Isolation vs. Intervention in the US?

Question

I have to do a project that compares isolation to intervention.

I see Hurricane Katrina as an example of Isolation because the government didn't get right down there. What would be a good example of Intervention in the US- maybe another disaster, possible 9/11?

Answer 1

Isolation vs. Intervention refers to U.S. foreign relations. When we get involved in peace keeping or disaster relief in other countries that is intervention. When we stay out of it, that is Isolation. For instance Somalia 1992 and 1993 we intervened to relieve famine in the middle of a civil war. The 2004 tsunami we intervened to rescue people and provide emergency aid. 1990, the Gulf War, we intervened to get Iraq out of Kuwait and protect Saudi Arabia. Sometimes our intervention is appreciated. Sometimes it is not. Isolationism is another story. Darfur, millions are being killed in a mass genocide but we are staying out of it. Rwanda in the mid 90's the same thing happened. We stayed out of it. Many people hate us and call us heartless and cruel for letting tragedies like this happen without doing anything to stop it. But what could we do? Who are the good guys? How would putting our troops in the middle of it make things any better? Some people claim that we should be the policemen of the world. We should intervene wherever we see injustice and we should stop it. But that is why much of the world calls us evil imperialists. There are others who think we should stay out of world affairs and let everyone else sort out their own problems. But so many of our resources are tied up in overseas markets that instability across the world can spell disaster at home. So our country walks a balance trying to intervene when it must and stay out of things when it can. Then there are times, like in Darfur, when we would like to intervene but we can't because it would make things worse.

Answer 2

Hurricane Katrina is not a good example of isolationist policy. Mainly because the event occured in this country. As an internal event it cannot be isolated from the country in which it occurs. More accurately the country cannot be issolated from the event. Secondly, Katrina was dealt with at the federal level from the very beginning. Just because people feel it was handled poorly does not mean it was not handled at all.
Isolation vs Intervention apply to external things like forign and military policies. Prior to 1898 the US had a strict isolationist policy. This was based on the doctrine of George Washington to "avoid entangling forgiegn engagements". In 1898 the Spanish-American War was fought. This was the first time the US had engaged in significant foriegn activity. We siezed The Phillipeans, Cuba, Guam, Puerto Rico and proceeded to botch stuff up right and left.

Isolation example- Darfor Sudan- Genocide is ongoing but we are trying to stay out. There is no clear good guy and not way to solve the problem till the population is reduced enough to survive on the available resources. Stay out of it.
Result - World hates US for not getting involved

Intervention Example- Afganistan 1980's- Russia invades Afganistan for energy exploration. US funds resistance to help repell invation and stop Soviet expansion. Muhajadean answer the US call from all over the Adab world. Osama Bin Laden is trained and armed to fight Soviets. His power and influence grow during this time an he eventually become terror lord.
Result - 9/11 and world hates US for getting involved

Answer 3

neither one works.