"...one way or another,.."
As if we have no business being involved in certain conflicts. I guess having the arduous perspective of driving little old ladies around Chicago neighborhoods to vote, doesn't really prepare one to develop a world view. It is what it is.
Most Americans only care about US being a superpower insofar as it means we can protect ourselves from bad guys abroad. Most Americans just want to be free and left alone.
Otherwise, look what it’s brought us: debt, endless entanglements with backstabbing and freeloading “allies”, blowback, cleaning up other country’s messes (Russia’s in Afghanistan, UK’s in Iraq) and bloated government. It’s a bottomless pit.
Obama has a point.
Ron Paul has a point.
George Washington had a point, when he warned us against foreign entaglements in his farewell address. His perspective was that we should be more like Switzerland — trade with everyone and not get involved in everyone’s problems (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Washington’s_Farewell_Address):
“Washington goes on to urge the American people to take advantage of their isolated position in the world, and avoid attachments and entanglements in foreign affairs, especially those of Europe, which he argues have little or nothing to do with the interests of America. He argues that it makes no sense for the American people to wage war on European soil when their isolated position and unity will allow them to remain neutral and focus on their own affairs. As a result, Washington argues that the country should avoid permanent alliance with all foreign nations, although temporary alliances during times of extreme danger may be necessary, but does say that current treaties should be honored although not extended. (Despite his claim that current alliances should be honored, Washington had in fact through the Proclamation of Neutrality not honored the Treaty of Alliance, which promised aid in case the French were ever attacked by the British.)
Washington wraps up his foreign policy stance by advocating free trade with all nations arguing that trade links should be established naturally and the role of the government should be limited to insuring stable trade, defending the rights of American merchants, and any provisions necessary to insure that the government is able to insure the conventional rules of trade.”
Being a “superpower” has only sapped our strength economically and militarily, and as a country and weakened our Constitution and our founding principles. It’s allowed big government to get bigger at the expense of all of our freedoms.
These are the radicals from the 60’s, so what would be their goal? Their goal is to end America’s military and economic superpower status. Health care, cap and trade, all else are the way to get there.