The Founding Fathers did not like a large standing army.

[UntamedOhioan]

Originally Posted by harborlady

That path requires America listen to libertarians trying to put forth a better foriegn policy. We need to spell out better, before the next Rwanda or Serbia or Hitler Germany what is a justifiable reason to have a war or intervene.

Personally I agree that troops covering the globe, maintaining 'strategic points'-- lets hear the reasons why anyone felt it necessary, then decide what's appropriate for this century and not last century.

The reason why nobody listens to libertarians is because there really isn't a party to represent us. Some Republicans & Democrats do have libertarian beliefs, but they are drowned out in the bipartisan drone of cronyism and the status quo.

[BigCur]

They were fine with slavery and only 10% of people allowed to vote though.

[keep on livin]

1.5 million active personnell. another 1 million reserves. 2.5 million approximately.
US population 300 million. Is this a large standing military?

Put this in context of a world that benefits from the services of the United States military. Without the simple presence of the US military, there are places that would tear themselves apart. You can't measure relative peace in dollars all of the time.

The USA doesn't have to justify having a large military. It's obvious why our military is the size that it is.

[summers73]

Kind of ironic that so called "conservatives" in this forum grudgingly promote this idea that we must "make good for the world". Closet Obama supporters IMO, each and every one of them. At least progressives are honest about their intentions of using US taxpayer dollars to promote their bleeding heart agendas, whereas RINO neo-cons aren't. I wonder if Obama supporters and RINOs suffer from the same OCD control freak "government must do something" paranoia?

[summers73]

Originally Posted by BigCur

They were fine with slavery and only 10% of people allowed to vote though.

Cite where they were "fine" with slavery? I recall Adams owning none out of principle, Dr. Franklin chastising Jefferson for not including emancipation in the DoI (later realizing that the revolution would not have occurred with it embedded), and Jefferson protesting on a dozen occasions for emancipation (a self-deprecating proposal considering that without his slaves, he'd be foreclosed on by his creditors).