Re: Robin Williams Plan for Peace
au1929 wrote:I want to know why it can't be this simple?????
Ok, I'll play Devil's advocate.
Quote:1. The US will apologize to the world for our "interference" in their affairs, past & present. You know, Hitler, Mussolini, Tojo,
Noriega, Milosovich and the rest of those 'good ole boys.' We will never "interfere" again.
Some would welcome this. Personally I would not.
I think America derives extensive benefits from our projection of power and in modern society you need those casus bellis.
Quote:2. We will withdraw our troops from all over the world, starting with Germany, South Korea and the Philippines. They don't want us there. We would station our troops at all US borders. No more will anyone sneak through holes in the fence.
You know what I think about the ignorant anti-immigration mindset. But to comment on withdrawals I think it would be a good idea.
But this argument is framed as if it is a one way street when it is not. Our bases are usually only in locations in where there is mutual benefit.
Gitmo is an example of an exception.
Quote:3. All illegal aliens have 90 days to get their affairs together and leave. We'll give them a free trip home. After 90 days the remainder will be gathered up and deported to France immediately, regardless of who or where they are. France should welcome them.
I don't think this is meant to be taken seriously. If anyone does take it sriously I'd be happy to walk them through it.
Quote:4. All future visitors will be thoroughly checked and limited to 90 days unless given a special permit.
I agree. We'll call this radical plan the "90 day tourist Visa" plan.
Quote:No one from a terrorist nation would be allowed in If you don't like it there, change it yourself and don't hide here. Asylum would never be available to anyone. We don't need any more cab drivers or 7-11 cashiers who won't speak English.
IMO, this just plays well to the ears of racists and would be a disservice to the economy.
I also don't think it'd be much in way of protection against terrorism.
The reciprocation in policy toward Americans would harm our economy if this were done on a large scale.
Quote:5. No "students" over age 21. The older ones are the bombers. If they don't attend classes, or they get a "D" and it's back home baby!. Never to Return.
This is simply ignorant.
The overwhelming majority of legitimate students from foreign countries are over 21.
America has fine educational institutions and many people take post-graduate courses here.
The notion that foresign students over 21 are bombers is simply false.
Quote:6. The US will make a strong effort to become self -sufficient energy wise. This will include developing non-polluting sources of energy but will require a temporary drilling of oil in the Alaskan wilderness. The caribou will have to cope for a while.
Easier said than done, but I agree with it.
Quote:7. Offer Saudi Arabia and other oil producing countries $10 a barrel for their oil. If they don't like it, we go some place else. They
can go somewhere else to sell their production. (About a week of the wells filling up their storage sites would be enough.)
This shows a complete misunderstanding of markets. I'd love to sever our love affair with the house of Saud but it wouldn't work that way.
Quote:8. If there is a famine or other natural catastrophe in the world, we will not "interfere." They can pray to Allah or whomever, for seeds, rain, cement or whatever they need. Besides most of what we give them is stolen or given to the army. The people who need it
most get very little, if anything.
This is mostly vingatorial rhetoric against what the author perceives as ingrateful attitudes.
Quote:9. Ship the UN Headquarters to an isolated island some place.! We don't need the spies and fair weather friends here. Besides, the
building would make a good homeless shelter or lockup for illegal aliens.
The US derives immense benefit from it's diplomatic power. The isolationists forget this easily.
Quote:10. All Americans must go to charm and beauty school. That way, no one can call us "Ugly Americans" any longer.
I've never liked the term. But the authors herein epitomize the stereotypical "ugly Americans" with their chest thumping and ignorance. This is what people refer to, the ugliness of such ignorance and arrogance.
In summary this is just an ignorantly couched argument for isolationism. It's a disservice to the more intelligent arguments for isolationism that exist.
Personally, I think America would be harmed more from isolationism than the rest of the world.
Many who advocate isolationism operate under the illustion that our wealth and success is entirely derived from inherent superiority as a nation.
They fail to consider that our dealing with other nations help us. They fail to see our incredible advantages simply because of the petty intra-national animosities.
We derive immense benefit from being modern-day imperialists. We derive immense benefit from economic and diplomatic expantionism. We derive immense benefit from power projection.
Personally I'd not mind isolationism, but not for the reasons stated here.
I'd not mind it because I think it'd help level the playing field and weaken America's grip on global economy.
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