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Politics : Impeach George W. Bush -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: AuBug who wrote (37664)	7/23/2005 11:40:53 AM
From: jlallen	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 93284

Message 21534019

To: AuBug who wrote (37664)	7/23/2005 11:43:55 AM
From: jttmab	Respond to of 93284

I believe if we close the 725 military bases we have on foreign soil the problem would go away. I've heard/read many people say that US policy should be based on: 1. What is in the best interests of the US. 2. Freedom and democracy around the world ... yada, yada.. This appears to be a nearly universal belief [or at least claim] of the left and right. I think the priority is backwards. If our priority is freedom and democracy, that is in the best interests of the US. In the near term, it may not be in the best interests [usually economically] of the US. I don't see that the US has suffered any negative world consequences for interfering in Bosnia. There was no economic gain for the US; no oil, nothing. There was no other purpose than to stop the carnage. Our involvement in Somalia was considered a success by nearly the entire world; though we seem to have concluded it was a failure. Nothing to be gained other than stopping the carnage. We had nothing to gain by helping in Indonesia and there was a dramatic change to the positive of US opinion by the Muslims of that region. On the other hand, when we subsidize the cotton industry to the disadvantage of the poverty stricken regions of Africa that are trying to sell cotton, don't be surprised if they don't show overwhelming gratefullness for being tossed a few million in aid. So the question to me is where are the bases and how are they perceived by the local people as to why they are there? If the local people believe they are there for freedom and democracy then leave them there. jttmab