What would happen if we declared

[byu71]

we no longer intended to be the protector of the free world.

I haven't thought this through in great detail, so I don't have a firm opinion.

What if we just up and told the world it costs too much for us to be the worlds protector. We are pulling out of the middle East, Germany, Japan and South Korea.

If another Kosovo problem occurs, it is the Europeans problem. Let Israel and the Arabs duke it out. We will sell arms to Israel, but they will pay the full price. They could probably raise the money here in the US.

We keep our nukes as a deterant.

[Hallelujah]

we no longer intended to be the protector of the free world.

I haven't thought this through in great detail, so I don't have a firm opinion.

What if we just up and told the world it costs too much for us to be the worlds protector. We are pulling out of the middle East, Germany, Japan and South Korea.

If another Kosovo problem occurs, it is the Europeans problem. Let Israel and the Arabs duke it out. We will sell arms to Israel, but they will pay the full price. They could probably raise the money here in the US.

We keep our nukes as a deterant.

Interesting idea. Let's focus on our own needs for a while. Unfortunately it would impact US businesses doing business outside the US. I think many Fortune 500 companies derive 40-50% of their revenues from outside the US and that would have to be taken into consideration.

[Brian]

Interesting idea. Let's focus on our own needs for a while. Unfortunately it would impact US businesses doing business outside the US. I think many Fortune 500 companies derive 40-50% of their revenues from outside the US and that would have to be taken into consideration.

And all the oil we get from around the world. That would certainly be in jeopardy.

[wuapinmon]

We tried this from 1918-1936. It didn't work out so well for us or the world.

[New Mexican Disaster]

I am not sure anyone else sees us as protector of the free world. They have some short memories and we have had ulterior motives, sure, but I think we are moving quickly to a more multi-polar world from the old bi and uni-polar world.

In other words a more hands off foreign policy will probably be chosen for us by events (rise of China, reemergence of Russia, European Union). So we'll have to see what impact that has on us and our interests.

[Hallelujah]

And all the oil we get from around the world. That would certainly be in jeopardy.

Hey, we're going to be fossil fuel dependent shortly. Not to worry.

[Tim]

we no longer intended to be the protector of the free world.

I haven't thought this through in great detail, so I don't have a firm opinion.

What if we just up and told the world it costs too much for us to be the worlds protector. We are pulling out of the middle East, Germany, Japan and South Korea.

If another Kosovo problem occurs, it is the Europeans problem. Let Israel and the Arabs duke it out. We will sell arms to Israel, but they will pay the full price. They could probably raise the money here in the US.

We keep our nukes as a deterant.

I'd be curious to see how much we expend actually *protecting* the world, in comparison to the money we spend being the world's *aggressor*. Somehow it seems like we spend more money on the latter.

[Hallelujah]

I'd be curious to see how much we expend actually *protecting* the world, in comparison to the money we spend being the world's *aggressor*. Somehow it seems like we spend more money on the latter.

You would characterize the US more as the aggressor than protector? You call Afghanistan and Iraq as agressor actions?

[Tim]

You would characterize the US more as the aggressor than protector? You call Afghanistan and Iraq as agressor actions?

Not Afghanistan. Iraq for sure, though. No doubt about it. The money we've spent defending ourselves (Afghanistan) is petty cash compared to what we've spent being the aggressor (Iraq).

[il Padrino Ute]

we no longer intended to be the protector of the free world.

I haven't thought this through in great detail, so I don't have a firm opinion.

What if we just up and told the world it costs too much for us to be the worlds protector. We are pulling out of the middle East, Germany, Japan and South Korea.

If another Kosovo problem occurs, it is the Europeans problem. Let Israel and the Arabs duke it out. We will sell arms to Israel, but they will pay the full price. They could probably raise the money here in the US.

We keep our nukes as a deterant.

I wouldn't have a problem with that, but I'm more isolationist than most on this site. I'd like to get out of the UN as well.

[byu71]

I'd be curious to see how much we expend actually *protecting* the world, in comparison to the money we spend being the world's *aggressor*. Somehow it seems like we spend more money on the latter.

Sure, that is the left vs right debate. Left calls it aggressor, you know America is always wrong crowd. Right calls it protecting, America is always right crowd. Since I lean to the right, my choice of word is protector.

Bottom line. I am at the point where I say let someone else take care of Kosovo (sp), the problems in Africa, the problems in the Middle East, the problems between Korea and North Korea.

We have nukes. Just tell people to leave us alone and we won't interfer or come to their aid when they have problems. Let's pull out of NATO.