Posted on 12/31/2002 8:24:17 AM PST by Bluegrass Federalist
In reading an article posted today on Foxnews.com, I read more about the growing problems with North Korea. While the South Koreans quoted in the article stopped short of this, I have heard comments from their new leader in the past weeks that are highly critical of the U.S., our foreign policy, and most interestingly, our presence there.
This follows the German election in which the candidates raced to be the most critical of American foreign policy. You remember Germany, the nation we liberated from Hitler, rebuilt under the Marshall Plan, saved from starvation during the Berlin airlift, protected from the Soviet threat, tore down the Berlin Wall, and on and on.
I am sure if I had more time I could cite more examples. Please feel free to add your own.
My question is, in these cases, is it really in our strategic interest to continue to defend these places? Korea is irrelevant in every sense but the nuclear, and protecting the South is not necessdary in dealing with that threat. Whether we bomb theoir recators has no bearing on whether we lose American lives in protecting an ungrateful people who don't want us there. I say we call their bluff and let them deal with the consequences.
Same for Germany. While a bit more strategic, do we really need to be subsidizing them? Would Europe be competing with us economically if they had to have a defense budget? We protecxt them , they profit and then show off how anti-American they can be. We need Ranstein Air Base, but I am sure there are plenty of other countries in Europe who would beg to have a U.S. presence.
We have other friends who can help us with bases and strategic needs. Japan in the Asian theatre, others in the European. I think we need to send a message to our other allies. Don't bite the hand that feeds you.
As a general rule, global stability is in our national interest, and it's possible that the presence of our troops contributes to stability . Another point to consider is that, once we leave, it might be hard to reverse the process if we need to in the future.
I agree wholeheartedly. EXCELLENT post.
See posts 39 and 40
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