Take a Breath….Take a Deep Breath

As bad as it is, it is likely to get worse.  The reality is that Joe Biden is President through January of 2025.  If he vacates the presidency, Kamala Harris will ascend to that position.  Joe Biden has seeded his entire Administration with the same manner of incompetents that we are watching manage the Afghanistan fiasco.  The end is not near; the pain is just beginning.

Some people are looking forward to the 2022 mid-term elections as a salve for this terrible Biden rash that has affected our nation.  There are two things wrong with that assumption.  First, the 2022 mid-terms are still fourteen months away.  In the big scheme of things, that is not far off at all.  In the world of politics, it might as well be a decade away.  American voters are notorious for short and forgiving memories.  Only time will tell how responsible Biden and the Democrats will be held for the damage they have inflicted on our country.

Secondly, if the Republicans regain majority control of the House and Senate, it is true that they will be in position to stem the tide of bad policy; but they will be powerless to unwind any of the damage already absorbed by that date.  If that happens, President Biden will no longer have the option of pushing radical legislation through Congress using extraordinary means.  He will instead have to rely on his Presidential authorities and Executive Actions.  Now those can be hurtful, but their reach is limited and they can be uneasily undone by the next president.

It is highly likely that even if the nation repudiates Biden and the Democrats at the ballot box by putting the Republicans back in the position of Congressional majority, they will still be well short of the two-thirds mark necessary to override a Presidential veto.  Therefore, they will not be able to proactively pass new legislation; they will be limited to preventing bad legislation from ever reaching the President’s desk.  They will not be able to reverse the legislation passed in Biden’s first two years; they will only be able to prevent more bad stuff from becoming law.

We are stuck with an imbecilic President for the next three plus years.  Even worse, we are stuck with the idiots he has sprinkled throughout federal departments and agencies that will administer federal programs for that time also.  And for those who take solace in the possibility that Biden might somehow vacate (or be vacated from) the Presidency, you had better realize that as bad as it is…we are now only in the frying pan.  If Kamala Harris becomes President, we are leaping into the fire.

Suck it up, America.  I fear the worst is yet to come and even the mid-terms can only offer partial relief from the liberal lunacy we have placed in control of country.  The pathetic weakness of American leadership is on display for the entire world to see.  Vladimir Putin watches as he gazes towards the Ukraine; dreaming of the old Soviet Union.  Xi Jinping observes as he calculates extending his Chinese empire towards Taiwan and even further.  Kim Jong-un looks longingly over the 38^th parallel and dreams of one Korea.  Meanwhile, our NATO allies shake their heads in dismay and search for the answer to national defense without America. 

May the Good Lord keep his hand on the shoulders of our leaders and help them find the strength and wisdom to make good decisions.  Therein lays our only hope.  And Lord, if it is not too much to ask, please give us two or three good presidential candidates next time around…candidates not named Biden, Harris, or Trump.  Now…on to some current events and short comments.

There is not much to say about the catastrophic events in Afghanistan that has not already been said.  Trump’s deal with the Taliban was an embarrassment, but Trump and Obama both realized that they simply could not abandon Afghanistan without a plan of some type.  Biden was not smart enough to realize this.  Hindsight and time will reveal the full story, which has not yet fully played out.  But it certainly appears that the pivotal decision that sent events spinning out of control was the decision to abandon Bagram air base.

https://www.nationalreview.com/corner/bidens-bagram-bug-out-in-july-made-todays-kabul-catastrophe-inevitable/

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/ted-cruz-says-the-biden-administrations-decision-to-vacate-bagram-air-base-in-afghanistan-was-a-political-decision-that-proved-catastrophic/ar-AANQqXQ?ocid=mailsignout&li=BBnb7Kz

House Speaker Pelosi and her Democratic mates are obsessed and determined to paint the January 6 events at the Capitol as something multiple times larger and more ominous than it obviously was.  I suppose they figure that if enough stuff gets thrown against the wall, eventually something will stick.  Who knows…if they turn over enough rocks, they might find out why some of the Capitol Police were so “welcoming” to the protesters.

https://www.newsmax.com/politics/fbi-january-6-capital-attack/2021/08/20/id/1033141/

https://www.powerlineblog.com/archives/2021/08/breaking-the-lefts-january-6-narrative-just-went-poof-fbi.php

https://jonathanturley.org/2021/08/23/the-fbi-comes-up-empty-handed-in-its-search-for-an-insurrection/

https://jonathanturley.org/2021/08/22/no-further-action-will-be-taken-officer-who-fatally-shot-ashli-babbitt-cleared-of-any-wrongdoing-by-capitol-police/

