His farewell address warned against foreign alliances.
We have failed to heed; and we continue to pay dearly.
There is a problem with trying to apply adages from those days
to the current situation.
Technology being what it is, any problem on the other side
of the Earth can be on our doorstep in 45 minutes. In
Washington’s day, it would take months if not years.
If we do not form alliances with other nations, someone else
will. Pretty soon you find yourself with no global friends
in a pinch.
Do we want to wake up one day with Russia owning everything
up to the Atlantic, and China owning everything up to
Mexico?
I know there is an effort to see us withdraw from being
the world’s policeman. Who do we propose take on that
role when the vacuum is created? Russia? China? Some
European Union military body? A body made up by the
UN to police the planet?
We have to remain engaged. We have to remain at the top
of our game. If we don’t, we won’t last three decades,
perhaps two.
I know it sucks. It could be suckier.