“...Explains perfectly why we’re involved in a trillion dollar, 50 year cold war with “allies” that stab us in the back every chance available. … No, completely wrong.
We think we’ve spent too much time, treasure and blood …” [JPJones, post 21]
Difficult to plumb the depths of irony here: that many Americans, shielded by two oceans, weak and/or backward neighbors, and armed might, have become convinced they have “spent too much” after suffering only a tiny fraction of the loss and societal upset that afflicted so many other countries during the 20th century. Hesitation to intervene in both World Wars can only be seen as morally puny.
But the worst conceptual mistake Americans make is this: looking at less-than-perfectly-executed intervention in (for example) Southeast Asia, or Korea, or the earlier World Wars, and judging after the fact that involvement was not worth the effort, or a strategic error. The two aspects of the problem are not related.
Of course trade deficits are troubling. And allies do not behave exactly as we’d like them to. Could all of it have been done better? Quite likely. But none of that should furnish an excuse to withdraw. Unless we enjoy being intellectually dishonest.
“Difficult to plumb the depths of irony here: that many Americans, shielded by two oceans, weak and/or backward neighbors, and armed might, have become convinced they have “spent too much” after suffering only a tiny fraction of the loss and societal upset that afflicted so many other countries during the 20th century.”
Ah yes the irony, since so many countries were “afflicted” then it’s only fair that the USA inflict same damage unto itself; such National self-flagellation is the only path to prove our worth in this world and to our European superiors as they reap the benefits of our atonement.
“Hesitation to intervene in both World Wars can only be seen as morally puny.”
Straw-man arguments are the fallacious hobgoblins of lost arguments and intellectual subordinates.
“But the worst conceptual mistake Americans make is this: looking at less-than-perfectly-executed intervention in (for example) Southeast Asia, or Korea, or the earlier World Wars, and judging after the fact that involvement was not worth the effort, or a strategic error. The two aspects of the problem are not related.”
The worst conceptual mistake Americans make is this:
Our globalist politicians and their enablers really care about this country, it’s health, wealth and prosperity.
Since Trump has been elected it’s become self-evident to a critical mass of Americans, they don’t.
“Of course trade deficits are troubling. And allies do not behave exactly as we’d like them to. Could all of it have been done better? Quite likely. But none of that should furnish an excuse to withdraw. Unless we enjoy being intellectually dishonest.”
It’s the very definition of insanity to continue to behave in a certain manner and expect different results.
Furthermore to claim in one post that this country was founded on the idea of being a “trading nation” and then to ignore other founding ideas such as “avoid foreign entanglements” smacks of the double-standard typical in intellectual dishonesty.
Or just plain ignorance or facts.
Most likely both.