US Isolationism the answer?

[Rainsford]

Anyone who's spent any time in Politics and News here (or OT before) has probably seen many, many gripes about the US forcing the rest of the world to do things, the US engaging in empire building, the US stealing Iraq's oil, etc, etc and that's it's only natural that terrorists would want to murder thousands of random Americans. Ok, fine, everyone is entitled to their opinion...but that opinion never seems to answer the question that's burning in my mind. What would happen if the US just up and decided that all this force-backed foreign policy was just too much work and adopted the approach of most other countries?

I don't know about the rest of you, but personally I think a lot of the world would be far worse off. Just think about it. The Middle East would be pretty easy for fanatics like bin Laden to control (don't believe me, why do you think he wants us out of Saudi Arabia?), and we could just kiss Israel goodbye. I doubt it would take very long for North Korea to move on South Korea and "unite" Korea under communism. And how about China and Taiwan?

Ok, maybe I'm just an American with a distorted world view...but prove it. How exactly would the world be better off with the US just keeping to itself? Frankly I'm not too sure we shouldn't, it's not like we're exactly popular with the rest of the world.

 

[konichiwa]

As far as I'm concerned, the issue is not the US taking a stance as world cop, but more the fact that we have tried (and seem intent on continuing to try) to do it by ourselves. An international governing body seems obviously necessary in our pursuit of international peace/harmony (cynicism aside).

I don't think that the majority of the world necessarily has a problem with the largest superpower (allegedly) using their might to make good around the world, but the fact that when the other superpowers in the world don't like it, we choose to go it alone and expect the rest of the world to "just trust us" instead of working as a responsible partner in and international community, is what irks most.

 

[JellyBaby]

To me isolationism means a complete cutoff from other countries include trade and that's disasterous.

Few countries are actually isolationist these days as they trade freely with friend and foe alike. The Euros tend to mind their own business due primarily to the fact they couldn't poke their nose into your country's business if they wanted to, having no military to speak of, third-world nations nonwithstanding.

The problem with America is that we have no constitutional constraints on foreign policy like we do with domestic policy. Thus, the executive has grown in scope and power and pretty much can rule as a King and it's getting worse. The President can intervene abroad with few restrictions. The Big Stuff requires Congressional approval of the cash flow needed to fund ongoing military ops but that's easy to do given our everpresent pushover congress critters.

I don't think a New World Government is the answer. Give the U.N. a Grand Army of the Republic with jurisdication over us all and you will see corruption like no other and it'll happen quickly. I feel democratic, well-armed regional players fit the bill nicely.

Jefferson summed it up nicely back in the day, "Equal and exact justice to all men, of whatever state of persuasion, religious or political; peace, commerce, and honest friendship with all nations, entangling alliances with none. These principles form the bright constellation which has gone before us and guided our steps through an age of Revolution. The wisdom of our sages and blood of heroes have been devoted to their attainment."

 

[sandorski]

Originally posted by: konichiwa
As far as I'm concerned, the issue is not the US taking a stance as world cop, but more the fact that we have tried (and seem intent on continuing to try) to do it by ourselves. An international governing body seems obviously necessary in our pursuit of international peace/harmony (cynicism aside).

I don't think that the majority of the world necessarily has a problem with the largest superpower (allegedly) using their might to make good around the world, but the fact that when the other superpowers in the world don't like it, we choose to go it alone and expect the rest of the world to "just trust us" instead of working as a responsible partner in and international community, is what irks most.

I'd agree with your assessment, but add in that the current issues goes beyond the US's military might and it's willingness to use it. Since becoming President, Bush has acted rather casually in the areas of Trade, Diplomacy, and International cooperation on a number of subjects.

 

[rchiu]

Originally posted by: sandorski

Originally posted by: konichiwa
As far as I'm concerned, the issue is not the US taking a stance as world cop, but more the fact that we have tried (and seem intent on continuing to try) to do it by ourselves. An international governing body seems obviously necessary in our pursuit of international peace/harmony (cynicism aside).

I don't think that the majority of the world necessarily has a problem with the largest superpower (allegedly) using their might to make good around the world, but the fact that when the other superpowers in the world don't like it, we choose to go it alone and expect the rest of the world to "just trust us" instead of working as a responsible partner in and international community, is what irks most.

