Since September 11, 2001, U.S. foreign policy has seen trillions of dollars flow into multiple wars in Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan and Libya, and the occasional bombing endeavor in countries such as Yemen and Somalia. It seems nowadays that no matter what party is elected to office, they immediately write a blank check for the military-industrial complex and advocate more foreign military intervention. What was left of the anti-war movement after Bush left office blew away like dust in the wind and, not surprisingly, Obama’s refreshing anti-war rhetoric and non-interventionist promises fruited into more military spending and unjustified murder.
When asked what the motivations of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks were, Republicans give the “they hate us for our freedoms” talking point. And Democrats? Well they don’t seem to even have opinion on that one. In the Sept.12 CNN Republican presidential debate, only one person, Congressman Ron Paul, stood out from the rest when explaining the motivations of Osama bin Laden for the 9/11 attacks.
He spoke amidst a barrage of boos and cheers explaining bin Laden clearly stated that the U.S. was attacked because we had bases on their holy lands in Saudi Arabia and were too involved in Middle Eastern military affairs. It was truly refreshing to hear such honesty when the traditional warmongering is usually all that spews from the mouths of our politicians.
Imagine for a second if China had permanent bases and troops stationed across the U.S. It is hard for most Americans to imagine because they simply wouldn’t put up with it. Yet, the U.S. has more than 900 military bases in 148 countries. Currently, a billion dollar embassy bigger than Vatican City is being built in Baghdad, and yet we wonder why people want to give their lives to attack the U.S.?
We have no business nation-building and imposing democracy on other cultures and nations. Historically, nation building has failed every time. Imagine if your family was killed by collateral damage from a drone attack in a small city in Pakistan. Would you not be motivated to seek revenge?
The U.S. has zero respect for the sovereignty of other nations. It is not our role to be the policemen of the world, and unless our foreign policy is fundamentally changed, our country will spiral downward from military overextension and endless wars.
The U.S. will likely be under perpetual threat of attack, and the draconian and intrusive security laws will forever burden Americans. Voters must take the hint that Obama and other establishment candidates and politicians will support the same imperialistic foreign policy, not what the people demand.
Someday soon the U.S. will be forced to scale down its empire. The country can no longer afford to borrow and print money to pay for bombing nations and then rebuild them. Whether the people wake up and demand they be brought home now or wait until the U.S. collapses from financial ruin is still to be seen.
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