Jim, So should we fight their wars?
I'll give you the example of Korea as a sort of microcosm for the global web of alliances. Many Koreans wonder why they're being forced to fight America's wars. Even President Roh, after winning an election on an anti-American platform, sent a handful of Koreans to Iraq just to make nice-nice with Bush. Meanwhile, the popular perception in Korea is that Bush wants anything but Korean reunification, for it means America will lose her influence over the peninsula. After all, those dang American "neocons" only want to get rich off of Korean businesses, plus they want to use Korea as a military base of operations against the potential threat of China.
So why did Roh do what he did? The answer is that Korea is not in control of her own destiny, and never really was. It's the sad truth, but on the other hand, cooperation with America has helped Korea turn from a 3rd world country into a modern success story. Of course, the price is continued American influence upon the Korean government. What's to happen if some of the more leftist elements of Korean politics are obeyed, and Korea kicks out America and her troops once and for all? First of all, North Korea will become even more belligerent, as they know they can now push South Korea a lot more and get away with it. Korea by necessity will either need to ally with Japan, which is difficult given the bitterness remaining over the Japanese occupation of 1910-1945, or ally with China, which is just as scary given that China doesn't "burden" itself with human rights and freedom. None of these are particularly appealing alternatives.
So what's my point, and how does this apply to America? Just as it would be folly for Korea to shake off America's influence on her politics, it would be folly for America to shake off the world's influence on her policies as well. Believe it or not, America isn't as self-sufficient as you think she is. "Fortress America" is just as idiotic, IMHO, as the "liberal way" you are ridiculing (#reply-20099863). Same thing with the 19th century policy of isolationism that Buchanan advocates.
Now I understand that we need to sort out the entangled web of alliances we got ourselves into in the first place. But every single one of your posts suggests that you want us to go further and turn America into one gigantic gated community. It isn't going to happen.
Tenchusatsu |
