June
19th 2011
Posted under Foreign affairs & Interventionism
This Foreign Policy article says it is. It is well worth a read.
I agree. The base of the GOP still holds default interventionist and “strong defense” assumptions. They are a long way from Paul style non-interventionism. But they are less inclined to embrace the neo-conservative idea of America as keeper of world order. There just isn’t an ear for that anymore. Six or seven years have made a big difference. It isn’t 2004 or 2005 anymore, and the hyper-interventionist rhetoric that worked then just doesn’t resonate anymore.
Agree? Disagree? Discuss.
Aaron on 19 Jun 2011 at 6:24 pm #
Agree? Disagree?
Agree.
Discuss.
Like after Vietnam and before Grenada.
Angela on 19 Jun 2011 at 6:53 pm #
Sure. The only place it’s ever been popular is in the GOP. I don’t any Republican candidate won the Presidency on the neoconservative interventionist platform. GWB’s first term rhetoric indicated he was going to scale back Clinton’s bombing runs, although I suppose one could argue that his second term fully embraced the “let’s bomb the world into compliance” meme. But the GOP lost bad in 2006 because of their foreign policy, and deservedly so, and at least somebody up there is noticing.
Of course, most of the candidates on our stage aren’t serious about sanity, but at least they recognize that the rhetoric is popular.
Augustinian on 19 Jun 2011 at 7:17 pm #
I agree. It’s much too sad that it took this long.
I live in one of the most conservative (supposedly) counties of western Kentucky. The ‘American Greatness’, pro-intervention, aggressive foreign policy, military-worshiping attitudes are thick and strong. It’s undoubtedly due to a large army base right here.
There are glimmers even here, nonetheless. It’s at least one thing that Obongo the Obamination has done successfully.
Matt Weber on 19 Jun 2011 at 7:55 pm #
Let a Republican win the presidency and you’ll see how deep it goes. Americans no longer have any principles, only team spirit.
Augustinian on 19 Jun 2011 at 9:43 pm #
Matt,
I hate to say it and wish it weren’t so, but you’re probably spot on with that post.
However, being the inveterate optimist I am, maybe just maybe we’re inching ever so much closer …
Kirt Higdon on 19 Jun 2011 at 11:45 pm #
I agree with Matt Weber. I used to say that only a military catastrophe or economic meltdown would put an end to US interventionism. The former seems unlikely in view of the vast US technical military superiority. The latter is gradually occuring but will have to go much further. The American people have already shown themselves willing to sacrifice some of their prosperity for the sake of being permanently at war and it remains to be seen how much more they will sacrifice. I think the vicarious thrill of killing foreigners is somewhat of an addiction.
Sempronius on 20 Jun 2011 at 2:14 am #
Republican pols are simply repositioning themselves for the next election. (Read my lips, no new interventions!) The only things that matter in Washington are Wall Street and Israel. As for Republican voters; regardless of whether they are truly chastened by their current difficulties or not (I doubt it), they have no influence on Washington’s policies. Septimius Severus infamously advised his sons while on his death bed, “Remain loyal to each other, pay the army, the rest do not matter.” Today’s “the rest” are chumps like you, me and the folks in western Kentucky.
Sean Scallon on 20 Jun 2011 at 3:58 am #
“But the Democrats do believe in government — maybe too much. They believe that government serves deeply moral purposes. And they believe that the same government that has an obligation to help people at home has an obligation to do so elsewhere in the world as well. ”
Exactly. Go back to your natural homes neocons.
HarrisonBergeron2 on 20 Jun 2011 at 1:42 pm #
The gulf between Neocon propaganda and reality has grown so vast, that it can’t be covered up any more. Instead of exporting democracy to Iraq and Afghanistan, we’ve sown disorder instead — and with a massive price tag to boot.
Heckuva job, Neocons!
roho on 20 Jun 2011 at 3:55 pm #
American Politics have imitated Professional Sports. Wall Street Banking is the owners, Politicians are the Players, and Citizens sit in the stands as Fans.
How much impact do you really think the fan had on the Super Bowl?
Yet, they all say, “We couldn’t do it without our fans”…………..money.