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Originally Posted by Libertine
Isolationism doesn't work, so a foreign policy is unavoidable.
And while politicians often change their views after elections, what they say and write beforehand often gives a good indication of what they'll do. Hell, the neo-conservatist doctrine was pretty much announced in FA beforehand.
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Sure... not thinking of isolationism, tho that has succeeded fairly well with the current foreign policy
There is a role for the US internationally along with all other nations - the difference is other nations are inclined to stay out of the affairs of folks and not create stupid dramas and pretend to be the world's policeman. An international role involves diplomacy and I've never seen any of that lately - have you?
More like total ignorance.
I started reading some of the links above and actually gave up. Sure there are good bits here and there, but obvious these are people playing games to get elected.
Example... Giuliani. This is a guy who is already unstable in his personal life with the only claim to fame being that he was the Mayor of New York when 9/11 happened.
To quote him...
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The next U.S. president will face three key foreign policy challenges. First and foremost will be to set a course for victory in the terrorists' war on global order.
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A dreamer selling a dream which will never happen - there are no "victors". Terrorism has never ever been "defeated" - if anything, it was a negotiated peace over decades and a very hard path along the way.
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The second will be to strengthen the international system that the terrorists seek to destroy.
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WTF is he talking about? That was a quick second point. Never knew "terrorists" were targetting some "international system". He's blabbering.
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The third will be to extend the benefits of the international system in an ever-widening arc of security and stability across the globe. The most effective means for achieving these goals are building a stronger defense, developing a determined diplomacy, and expanding our economic and cultural influence. Using all three, the next president can build the foundations of a lasting, realistic peace.
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Hell.. he's off on "global speculation" next. There is nothing wrong with building a stronger defense - tho that has already been overcooked and played straight into the hands of "terrorists" by costing billions in an over-reaction as an ineffective response. Have you ever seen other countries affected by terrorist activity throw their hands, together with billions of dollars, into the air and over-react so badly while enacting laws which intrude on their own citizens? It's exactly the effect any "self respecting terrorist" could have hoped for. The US today is certainly not "a safer place" - probably the complete reverse.
"Determined diplomacy" smells of "forced diplomacy" and more playing hardball. If this is supposed to be a course for success - more dreaming. Perhaps "sustained diplomacy" may be more relevant.
On "expanding our economic and cultural influence". The US will go bust before any economic influence has any effect - and few countries want or need any economic influence from the US. They are often in a far more stable economic condition than the US currently is. What makes Giuliani think any nation or people are interested in his version of culture?? Cultures existed long before the US was ever heard of and these will not be changing in Giuliani's lifetime. We are still in the colonial "sphere of influence" age - that passed decades ago.
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Preserving and extending American ideals must remain the goal of all U.S. policy, foreign and domestic.
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If this was said by the "management" of any other western country, the population would burst out laughing. Sounds more like terminology which would apply to Communism or the "ideals" behind the Ayrian race under the Third Reich. There is nothing "honorable" about "American ideals" or the "ideals" of any other country - they all have skeletons in the cupboard.
And so on blah.... Giuliani may have been a good "city manager" (tho he has his critics), but if this is a sample of potential material for the next US President - God bless America. That country sure will need it.
Only my
- the time for bullshit is over. This is a crucial time for the US and there are many problems to resolve, forgetting a damage recovery exercise on many levels. Got no interest or preference in any party or candidates - whoever is elected will have a massive challenge to get the US economically sustainable and that will take longer than two presidential terms of office. Only my thought, but doubt this will ever happen and doubt there will be a candidate with the ability to do more than have the "best democracy money can buy". In that case, it's a constant downwards spiral.