Mike at The Western Experience and I have been having a discussion about our current wars. It all started with a post titled "Ron Paul, Occupiers, and Rasmussen." Then went as follows:
- Wars Great Conservative Divide
- America First
- Anti-War Right: Conservative or Libertarian?
- The Anti-War Right
- The Right Anti-War Right: The Practicality of Aggression
This post is a response to #5: The Right Anti-War Right: The Practicality of Aggression.
A Philosophical Difference:
On the conservative side of the aisle, war in all of its forms should be abhorred, there is no glory, as practical wisdom teaches us, in human suffering, the sacrifice of the young, death of the innocent, or the cost in national treasure. However, this solidly romantic notion overlooks the common reality of the world and the long term effects of non-engagement.
The two greatest threats that our country has ever faced in my lifetime has been Soviet expansionism and now Islamic expansionism.
Is it really "romantic" to consider America first? Is defending our ground and our way of life, nothing but mere romanticism? I think not. What about you?
Here we find the fundamental confusion about an America First foreign policy. America First is not "isolationist" (a term devised by FDR's minions), because it demands free trade with all! Nor is it disengaged ... the initial attack on Afghanistan is consistent with America First foreign policy.
America First, is simply non-intervention.
As Americans, we don't like government meddling in our lives (at least us old remnants), because all they can accomplish is to create new (and often bigger) problems down the road. Same goes for meddling around the globe. So the only romantic vision here, is believing the State can meddle with success.
Second, I'd argue that Progressivism and the Washington DC regimes are, and have been, the biggest threats our country has ever faced. Period.
One of the great myths of American history, is our defeat of communism. I'd say the truth is quite the opposite ... Chairman Mao adorned the White House Christmas tree in 2009. Communism has never had such a stronghold on America as it has now. Still don't believe me? Communist Party USA Hails Obama Victory!
It's not people in foreign lands who've taken away your rights, your liberty and your paychecks. It's those in Washington DC and your state capitols ... who've done all the damage.
The Gipper
The easiest critique of a successful conservative foreign policy would be that of Ronald Reagan. While Reagan is often hailed as the man whom instigated the fall of the Soviet Union what is often under reported, and even less understood, is the way in which he truly accomplished this amazing feat. His negotiations with Gorbachev were another realignment in his thinking towards foreign policy and is probably the single most important factor which caused the demise of communist Russia.
While considering his run for president, Reagan was asked how he intended to end the Cold War. His response was titanically simplistic and astounded those questioning him, “We win, they lose.” This was a radical shift from Détente, which dominated most of America’s academic foreign policy thought. In an almost 180 degree turnaround, instead of easing relationships with the Soviets, Reagan sought to engage the Soviets on all fronts, politically, militarily, economically, and most important, ideologically.
Détente is for passivist lefites, and has nothing to do with America First foreign policy - free trade with all, entanglements with none.
I was in the 6th grade when Ronald Reagan was first elected President of the United States. More than any other single factor, it was Ronald Reagan who sparked my interest in politics. I'm a big fan of Ronald Reagan! But I'm not afraid of the truth either. What I'm about to say will sound sacrilegious to many, but so be it. Call me a heretic if you must!
Ronald Reagan did not defeat the Soviet Union. There, I said it. Close the page, shut me out, shun me as the heretic I am ... I simply speak the truth. As anyone who understands economics at all, knows without any uncertainty that communism can't work. In other words, the communist Soviet Union defeated itself!
I suppose one could make the argument that Reagan increased the speed at which they collapsed, but at what cost in future American taxpayer expense? How did supporting Osama bin Laden against the Russians work out in the long run? Remember 9/11?
Did outspending the Russians on military build-up put America on a better financial foothold, or deeper in debt?
What about here at home, where it matters most? Did the Leviathan grow under Reagan? Or did it shrink? I ask because, government and liberty cannot occupy the same space.
On the other hand, Reagan's ideological rhetoric was nothing short of brilliant! It is his message that's his greatest legacy, not his foreign policy. It takes freedom to conquer tyranny. Bigger government, whether it be spending, legislative, or whatever ... that feeds tyranny (communism/progressivism/fascism/socialism), not freedom.
Islams Great Strength
Can anyone really argue that Europe isn't losing its soul to radical Islam? It's not that they're winning an ideological battle, nor are they winning an ideological battle in Europe. They're winning a legal battle!
It's progressivism/ multiculturalism that's defeating Europe. Even scarier, is the fact that radical Islam has a stronger legal and social foothold in America than it had pre-9/11.
So why is it we're fighting cavemen on the other side of the planet again? Considering the real battle is right here at home.
Then there's that little thing know as blow-back. Prior to King Bush the First's attack on Iraq, the great conservative thinker Russell Kirk warned:
[W]e must expect to suffer during a very long period of widespread hostility toward the United States -- even, or perhaps especially, from the people of certain states that America bribed or bullied into combining against Iraq.
In Egypt, in Syria, in Pakistan, in Algeria, in Morocco, in all of the world of Islam, the masses now regard the United States as their arrogant adversary; while the Soviet Union, by virtue of its endeavors to mediate the quarrel in its later stages, may pose again as the friend of Moslem lands. Nor is this all: for now, in every continent, the United States is resented increasingly as the last and most formidable of imperial systems.
Prophetic words, I must say.
Any army that occupied my home state of Michigan for 20+ years (including our own), would easily find an enemy in me. Wouldn't they find one in you too?
How to Defeat America
There are 2 easy solutions to defeating the American Empire: 1) invade and conquer, or 2) drive us into bankruptcy.
Neither the old USSR, nor the radical Islam of today, could possible invade and conquer the United States. Straight-up! America has the most powerful, most capable military the world has ever known, and even they couldn't take the United States!
There's simply too many of us, and even more so, too many of us with guns!
Think about it ... The U.S. military is having a very difficult time with Iraq, let alone an armed citizenry the size of our own! In other words, radical Islam simply isn't a viable military threat to our nation. The famous Japanese Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto, when asked about invading the U.S., said it couldn't be done.
Upon landing in America, there would be a rifleman behind every blade of grass.
What about bankrupting America then? Is that possible? You tell me. How's the national debt looking these days?
Conclusion
Going on 9 full years of war later, Osama bin Laden is alive and well! Not to mention 2 recent Islamic attacks on our soil.
Our original attack on al-Qaeda and the Taliban in Afghanistan is consistent with America First foreign policy and supported by the Old Right. Unfortunately, the government lies, and never bothered to finish the job. Instead, they moved on to delivering the New Deal and Great Society to Iraq, using American taxpayer dollars to set-up a socialist regime there (the antithesis of the freedom needed to defeat tyranny).
Meanwhile back at home ... Our taxes have never been higher, our liberty has never been smaller, we're heading into another depression, Islam is gaining ground, Chariman Mao is celebrated in the White House ... and the federal government is on the verge of bankruptcy.
Government meddling in people's lives NEVER works. Never has. Never will. It doesn't work at home, it doesn't work overseas, and wouldn't work on Mars if tried.
Government is failure.
We're losing the war.
P.S. - After Mike's response to this post, I'll respond with How to deal with radical Islam. From there, we'll move into the issue of fusion ... Bringing the Old Right and the new, together once again.
