Pat Buchanan has it right. The bush administration has announced to the whole world that his foolishness in Iraq is showing everyone "the end of America as a Superpower"
be careful what you wish for though, America will return to isolationism and the entire world will be slaughtering each other. Who do you think is going to protect them, the UN?
Are you truly worried, if your prediction of isolationism comes true, about the entire world? Or are you worried that Israel would have to go it alone? In the past you certainly haven't shown any real concern if Muslims kill each other, as long as it doesn't threaten Israel, of course... How about this? America goes into isolation, after moving Israel and all Jews to Montana, and allowing any Christians (except Mexicans) to come to America... For the majority of America's existence, we were essentially an isolationist country, and the entire world seemed to survive. Really, it is hubris of a great nature to think the entire world depends on the USA to protect them...
I hardly think losing a few thousand soldiers is going to make America a non-superpower. I can't wait until we are isolationist. I'm sick of wasting my tax money helping other bullshit countries.
Following your logic... "I hardly think losing a few thousand Americans on 9/11 is going to make America a non-superpower." Hmmm, this country sure acted like a non super power after 9/11, acting at times like it was being run by a 2 bit dictator with a big dump in his pants...with the people being so fearful that they went to Home Depot and bought duct tape and plastic simply because that block head Tom Ridge said so... Do super powers need to act like it is engaged in a Chinese fire drill simply because a few thousand people and a few buildings got blown up?
LOL, what, me worry? I could not care less, I am all for isolationism, I am just warning those short sighted individuals who look forward to "the end of American Century" that they may get much more than they bargain for. As far as Israel is concerned - they are a big boy, they can handle it, they don't need and have never had american military support, they don't need american financial aid (it's only $2.5bln anyway) and they don't need stringent restrictions and restraints that come with that aid. They'll save more money buying conventional (as opposed to precision-guided) bombs from Russia and China, let it be the problem of those on whose heads those bombs will fall causing 100 times more collateral damage, if worse comes to worse they will nuke a couple of hostile muslim capitals like Tehran and Riyadh and will live in peace for the next 100 years. Mind you, if this country goes into isolation this country will be fine and so will Israel. The rest of the world I am not so sure though.
If they don't need financial aid, why are we providing it? Why aren't they rejecting it? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_military_aid_to_Israel Oh, I don't know how fine this country will be if we go into an isolation mode. We might actually have to face our internal problems, it will impact our globalization through foreign aid and military backing. If we were to go into isolationism, think seriously how this will end up financially for the US given the debt to other nations, and our own internal debt. Look at previous countries from history who were once on top, and then look to see what happened when the isolationism for them began after the periods of imperialism and expansion... If anyone thinks we have a burgeoning police state now, isolationism would bring on the real deal at its worst. I see no real way for the US to survive an isolationist period without breaking up the union into perhaps at least a red USA, and a blue USA, if not a purple, green, etc. Politicians and government always need a demon to focus on, an "other" to make the scapegoat, and if we focus internally as a result of isolationism, I predict it will get very ugly... This may happen though, the USA is relative young compared to most great civilizations in history who have expanded, then contracted. Oh, and your faux concern for the entire world is show for what it is below, an outright fabrication... "They'll save more money buying conventional (as opposed to precision-guided) bombs from Russia and China, let it be the problem of those on whose heads those bombs will fall causing 100 times more collateral damage, if worse comes to worse they will nuke a couple of hostile muslim capitals like Tehran and Riyadh and will live in peace for the next 100 years."
If they don't need financial aid, why are we providing it? Why aren't they rejecting it? I did not say they did not need it, I said they could easily do without it and the Israelis would not even know the difference. But if the Lebanese were bombed by conventional, not precision-guided bomb half a year ago they would undoubtedly have noticed the difference. Israel would still be able to take out Hezbollah headquarters in Beirut...together with the entire neighborhood. But then that would be done without the US financial aid so I suppose all America and Israel haters would be happy. Anyway, neither Israel nor the US which is not yet isolationist wants that to happen, the US again not being isolationist yet does not want to lose its leverage on Israel, hence the aid continues. It may even continue if the US indeed turns to isolationism. Oh, and your faux concern for the entire world is show for what it is below, an outright fabrication... Huh? Did I ever express such concern? I am truly sorry if I mislead you as I don't give a flying fuck about the rest of the world.
If they don't need financial aid, why are we providing it? Why aren't they rejecting it? I did not say they did not need it, I said they could easily do without it and the Israelis would not even know the difference. But if the Lebanese were bombed by conventional, not precision-guided bomb half a year ago they would undoubtedly have noticed the difference. Israel would still be able to take out Hezbollah headquarters in Beirut...together with the entire neighborhood. But then that would be done without the US financial aid so I suppose all America and Israel haters would be happy. Anyway, neither Israel nor the US which is not yet isolationist wants that to happen, the US again not being isolationist yet does not want to lose its leverage on Israel, hence the aid continues. It may even continue if the US indeed turns to isolationism. More mixed messages. 1. "I did not say they did not need it" Which means they need it. Actually, you did say they don't need it: "they don't need and have never had american military support, they don't need american financial aid" 2. "they could easily do without it and the Israelis would not even know the difference." Then they don't need it. If they had any real pride at all, they would reject it. By rejecting any aid, that would help America both in the money saved, and the perception that America is supporting Israel unequivocally, which would help relations with Arab nations. Oh, and your faux concern for the entire world is show for what it is below, an outright fabrication... Huh? Did I ever express such concern? I am truly sorry if I mislead you as I don't give a flying fuck about the rest of the world. Oh, I am not mislead about your position and the double talk that you use to express it...
That's plain silly, I need more money and if I get more money I will drive a better car and go to more expensive restaurants. If I don't get more money, guess what, I won't. I will still survive, I will be just fine, I will still have a car and go to restaurants. In Israel's case they need more money to buy better bombs to be able to destroy Hezbollah headquarters without wiping out half of Beirut with cheaper bombs. But if they don't get that money - Israel will still exist, I am not so sure about Beirut.