[nathanbedford]

That argument was persuasive in the context of 1938 but ever since the Soviets exploded a bomb in 1948 it is archaic at least as to those nations possessed of the bomb.

I say again, what are our national interests, how much risk do they justify us in taking, what are the odds that we will prevail in securing those interests at an acceptable price?

These are the questions that should determine our policy. I do not say that we can never intervene anywhere, I say that there has to be a proper weighing of our national interests against the risks.

Let's hear it

[Olog-hai]

You do know that Putin’s actions are more of a provocation towards the USA and testing its mettle than any other entity on the globe, I hope. Certainly not the European Union, whom they don’t regard as a threat (yet). That’s an incursion on our national interests.

The USA has been of the type of entity that Washington described, i.e. “always ready for war”, ever since the implementation of the Monroe Doctrine, which John Kerry recently declared “over”. Nobody is going to just leave us alone if we try to be left alone. It really is necessary to get back to George Washington’s vision.