While I agree with some of the isolationist standpoint of not being the world police and letting people determine their own fate, as someone else said, with great power comes great responsibility. We champion human rights and bemoan dictators who abuse their people, but should we turn a blind eye to the suffering of other people of the world while we sit here fat and happy and live off the imports of 3rd-world nations, with not a care for their people?
I am not advocating getting involved in every petty conflict, but there have been some major atrocities committed in just the last few decades we could have done something about, but went in half-assed or not at all, or just too late. hundreds of thousands if not millions have been slaughtered for religious and cultural differences in Croatia, Sudan, Congo, the Middle East and other places around the world.
Do you think the US should really, as a purported world leader and champion of right, just sit back and tell those people to sort it out themselves?
Not to mention that we live and breathe in a world economy... we may do just fine around here, but uproar around the globe can and does have an effect on our economic stability, as well as availability of products and services. It's not all about monetary gain, but to say what happens elsewhere doesn't affect us in a major way is pretty short-sighted, IMNSHO.
I do not know what the answer is, truly... but I do believe there are points where we have to take a stand to protect not only our own interests (i.e., oil-producing allies), but just stand up and do the right thing for the millions who are suffering every day under unjust regimes.
I dunno... the whole thing just sucks and is beginning to look like one giant turd-bowl.
This is pretty much how I feel. Good post.
