Post #90018
December 25, 2016, 11:20:34 PM
I think one of the wisest aspects of American foreign policy was the one set forward by George Washington during his presidency...that America would not become entangled with the politics, alliances, wars, and interests of other countries or regions. With few exceptions, that remained the policy until World War I, and in a large part it was a major contributor to the peace and prosperity of the nation. But then we so casually ditched it after World War II...replaced with an arrogant, condescending, and often contradictory policy based around no principle or ideal besides that of our own convenience.
We intervened in nations and 'exported democracy' when it was convenient for us to do so, and befriended tyrannical dictators when it was convenient for us to do so. We funded Islamic militants because they were fighting the Soviets, never thinking that they may turn their sights on us afterwards...we supported and funded a Shah that brutally oppressed his own people, then when he was overthrown we turned to another dictator in a neighboring country and sold him weapons to wage war against that country. We then later on invaded that country and overthrew him based on false evidence, spawning a whole host of extremist Islamist organizations and leading to our current predicament. Oh, and while we were at it we turned our back on leaders who we had called allies in some cases going back decades, again in the name of 'exporting democracy'.
And yet we never seem to learn...inevitably someone in America decides that the solution to our past politicking, interventions, and invasions in the Middle East is to engage in a new round of politicking, interventions, and invasions in the Middle East. Why does America have to be in the thick of everything that happens in the Middle East and elsewhere, squandering it's time, treasure, and lives in the process? Why can't we return to the wisdom of George Washington?
I say let the Middle East figure itself out...if Russia wants to play bigshot and do these American-style interventions like they're doing in Syria, let them. Let them spend their time and money and lives for nothing in return. Let them become the hated targets of radicals that now mostly hate America...it's their foolish choice to make. Otherwise, besides trade, leave the region to its own devices...I think in time, America, the Middle East, and the world would be better off for it. It's not like anything we've done in the region has helped.
Quite frankly, the idea that lasting peace can be established by force of might has been the folly of empires and civilizations since time immemorial.