The Senate has approved the Democrat’s infrastructure light bill with a price tag of around $1.2 trillion.  You can read for yourself what is in the bill and then decide for yourself how much of this is absolutely essential to our nation at a time of record federal debt, record federal spending, increasing threats from inflation, and an economy that is clearly struggling to break out its pandemic funk.  It is especially rich to hear what some of the Senate Republicans had to say about voting in favor of this atrocity while at the same time bemoaning federal spending abuse.  Such hypocrisy is really difficult to stomach.

https://www.natlawreview.com/article/senate-approved-12-trillion-infrastructure-bill-here-s-what-it-funds

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/what-is-in-the-dollar12-trillion-bipartisan-infrastructure-bill-that-just-passed-the-senate/vi-AANe7Sc?ocid=mailsignout

https://www.nationalreview.com/2021/08/not-your-fathers-infrastructure/

https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/opinion/66-billion-for-amtrak-trains-to-nowhere

https://www.cnsnews.com/article/washington/ashlianna-kreiner/sen-romney-284-trillion-debt-too-much-must-ensure-entitlement

https://justthenews.com/government/congress/total-19-republicans-joined-democrats-pass-12-trillion-infrastructure-bill

Please remember that this $1.2 trillion monstrosity is only the opening act for the Democrats in Congress and their Clown in the White House.  The Senate has now passed the infrastructure light bill and sent it over to the House, where Speaker Pelosi is trying to figure out how to hold it hostage until she can guarantee Senate passage of the additional $3.5 trillion bill that is waiting in the wings…that would be infrastructure heavy.  Who knew there was $4.7 trillion worth of infrastructure out there just begging to be bought?

https://www.dailywire.com/news/democrats-unveil-massive-3-5-trillion-budget-plan-that-includes-universal-pre-k-free-college-and-environmental-justice

Just a reminder: https://www.truthinaccounting.org/about/our_national_debt?gclid=EAIaIQobChMIvt3EnrmQ8gIVdQaICR1KeQKdEAAYAiAAEgLOv_D_BwE 

Here is a brief glance at some of the Democrats’ brilliant ideas about how this country should be “woke”.  I think I will call it the “Democrat Follies”.  These are efforts being made to normalize behavior and change our lives in ways that simply were considered preposterous no more than five or ten years ago.

https://www.nationalreview.com/corner/the-big-bright-green-jobs-machine-or-not/

https://www.nationalreview.com/2021/08/libertarians-were-wrong-about-marijuana-legalization/

https://www.powerlineblog.com/archives/2021/08/bidens-open-border-the-open-question.php

https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/opinion/editorials/congress-has-what-it-needs-to-cut-off-the-spigot-and-rein-in-college-tuition

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/the-texas-democratic-rebellion-ended-with-barely-a-whimper/ar-AANye6Y?ocid=mailsignout&li=BBnb7Kz

https://jonathanturley.org/2021/08/13/putting-the-pen-back-into-penmanship-unreadable-note-leads-to-failed-bank-robbery/

And just to help sum it all up and put in some perspective: https://www.jewishworldreview.com/0821/hanson081221.php

Our President is steadily being revealed as a zombie.  The terrible events in Afghanistan have helped to expose this reality, but the dangers emanating from it have yet to be fully realized.

https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/opinion/editorials/opec-tells-a-weak-incompetent-us-president-to-drop-dead

He is not just a fool; he is a dishonest fool: https://issuesinsights.com/2021/08/26/why-do-media-fact-checkers-keep-ignoring-this-big-lie-of-bidens/

https://www.dailywire.com/news/desantis-shreds-biden-americas-enemies-know-hes-weak-focuses-on-kindergarteners-while-world-burns

Some days, I simply have to wonder…. “Are there really this many stupid people in America?  Who would trust the government to do this? … https://jonathanturley.org/2021/08/20/the-new-censors-polls-shows-almost-half-of-americans-favor-the-government-censoring-misinformation/#more-177330

Perhaps the Supreme Court is beginning to find its backbone and the need to restore some Constitutional order to our government.

https://www.nationalreview.com/bench-memos/the-court-sets-things-right-on-the-eviction-moratorium/

https://www.nationalreview.com/2021/08/supreme-courts-welcome-rebuke-of-bidens-lawlessness/

And just when Republicans thought it was safe to go back in the water: https://www.newsmax.com/politics/trump-hire-iowa-2024/2021/08/13/id/1032227/

Here is a nice piece that asks a really important question in regards to what we are witnessing in our country these days: https://www.jewishworldreview.com/0821/hanson082621.php

In closing, it is perhaps only appropriate that we take a listen to Mr. Gilmour of Pink Floyd fame.  His message affirms the tone of this piece: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K2aYvh3H0W0

 

 

 

Just Deserts

It is becoming increasingly uncomfortable for me to criticize the Democrats and Joe Biden; they are such an easy target.  One cannot help but feel guilty about “piling on” when the opportunities are so plentiful, rich, and deserving.  On the other hand, there are many people who simply do not have the time to research beyond the headlines and might appreciate a deeper dive into the true lunacy behind the liberal mania that is sweeping across this nation…and now the world.  In service to that “other hand”, I will continue to build the overwhelming case that Joe Biden is an imbecile; that he has filled his Administration with clueless ideologues; and the Democratic Party has unquestionably become unmoored from any semblance of reason or logic.