I'd agree with your assessment, but add in that the current issues goes beyond the US's military might and it's willingness to use it. Since becoming President, Bush has acted rather casually in the areas of Trade, Diplomacy, and International cooperation on a number of subjects.

To add to that, Bush has ignored diplomacy and approached each situation with only US interests in mind. Isolationism is not the answer, but neither is bullying everyone into submission.

 

[Tab]

We dont need another World War. This is how Hitler came to power, we sat back and let him do his dirty work before he started his blitzkreig.

 

[LeadMagnet]

Bush has ignored diplomacy and approached each situation with only US interests in mind. Isolationism is not the answer, but neither is bullying everyone into submission.

Here Here !!!

 

[ElFenix]

Originally posted by: konichiwa
As far as I'm concerned, the issue is not the US taking a stance as world cop, but more the fact that we have tried (and seem intent on continuing to try) to do it by ourselves. An international governing body seems obviously necessary in our pursuit of international peace/harmony (cynicism aside).

I don't think that the majority of the world necessarily has a problem with the largest superpower (allegedly) using their might to make good around the world, but the fact that when the other superpowers in the world don't like it, we choose to go it alone and expect the rest of the world to "just trust us" instead of working as a responsible partner in and international community, is what irks most.

hahahhaha

 

[syzygy]

To add to that, Bush has ignored diplomacy and approached each situation with only US interests
in mind. Isolationism is not the answer, but neither is bullying everyone into submission.

bush was a little too indulgent with failed institutions when he succumbed to the u.n. temptation for
another resolution to make saddam 'fess up. and still there are people who think he 'ignored diplomacy'.

the fact is bush walked down a road littered with monstrous failure just so he could demonstrate his
desire for multilateral agreement. maybe he was gullible, naive, weak, foolish, for thinking he could
bridge these differences when other security council members engaged in the de rigueur 'all politics is
local' bullshyte.

the second telling fact is how ideologues first ignore this measure, then wax cynical about his sincerity,
and still come around to accuse him of failing to 'reach out' to his allies. pathetic.

 

[Fencer128]

Hi,

Let us not confuse isolationism (and the US is more isolationistic than most other memorable countries I care to remember) with wanting to have the most advanced and deadly military in the world (and also coincidentally one of the most numerous in terms of personnel - if not the most effective per capita.)

Cheers,

Andy

 

[Czar]

no, but this works
"If we are an arrogant nation, they will view us that way, but if we are a humble nation, they will respect us."

 

[konichiwa]

Originally posted by: ElFenix

Originally posted by: konichiwa
As far as I'm concerned, the issue is not the US taking a stance as world cop, but more the fact that we have tried (and seem intent on continuing to try) to do it by ourselves. An international governing body seems obviously necessary in our pursuit of international peace/harmony (cynicism aside).

I don't think that the majority of the world necessarily has a problem with the largest superpower (allegedly) using their might to make good around the world, but the fact that when the other superpowers in the world don't like it, we choose to go it alone and expect the rest of the world to "just trust us" instead of working as a responsible partner in and international community, is what irks most.

hahahhaha

...?

 

[ElFenix]

Originally posted by: konichiwa

Originally posted by: ElFenix

Originally posted by: konichiwa
As far as I'm concerned, the issue is not the US taking a stance as world cop, but more the fact that we have tried (and seem intent on continuing to try) to do it by ourselves. An international governing body seems obviously necessary in our pursuit of international peace/harmony (cynicism aside).

I don't think that the majority of the world necessarily has a problem with the largest superpower (allegedly) using their might to make good around the world, but the fact that when the other superpowers in the world don't like it, we choose to go it alone and expect the rest of the world to "just trust us" instead of working as a responsible partner in and international community, is what irks most.

hahahhaha

...?

at best i would call other states great powers.

 

[konichiwa]

Okay, a technicality. That made you laugh so?

 

[BeauJangles]

The answer isn't isolationism, not in a global economy like we have today. The US must learn to participate in an Balance of Power scenario, in which states are generally equal in strength (although this isn't true, we need to start pretending like it is) and that everyone has an equal voice. Because we are the most powerful country in hte world, we have a right to take stands on certain issues and to help in certain cases of need, but we have no right to force those beliefs on everyone else.