991. Russia is said to have almost as much oil as Saudi Arabia,and there is nothing stopping us from buying it now. Nothing other than all the contracts certain wealthy families have with Arabian oil countries,that is. I'm sure that as soon as these people manage to quietly sew-up contracts with the Russian gooberment this will change,and they will suddenly "discover" all these reserves.

It also has to be said there is a element here in the US that is pro-Israel,and they do NOT want us non-dependent on mid-east oil because they are afraid we will no longer care what happens in the mideast,and this might endanger Israel. THE big reason we have so much influence in the mideast is because of all the money we give them for the privledge of buying their oil. Take away the money and we lose all our influence.

Then again,there are some people (me,for instance) who thinks there is no longer any reason to be kissing the asses of the Saudi Royal family,and that competition is a GOOD thing. If we let the Saudi's KNOW they we have and are considering other options than buying their oil,I suspect we will suddenly have MUCH more influence with them. This doesn't matter though,because it might make certain families and oil companies lose a few dollars.

[Republican Wildcat]

In what way is your post a response to the point I made? I see little to no relevance.

[Willie Green]

Thanks for the post. As usual, Pat is right on target!

[1776thefounders]

Pat Buchanans' world view is grounded in the American tradition: The duty and interest of the United States, requires that they should with sincerity and good faith adopt a policy friendly and impartial towards the belligerent powers. George Washington, 1793 Unfortuantely, through the continued brainwashing of the American people Neutrality and its protections have been lost. Ironically, so many people are now willing to engage in an unspecified war against an unspecified enemy; this "uncertanity" would never have been tolerated under the previous regime, though it is excepted by the elites and the blind masses today. For example, it took 35 minutes for the 3rd plane to hit the pentagon after the 2 attacks at the WTC, yet the pentagon was not evacuated: incompetence or ? The elites in government and media keep bringing out the list of "suspects"(iran,iraq,syria) yet the 4 states who have funded the Taliban, Bin Ladin the most are:Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, united Arab Emirates and...United States! By all accounts these first three "states" should be on the top of the bombing list yet they are the states the government seems to be courtng in the so-called coalition. It is important for citizens in a "free republic" to use its power of inquisition to curb the designs of its elites who have used the "winds of war" to weaken liberty at home and to pursue a global crusade. Question: substitute gore for Bush, would you support these actions? As it looks from my view, all the anti-globalist talk from this board is gone and the "masses" are willing to extend the hand of America around the world to pursue the communist oh,sorry, terrorist! God help us all, the "hellhole" is expanding!

[AppyPappy]

The Reform Party was pro-abortion when Pat took the nod. Ross Perot's wife was a Planned Parenthood board member.

[jeremiah]

Isolationist is an invective used against anyone with a differing point of view. It is not isolationist to pull our troops out of Germany, Bosnia, N. Korea or Japan. It is isolationist to not trade with these countries. By most peoples definition of it, Germany and Japan are isolationist countries, they have no troops stationed around the world.

When a country is as strong as we are, and we impose our will on countries unable to resist us, we are engendering hatred. If we are afraid to sustain our power, by keeping peoples under our thumb, we will sustain many such attacks as happened last Tuesday. There is only one way to stop these attacks, that is to conquer lands, and occupy them. Are you, and by extension we, prepared to do this?

[Republican Wildcat]

It wasn't when he switched and while he was campaigning as its candidate, so YOU are wrong (and dishonest, apparently).

[duckln]

Pat is no longer a relevant part of our culture or national opinion.

Well, he's in the news, mention his name on FR and the neocons swarm in.

His opinion is closer to national opinion than anyone I know. Prove me wrong!

[sneakypete]

>>The difference between rats and humans is that if a rat tries something and it doesn't work, the rat will try something else.<<

No,the BIG difference between humans and rats is MOST humans have the intelligence to comprehend that some things will not only never work,but would actually be counter-productive. Rats don't have this ability,and have no choice but to keep trying things until they find something that works.

[AppyPappy]

Israel's to blame because Arab terrorist bomb us? The Arab terrorists are working for Israel???

I suppose China was to blame for Japan bombing Pearl Harbor. You people are sick. You blame the Jews for everything,

[major-pelham]

"We are not "empire building" in the Middle East. We have vital, national interests in that part of the world because we get most of our oil from there. We also have an interest in supporting democracy wherever it tries to establish itself. "

Your reasoning creates a circular reference. "We have an interest in supporting democracy" is NeoCon code for empire building. That is the excuse to interfere everywhere, everywhere, every time. Your rationale that we "get most of our oil from there" is the self perpetuating fact that allows you to think your not really meddling.

Take a second for logical thought. Wouldn't it be better if we extricated ourselves from this morass once the new war is won ? The correct answer would not elude even the most simple minded second grader.

[Gumlegs]

I hope Pat enjoyed his 15 minutes.

[sneakypete]

>>True they hate our culture: Hollywood, Las Vegas, rap music, abortion on demand, fetal cell research. Everything good and noble.<<

See? I keep saying the Islamitic fundamentalist have more in common with American fundamentalists than most people want to admit,but most people keep denying it. They are flip sides of the same insane coin.

[robnoel]

The hypocrisy and stupidity is sometimes just astounding.....the following gifs are "patriots" who were trying to let America know that something was going very wrong...this was at a time when the term "patriot" was associated with "kooks" and "miltia"....now that being a "patriot" is cool....the folks who hold the same views as we did back then are now called "blame America crowd"...... hypocrisy and stupidity is sometimes just astounding

[MadIvan]

I really find it amusing that the Patsies haven't figured out that there is a fundamental tension between what the Islamists want and what America represents. Islam, like Fascism and Communism before it, is an overreaching Idea which claims to be able to produce paradise on earth. And like the Communists and Fascists before it, the value of the individual is reduced to nothing except "in the service of Islam".

This is a marked contrast to the pragmatism and cherishing of the individual in American and British models. This model is more successful in terms of providing material prosperity and opportunities for individual self-expression - i.e., our people are happier. No wonder the Islamists regard us as a threat - in comparison to the American and British dreams, sleeping on a mat, eating yogurt in extreme discomfort and spending all day at the mosque whilst swatting away Afghani flies seems daft in comparison.

Foreign policy does have to be careful and responsible. But to somehow suggest that this conflict of ideas can somehow be jettisoned by mere isolationism is laughable. America and Britain won the Cold War by facing and challenging the Communist enemy. We won because we were right. Similarly we will triumph over Islam too.

Regards, Ivan

FREE BRITANNIA

[major-pelham]

"While we are at it,let's not forget that Pat and the Patsies want to reduce our military to nothing more than a reserve self-defense force. If this idiot had been elected,our military would now be looking back on "the good old days" when Bubba bin Bombing was president,and trying to buy airline tickets for a reserve Ranger Batallion"

From where does this drivel come ? Just where ? Find me a reference upon which to base this idiotic statement. I'll save you the time, because you can't. All written and spoken word is completely to the contrary, you are merely fantasizing. The Buchananites support every defense and military intelligence expenditure you can think of and some you can't. Missile defense, strong CIA, etc. etc.