Should America return to isolation?

Question

Over reaching killed many an empire. While waging war abroad, the infrastructures crumbled. Should we abandon the world stage and just focus on us?

Answer 1

Militarily? Absolutely. Economically absolutely not. Keeping the US military out of other peoples countries would instantly bring back all the credibility that we lost due to Bush. Plus it wouldn't give terrorists the on the job training that they are getting in Iraq right now & moderate Muslims would start liking the US once again and NOT liking & supporting the radical Muslims/terrorists.
Free trade spreads democracy/capitalism w/o having to invade anyone & w/o anyone getting killed. The problem is Neo Cons & many Republicans like Bush would rather flex US military muscle which in the long run only hurts the US & the world.

Answer 2

I'd like to see it but it's unlikely. As much as foreign leaders love to publicly scold the US and our military, many countries absolutely depend on it. If it wasn't for Britain (and to a lesser extent: France), the rest of Europe would be screwed.

The whole reason we became involved in Bosnia for example was because you couldn't do anything to stop it. Srebrenica happened because a UN peacekeeping force, comprised of mostly Dutch troops were overtaken by Bosnian Serbs. Europe has a lot of money and a lot of soft power but they are probably the most vulnerable continent on the planet, absent the United States military.

Much to their credit, France is growing some balls again and Britain of course has always had a bad-*** military as well as the spine to use it, but even they couldn't do bombing runs on Libya without U.S. Naval support for refueling.

Answer 3

No, we see how that worked out before (pearl harbor), and we also saw what good we can do and the world stage, I can't name any empire that was killed by overreaching, except maybe the Byzantines. Rome's fall was much more complicated. Not to mention we are not an empire. Besides we were never really in Isolation, during the 20's we played an active role in global politics, just not militarily, during the later 20's and early 30's I suppose you could say we where, but not to the extent everyone thinks.

Answer 4

First we are not an empire and have never shown any imperialistic tendencies. Empires conquer and subjugate the citizens of that conquered territory. They don't set up democratic governments and hold elections.

We should not abandon the world stage completely but we should insist that other countries show greater leadership in solving some of the worlds problems. With the United States always at the forefront there is no incentive for the the rest of the world to "stand up."

Answer 5

empires crumble when they fall away from their original values and become consumed with the pursuit of money... once that happens there is no going back, this is the point we are at right now and some are trying to fight it politicians arise to try and bring something different... but once nothing is more important than money to the American people. it will crumble its time as the main super power will be over!!!

Answer 6

NO WAY. You are to young to remember WW2. That's how Japan was able to attack Pearl Harbor because we only looked at what was going on here at home. People saw Japan going after China & the Pacific Islands & said it had nothing to do with us so stay out of it. They Also saw what Hitler was doing in Europe. Agan they said he is doing nothing to us so stay out of it. There were even HITLER Youth Groups marching in upstate NY but no one cared.I lost 39 members of my family when a GERMEN sub torpoedoed a MERCHANT MARINE ship delevering supplies under " Lend Lease " to England off the coast of Labador. So I hope we dont just wrap ourself in the flag & just say we only look out for ourself & let the world take care of themself because that does not work today. The world needs us & we need the world.

Answer 7

Isolationism is a part of American history.

Read the attached link. I do not see how we could go back to being isolationist.

We're not over reaching abroad.

We may fall apart from within if we don't get control of our borders and illegal immigration.

Answer 8

Impossible

Answer 9

What infrastructure crumbled? You are reaching a little here. You cannot cherry pick the examples of one urban area's plight to characterize the whole country.

Answer 10

True, but the reason was the inability to control territories abroad. We aren't trying to collect kingdoms and waging war far away is tecnologically different now.