My newest column (foreign policy)

[HMFIC]

Understood. I should have made myself clearer. I am just 20 after all.

Just 20... but obviously with a good head on your shoulders and fighting the good fight. I'm 43 and I learn something everyday and I'm always looking for other viewpoints. The way I see it, it gives me an opportunity to solidify my own ideals and/or accept other's when they make sense.

Keep standing up for what you believe in and talking/writing it out.

 

[HMFIC]

When you favor one country you alienate another. I find it hypocritical to talk about the downtrodden abroad when we have our own downtrodden here.

You're on the right course 3inSlugger. Don't let these folks influence you.

Who's influencing lol... all I get is flamed.

Ya but our downtrodden here are about a million times better off than the downtrodden who fight for survival against all odds every day. You know, if we just sat on our hands and stayed completely out of the world's business, we'd get blamed even more for being rich, uncaring, fat cats who just suck the world's resources and don't even try to give back. Then we'd be TRULY hated even more than you can imagine.

 

[sanjuro893]

When you favor one country you alienate another. I find it hypocritical to talk about the downtrodden abroad when we have our own downtrodden here.

You're on the right course 3inSlugger. Don't let these folks influence you.

I agree we have more than our fair share of problems here that need SERIOUS attention. I don't think I've ever heard of so many KIDS being homeless in my entire life. But having problems here doesn't necessarily mean we shouldn't help others abroad. As for alienating one country over another, if that country is a dictatorship, or if it oppresses people or enslaves people or is engaged in the wholesale slaughter of people, WHY NOT alienate them? Hell, why not KICK THE CRAP OUT OF THEM? Sometimes you have to pick a side. What's that quote about "All that is necessary for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing"? As I said earlier, just my opinion.

 

[dlbleak]

3inSlugger, at 20 i appreciate your interest in what seems to be a lost cause. we have spent countless billions on the military but at 45, i know for a fact, that we would be living in a TOTALLY different United States than we are had we not spent that money. A United States that we may not be so happy to call home. You have yourself in the position to make a difference in young minds. Turning them against American foreign policy at this time is not what our country needs. America needs the SUPPORT of everyone. I believe we can only fix or repair a few things at a time. Lets get America back on track first.
Thank you to all active and veteran military.....

 

[3inSlugger]

As for alienating one country over another, if that country is a dictatorship, or if it oppresses people or enslaves people or is engaged in the wholesale slaughter of people, WHY NOT alienate them? Hell, why not KICK THE CRAP OUT OF THEM? Sometimes you have to pick a side. What's that quote about "All that is necessary for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing"? As I said earlier, just my opinion.

Who elected us police of the world?

 

[TurboFinger]

Who elected us police of the world?

that's not an elected position. the bankers "declared" us police of the world because we had the strongest work force to develop the technology and weaponry to do the job......so they use us to conquer the world for them. meanwhile, they loan us all the money we need to accomplish this, thus drowning us in debt and simultaniously conquering us too.

so far it has worked to perfection.

 

[dlbleak]

kind of a double edged sword isn't it. i mean if you don't exert your ability to protect yourself, well then you become the policed nation,don't you. i don't think there is a right answer here. just how it is. if you lay down,you will get kicked in the groin.

 

[3inSlugger]

No one is saying lay down and let yourself get kicked. You can lay down in your own house and let the robbers run around grabbing your stuff and molesting your daughters. That's how alot of neocons see Ron Paul's foreign policy.

You can also wait until they get in the door and blow them away with a sensible and appropriate amount of force. You won't need a big expensive bazooka when a Remington 870 will suffice. Just like, in order to defend ourselves, we don't need to spend billions of dollars on the nuclear triad or missile submarines, etc. All we need is a well-sized and technologically advanced military ready to blast anyone who comes in the door. This is what I see as the "Ron Paul approach".

Now the current foreign policy can be likened to the private citizen going out and hunting down criminals and shooting the criminals where they live with machine guns. This is justified by merely saying they are a threat. Technically they could be construed to pose a threat, but that sort of action is neither moral or legal for a private citizen (or a sovereign country). Only the police can do that in society.
This is how I see our foreign policy. I hope this analogy makes sense.

 

[MLRyan]

Nice article. I agree with it for the most part. I'm for taking bad people out of power, but I'm definitely against nation building and occupying foreign lands. The Middle East has been a cluster**** for decades and the US of Azz kicking's involvement has hurt more than helped. We trained some of the terrorist groups we're fighting now back in the '70s. We sold arms to Saddam to fight Iran. I'll use Cambodia as an example of US foreign policy. When the Khmer Rouge first became an insurgency we dropped 500,000 tons(look it up) of ordnance on behalf of the Cambodian government. Estimates are around 300,000 killed. The Khmer Rouge was estimated at around 10,000 strong. After that we pulled out, the Khmer Rouge used our bombing as an excuse to recruit, the Killing Fields happened, then we helped out later. We used a similar technique in the Middle East until 9/11. Sorry for the rant, just an example. I'm young too(25) so I still have some learning to do.

Keep the articles coming, you're a good writer. Since you asked for military opinions, I'm currently a SSgt in the USAF.

 

[sanjuro893]

I don't think anyone elected us to police the world. But we have strength, and other nations are weak and get preyed upon. I think it's wrong to just stand back and do nothing. Let's put it this way: If I saw you getting the crap kicked out of you in the middle of the street, I would come help. I wouldn't sit back and say, "I don't want to get involved because I can't afford it", or "It's none of my business", or "Let him handle his own problems". I think Ron Paul is on the right track about scaling back the WASTE, but on the wrong track about letting despots and rogue nations commit genocide or develop nukes. Don't talk to me about what's "moral" or not while you and Dr. Paul deliberately sit on your hands.