Problem #20: Foreign Entanglements
This essay relates to the last one, in that I’m discussing “foreign entanglements” in the context of military adventures. President George Washington was quite clear about his position on such, as he stated in his farewell address:
"Tis our true policy to steer clear of permanent alliances with any portion of the foreign world." - George Washington”
"The great rule of conduct for us in regard to foreign nations is, in extending our commercial relations to have with them as little political connection as possible.”1
While I would not endorse a complete withdrawal from the world, such as could be implied by Washington’s quotes, a sort of modified isolationism might be in order. In short: let’s fix our own problems, before we decide to fix those of the rest of the world.
The US spent $682 billion dollars on defence in 2010. That amounts fo nearly 40% of the total world’s defense spending, and is greater than that of the next 13 countries combined2. If the US were to reduce its defence spending literally in half, it would still spend more than twice that China (the country that spends the second most on defence). This would necessarily force the US to reduce its foreign military entanglements- President Washington would definitely approve- and allow for much of that national wealth to be spent on building up our country again. We could rebuild our failing infrastructure, invest in education, provide health care for every American, at the same time as we’d come closer to balancing the budget.
At the same time, reducing our military posture would likely result in less resentment of the US anointing itself as the world’s policeman. We shouldn’t be the world’s policeman- again, President Washington would approve.
Endnotes:
No comments:
Post a Comment