After the last couple of weeks, I seriously considered a link-free blog with only my editorial comments on President Biden and his recent misadventures.  So many of the derisive adjectives used to describe our President, his apparent mental limitations, and his recent performances have become so patently plain, obvious, and redundant that repeating them almost seems…cruel.  Alas, I am reminded that so much of what we have seen from our President over the last several days was common knowledge before he was elected last November.  Given that fact, there are obviously a lot of people out there who have not connected the neon dots between putting idiots in charge of government and bad things happening.  For these people, I will continue to build the case. 

Afghanistan.  As I have written before, I believe it is fair to say that the larger picture of U.S. policy failure in Afghanistan is a shared indictment of all past presidents going back to George W. Bush.  That being said, the fact is that when President Trump left office, we had about 2,500 U.S. soldiers in Afghanistan and had lost one American life in the last year.  Had Trump publicly proclaimed his desire for the U.S. to get completely out of Afghanistan?  Yes, he had…repeatedly.  Did the Trump Administration agree to an exit strategy with the Taliban that was as irresponsible as the ongoing policy had been for twenty years?  Yes, it did. 

But the larger and more salient point here is this: While most Americans agreed with the notion of the U.S. getting out of Afghanistan; they pretty much understood that it had be done in such a way that somehow preserved our national security and precious investment in that country over the last two decades. This was the plan that was in place when President Trump left office: https://justthenews.com/government/security/biden-ignored-plan-carefully-withdraw-afghanistan-top-trump-aide-says

https://www.cnsnews.com/index.php/article/international/patrick-goodenough/trump-troop-withdrawal-under-my-presidency-would-have-been

Trump’s exit strategy was based on “conditions” and “status on the ground”.  This is why we were still there when he left office.  He and his Advisors realized that if they abruptly left without any provision for an orderly transition to Afghan military control, then chaos would ensue.  That is the whole point of basing the U.S. withdrawal on conditions and ground status.  Those conditions did not warrant the evacuation of the 2,500 American troops and that is why they were still there when Joe Biden took office.  Joe Biden, upon ascending to the presidency, employed the childish and simplistic doctrine of unwinding anything Trump had done. 

After applying this sophomoric logic to his Iranian foreign policy, he then moved on to Afghanistan.  Ignoring common sense and the advice from his own military and foreign policy appointees, Biden impulsively evacuated essentially all of the American troops from Afghanistan in a matter of days.   Unbeknownst to our Afghani allies, American troops deserted our military airbase at Bagram in the dead of night.  The catastrophe that we are currently witnessing is the result of these rash and ill-conceived actions. 

Here is a timeline of exactly what has occurred in Afghanistan over the last couple of weeks:https://www.politico.com/news/magazine/2021/08/20/biden-afghanistan-kabul-chaos-taliban-evacuation-505600\\

In the preceding story, take note of the members representing Biden’s national security team.  In particular, pay attention to the second-in-charge and who would be the next man up if Biden goes down. 

https://www.powerlineblog.com/archives/2021/08/wheres-kamala.php

https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/opinion/the-most-useless-vice-president-of-the-century

Look at the people who were in our nation’s emergency situation room when a foreign policy crisis erupted.  What else should we have expected when we picked Joe Biden to fill out the roster?  The competence and character of our national leaders truly matters when times like these arise.  We can never forget that fact.

While this shameful episode unfolded, our President was largely absent from the White House.  He did not return until events were well out of hand and headed due south.  He was propped up for a comical news conference that was brief to the point of ridiculous and he took no questions.  He left the White House once again.  Meanwhile, he and his people tried their best to switch the national attention to their favorite subject, the covid pandemic.  Having failed in this effort, he was propped up for another news conference.  He mumbled, stumbled, and lied his way through a brief reading of the teleprompter and then incoherently responded to, I think, four questions.  The questions were from his mainstream media lackeys, he evaded the point of the questions with indirect utterances, and somehow managed to dig the hole he was standing in a good deal deeper.

