Middle East and Our Foreign Policy.. Defending Our Freedom? (Iran, Iraq, Afghanistan)

[LibertyandJusticeforAll]

So some say we can't leave the middle east and the rest of the world because we are protecting our interests and defending our freedom.

I have a few questions for those who promote this idea.
1. Where in the constitution does it say we have to defend and give financial support to other nations.
2. If we no longer have no military bases and stop all foreign aid to all the other nations, when will my constitutional rights and individual liberty sudden go away.
3. If we leave the middle east and pull our troops out of Iraq and Afghanistan how will my freedoms suddenly stop.
4. If we give them democracy how can you be sure they won't elect another Hitler!
5. Under what directive and authority with our blood and treasure can we decide right and wrong in other nations policies and its religious practices.

[Retroit]

#4 answers 1,2,3, and 5

In other words, our foreign involvement helps prevent another "Hitler" from starting what caused us to become as involved in world affairs as we are today. WWII proved that we can't be isolated like we were in earlier times.

That said, I agree that for financial reasons we need to pull back a bit and press other nations into taking more active involvement in preserving the system (i.e. open markets) which they are benefiting from but are not contributing proportionally to.

[Chava61]

I think the USA supports the Middle East because that is where there is oil that USA needs to run its economy.

[LibertyandJusticeforAll]

Originally Posted by Retroit

#4 answers 1,2,3, and 5

In other words, our foreign involvement helps prevent another "Hitler" from starting what caused us to become as involved in world affairs as we are today. WWII proved that we can't be isolated like we were in earlier times.

That said, I agree that for financial reasons we need to pull back a bit and press other nations into taking more active involvement in preserving the system (i.e. open markets) which they are benefiting from but are not contributing proportionally to.

So your telling me this is your answer. First of all you can not stop every nation from doing what they are going to do. Further more what your saying is no other country can elect who they want without our approval and we decide if they are good enough not to worry about. Who has enough power, knowledge and principle and integrity in this country to decide that. Hitler can not be the excuse to shape the world based on political and economic interests and nothing more. It is very unlikely that another Hitler will rise to power and threatened the united states. Imposing economic sanctions on nations can create the same kind of backlash from future leaders and rising nations who will seek out revenge and take up arms against our nation.
We created Saddam Hussein, Bin Laden, and the CIA put the Shah into power in IRAN. In some ways we are creating long time problems with these people, so according to you this will protect us from what... another Hitler. Sounds like we are creating them to me.
1953 Iranian coup d'état - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
How in the hell can you promote freedom and democracy, borrow money from China, give it to military dictators in Pakistan and then use force, subversion like tactics and call this liberty!

I smell BS and the typical evidence points to nothing more then finding ways to expand and control economic and political special interests.

[LibertyandJusticeforAll]

Originally Posted by Chava61

I think the USA supports the Middle East because that is where there is oil that USA needs to run its economy.

Well lets just call it what it is then.. complete BS!! Maybe the united states government with all the money they spent protecting oil around the world should have taken that money and started DRILLING AT HOME!!!
The American people are sick and tired of this... and frankly assuming we are doing it for OIL we certainly aren't getting it cheap for the amount of money we have invested in these dictators and the region we are paying out higher prices.

[GeorgeLucasLongLostChin]

Originally Posted by LibertyandJusticeforAll

Well lets just call it what it is then.. complete BS!! Maybe the united states government with all the money they spent protecting oil around the world should have taken that money and started DRILLING AT HOME!!!
The American people are sick and tired of this... and frankly assuming we are doing it for OIL we certainly aren't getting it cheap for the amount of money we have invested in these dictators and the region we are paying out higher prices.

You have to understand how oil prices work.

Even if you drill at home, the stability of oil production elsewhere still affects oil prices.

Oil is a commodity, just like wheat or copper. Unless the US can drill enough domestically to flood the market in sustained way, oil prices will remain the same. That is unlikely, or perhaps even impossible because even if the US has a significant share in total world production, doubling its own production would only make a tiny dent in prices: List of countries by oil production - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The reason why the US is involved with oil producing countries in the middle east is to keep the flow steady and stable and of course, favoring american corporations when that oil is extracted. It is much better to drain vassal states than tap into your own reserves. It's not a conspiracy. Every world power tries to extend its arms outward to secure ressources.

One thing is for sure, it has little to do with freedom (unless you live in a movie) because if that was our concern, we'd adress numerous pressing humanitarian issues in low ressources countries.

[GregW]

We are not protecting OUR ACCCESS TO OIL. We are protecting OPEC's PROFITS FROM MIDEAST AND CENTRAL ASIA OIL.