I was getting ready to respond to Witton, we were actually having a civil discusion. Now I can't find it. Either I'm losing it or the thread was deleted.

 

would that be the buh-bye thread?

 

I guess so I can't remember the name of it.

Was there something in it that I missed? Were people insulting each other again or some dumb stuff?

 

Idk, I didn't read through it....I just remember seeing it and now it's not there.

 

Well Witton if you check this I'll do my best to respond to your post from what I remember.

I believe you asked/stated the following:

Do I believe that we are wrong.
and
You asked about military bases and how they add to our problems and then you drew a comparison to police stations close to our homes and the increased security.

You'll have to allow me some leniency as I'm working off of memory and it ain't the greatest.

First, I like the fact that we were discussing rationally our different viewpoints and hope it continues, I can respect a man who can discuss without animosity.

The first issue: Do I think we are wrong.

Yes and No. I love this country, get teary eyed at the national anthem, or other patriotic displays. I love the red white and blue. It fills me with unbelievable pride to say that I'm an American. I'm proud of it and wear my pride loudly. With that said I don't believe that every action cloaked in Ole' Glory is justified or correct. I was against Iraq before it started, I'm against it now. I think Bush's foreign policies are hurting this country. I think the past few administrations used the military as a pawn to achieve political objectives rather than defending our nation. I can not in good conscious support what Bush is doing, nor can I support our backwards foreign policies.

I admit there is still a part of me, growing smaller each day, that believes Bush is a good man trying to do the right thing. However, if that is true he is either truly incompetent or simply doesn't see through the Neo-con PR machine that has been constructed around him.


I believe that permanent military bases around the world are a bad thing. We only need permanent bases on our soil. We don't need the ability to react to a European/Asian/Middle Eastern incursion in hours. Let the countries in those areas be the first responders. Our military is for our defense not theirs. By stationing ourselves across the world we are telling people "We are here to make sure everything goes to our liking and can react quickly if we don't".

I'm not suggesting isolationism but I am proferring the idea of letting the world manage its own problems for a while. Let them see how hard it is. Let them bleed for their freedoms. Let them pay with their taxes for their defense. Let them appreciate exactly how much we did. Let them appreciate how much we aren't doing after the withdrawal.

Your parallel with the police stations was telling. The world sees us as their cop. "Be good or the US will smack you back into line". We aren't the UN peace keepers. We aren't the world's cop. We aren't here to insure global security and peace. We are here to insure our security and our peace.

If I had a say, the global deployment of troops outside of US soil would quickly diminish. We bring our men and women home. We secure our borders with our troops. We defend our nation. The world knows what we can do if we are pushed. We let them make their own decisions and not get involved every time something we don't like occurs. If a 9/11 occurs again, we find the culprits and punish them hard and then come home.


(I'm off to watch the world's greatest Neo-Con, Jack Bauer, at work)