The next president better have a sane foreign policy, or hello, WWIII
The coordinated terrorist attack in Paris and elsewhere underscores the need for a disciplined, level-headed foreign policy here at home.
When the U.S. invaded Iraq under the leadership of George W. Bush and proceeded to “Mission Accomplish” the place into utter disarray, it set in motion a downward spiral throughout the Middle East. Today, the world is reaping the rewards of this short-sided militaristic adventure.
Similar tragic consequences have followed whenever we have forced “regime changes” throughout the world. Unfortunately, our leaders have a very bad habit of ousting democratically elected leaders, simply because they don’t like them for one reason or another. (Usually it’s because they refuse to bow to our will and make the U.S.-based corporations who have operations in those regions fat and happy.)
The examples read like a what’s what of places where dictators we have installed wreak havoc: Iran, Nicaragua, El Salvador, Guatemala, Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Ukraine, Cambodia, Ghana, Haiti – the list goes on and on.
In the case of Iraq, all we succeeded in doing was destabilizing the country and thus the region, creating a power vacuum that ISIS was all too willing to fill.
All this goes to show that we simply must choose our leaders more carefully. It is precisely because America is such a powerful nation that we must act with restraint and great care. Electing leaders because they seem like a good guy to have a beer with is unwise. Electing blowhards because we think they’ll be tough guys that keep the rest of the world in line is just asking for trouble. A Trump presidency would be a perfect example of this, but we don’t need any more such examples. As a cartoon in this issue points out: A demagogue with troops at his disposal to round people up – what could go wrong?
I hope we’re collectively smarter than that as an electorate by now, but time will tell.
Until then, at least, the crazies putting themselves up for nomination are providing our talented cartoonists and writers with lots of great fodder. So, enjoy, and have a peaceful holiday season. We’ll see you in the new year!
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