US Involvement

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Dec 19, 2009
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#1
It seems to me there are those of my fellow Americans who seem to think the USA should get involved in about every foreign conflict that arises. Is this wise?
 

JimJimmers

Senior Member
Apr 26, 2012
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#2
A lot of folks seem to be of the opinion that we always need to find the "good" side, and prop them up. Sometimes, like with Syria, the concept of a good side becomes very vague.
 
Dec 19, 2009
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#3
A lot of folks seem to be of the opinion that we always need to find the "good" side, and prop them up. Sometimes, like with Syria, the concept of a good side becomes very vague.
Yes, we can jump in and support one side, only to find out later, the ones we supported were as bad as the ones they were fighting.
 
Jul 25, 2005
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#4
Equally dangerous is the impulse to try and hide from the rest of the world. Balance is key.
 
M

Mammachickadee

Guest
#6
It seems to me there are those of my fellow Americans who seem to think the USA should get involved in about every foreign conflict that arises. Is this wise?
If we can't afford to stay out of debt we should not be fighting someone else's war.
The discussion of our involvement in foreign wars came up with a friend who stated quite accurately that Americans only agree with fighting a foreign war (excluding defense of our borders) because they feel guilty for having all that God has given us. Fighting a war that didn't even begin in America or American territories is not only unconstitutional but unbiblical.
 
Dec 19, 2009
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#7
If we can't afford to stay out of debt we should not be fighting someone else's war.
The discussion of our involvement in foreign wars came up with a friend who stated quite accurately that Americans only agree with fighting a foreign war (excluding defense of our borders) because they feel guilty for having all that God has given us. Fighting a war that didn't even begin in America or American territories is not only unconstitutional but unbiblical.
I worry that we don't fully understand what is causing the conflicts, and therefore we fight against people who are only trying to defend themselves.
 

Stuey

Senior Member
Aug 17, 2009
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#8
Always back a nag named self interest.
 
Jul 25, 2005
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#11
Is that what motivates John McCain?
Where did that come from?

Sometimes it seems like ego. We want to tell others how to run their countries.
Sometimes. Americans have a bad habit of believing US-style government will work everywhere.

On the same token though, we don't really believe our system is worth proliferating.

US foreign policy is an odd paradox.
 
Mar 21, 2011
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#12
Every war ever fought by nations and empires had to be 'funded'. Often times Kings would go to the Lords and ask for finance for the war. The Lords would lend money to Kings on the proviso that they would get interest on top of the money paid back in the form of trade deals and treasures plundered.

The USA has no King. Instead they are a nation controlled by Lords. The Lords want war and conflict, just as regular people want markets to make money in.
 
Mar 1, 2012
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#13
Diplomacy is never simple, or clean.

We have interests abroad and we do what we can to protect those interests, as in doing so, we protect ourselves.

Sometimes that makes for some very strange bedfellows.

I do not know enough to comment on these tricky foreign policies, and I doubt many people can. Too much stuff going on behind the scenes for any monday morning qb'ing.
 

allaboutlove

Senior Member
Jun 11, 2013
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#14
The reason we so often get involved is because America is the "police of the world" so to speak... an i do think if asked for help by another country we shoulr try an help but only after doing an investgating an finding out whats really goin on.... an helping dosent always have to mean going to war ether.
 
Jul 25, 2005
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#15
The reason we so often get involved is because America is the "police of the world" so to speak... an i do think if asked for help by another country we shoulr try an help but only after doing an investgating an finding out whats really goin on.... an helping dosent always have to mean going to war ether.
I used to think being World Police was a curse, but really it is a sign of privilege. That your country is strong enough to provide such services is a massive blessing.

And someone will always be "world police." Nations will cry for a balancer to intervene. I would rather have it be the almost anti-imperial US than nations like China.
 

Drett

Senior Member
Feb 16, 2013
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#17
The reason we so often get involved is because America is the "police of the world" so to speak... an i do think if asked for help by another country we shoulr try an help but only after doing an investgating an finding out whats really goin on.... an helping dosent always have to mean going to war ether.
World Police ? It is all self interest.

Operation Ajax where the US pushed for one of the most brutal dictators Iran has ever seen, to take power, so the US could have access to their oil. Resulted in the revolution of 1979. The US blamed the revolution on Islam and democracy hating Iranians.

Then the US helped Saddam into power, gave him chemical weapons and training to attack Iran.

During that war, the US helped out. They shot down Iranian Airliner 655. Oops our mistake, except later it was discovered that it was clear the plane was civilian. This was ignored. What did Bush have to say when it was discovered the Iranian people on the plane were murdered.

“I will never apologize for the United States of America, ever. I don’t care what the facts are.”
Newsweek, August 15, 1988


That is just Iran.

The UN are suppose to be the police of the world not the US. So what did the US do when the police of the world stated not to attack Iraq. They ignored them.

Iraq war was illegal and breached UN charter, says Annan | World news | The Guardian
 
Jul 25, 2005
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#18
It seems to me John McCain, a very influential U. S. Senator, is eager to get involved overseas militarily.
He's hawkish, but it would be disingenuous to paint the man as Cato the Elder.
 
Dec 19, 2009
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#19
He's hawkish, but it would be disingenuous to paint the man as Cato the Elder.
Not knowing who Cato the Elder is, I probably wouldn't. (I just looked him up on Wikipedia, but it was a long article.)