I don't ignore oil subsidies, I just don't fantasize that most of our military budget is an oil subsidy.
Just like I can't picture our NATO commitments and bases in Japan and SK as subsidies for Nintendo and Phillips.
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We do have different world views, though you don't characterize mine accurate. I don't accept that "point(ing) our military gun at everyone else's head and say, "engage with us on our terms, or else." is an accurate description of US policy. I see you're throwing up a strawman cause you feel good pushing it over.
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In fact, it has lead to the isolation of the US from some of our allies in Europe
Actually our relations with Europe are about as good as ever. More conservative governments have come into power in places like Germany and France. You should pay more attention.
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and the strengthening of our competitors like Russia and Venezuela.
Oil prices strengthened them and they're now weakening them.
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You clearly have a sophomoric view of engagement, if you believe that our engagement with the Middle East is not currently isolationist.
I do believe isolationist is not an accurate description of our ME policy now.
A desire to END trade with the ME - in the only real trade commodity they have - and "give them the finger" - THAT's what I would label isolationist.
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I believe in a posture that uses trade as a strategic weapon for co-opting competitors.
What a sentence.
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not to prey on weaker nations, like we currently do for oil. Aggression to secure oil supplies leads to many enemies and attacks against us, as we have seen this decade.
We don't prey on or aggress against weak nations for oil.
If we did, we'd prey on Mexico. It has unexploited territories that are bound to have as much oil and gas as LA-OK-TX, its close by, weaker, would be a real pushover for us.
For that matter, Canada is also a nearby weak neighbor with vast energy reserves. Even easier to invade than Mexico, I think. |