Desperate to bring some order to this madness, Biden did a sit-down television interview with ex-Clinton flunkey and current Democrat hack George Stepasdfererwewer.  Despite the kid gloves treatment by George S and the softball questions he was offered, he continued to obfuscate, lie, and simply ignore the very real issues involved in this foreign policy failure.  He has now apparently gone into hiding in search of something…anything…that might somehow begin to calm the torturous waters of this spectacular debacle.  I fear the debacle is only going to get worse.  Read for yourselves how this sad chapter has unfolded….

What did our President and his Administration have to say about Afghanistan before the fecal matter collided with the bladed mechanical device?

https://www.newsmax.com/politics/biden-allies-afghanistan-kabul/2021/08/20/id/1033226/

https://www.powerlineblog.com/archives/2021/08/what-is-america-back-to.php

https://www.nysun.com/editorials/moment-of-truth-for-the-biden-doctrine/91615/

https://carolineglick.com/joe-bidens-catastrophic-judgment/

https://www.jewishworldreview.com/0821/hanson081921.php

https://www.cnsnews.com/blog/craig-bannister/pelosi-praises-bidens-handling-afghanistan-it-was-strong-it-was-decisive-and

Once events began to unfold in Afghanistan in a way that was not anticipated, this is how our President and his Administration handled it.

https://www.nationalreview.com/the-morning-jolt/the-true-extent-of-bidens-lies-about-afghanistan/

https://www.dailywire.com/news/biden-will-not-expand-kabul-airport-perimeter-press-for-special-evac-missions-even-as-france-uk-leave-base-to-rescue-trapped-citizens\

https://nypost.com/2021/08/20/us-left-billions-in-weapons-in-afghanistan-with-black-hawks-in-talibans-hands/

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/taliban-celebrate-their-new-us-arsenal-rifles-humvees-ammo/ar-AANyQ6Q?ocid=mailsignout&li=BBnb7Kz

https://www.cnsnews.com/blog/craig-bannister/biden-says-afghan-national-force-was-300-persons

https://www.dailywire.com/news/biden-brutalized-by-media-for-comments-on-afghan-evacuation-the-reality-and-the-rhetoric-are-miles-apart

https://www.powerlineblog.com/archives/2021/08/biden-speaks-biden-lies.php

https://nypost.com/2021/08/20/biden-stumbles-with-afghan-questions-says-americans-can-reach-kabul/

https://www.cnsnews.com/article/washington/susan-jones/bidens-communications-director-president-never-shies-away-taking

https://www.powerlineblog.com/archives/2021/08/team-biden-ignored-warnings-from-u-s-embassy-of-rapid-taliban-takeover.php

https://www.powerlineblog.com/archives/2021/08/a-few-tacos-short.php

https://www.powerlineblog.com/archives/2021/08/youve-just-crossed-over.php

https://thefederalist.com/2021/08/17/joe-bidens-disappearing-act-is-not-new-its-how-he-became-president/

https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/opinion/byron-yorks-daily-memo-dont-underestimate-joes-ability-to-f-k-things-up

https://www.nationalreview.com/the-morning-jolt/something-is-wrong-with-the-president/?utm_source=blog-landing&utm_medium=desktop&utm_campaign=continue-reading

https://www.nationalreview.com/corner/biden-in-um-full/

Pass the Word!! ….  Just Google centerlineright

Here is some of the stuff going on right now in Afghanistan:

https://nypost.com/2021/08/21/taliban-set-woman-on-fire-for-bad-cooking-afghan-activist-alleges/

https://www.dailywire.com/news/a-disaster-taliban-hunting-for-u-s-allies-screening-names-at-kabul-airport-americans-injured-and-stopped-from-boarding-planes

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/us-general-tells-british-special-forces-stop-rescuing-people-in-kabul-youre-making-us-look-bad/ar-AANygdE?ocid=mailsignout&li=BBnb7Kz

https://www.nationalreview.com/the-morning-jolt/the-taliban-are-hunting-afghan-contractors/?utm_source=blog-landing&utm_medium=desktop&utm_campaign=continue-reading

As if Biden could not mess up Afghanistan sufficiently by himself, he received this big assist from his old friend Obama: https://nypost.com/2021/08/16/taliban-leader-was-freed-from-guantanamo-in-2014-swap-by-obama/

Forced by events into a corner, the mainstream media in America have tried their best to put their boy Biden in the best light; but given the downhill trajectory of these events, that has proven impossible.   And even though the domestic press is calling Biden and Company out on their incompetence, it is still useful to consider what other nations might be thinking about our new President these days.  Here is what Biden says: https://www.nationalreview.com/news/biden-denies-allies-angry-over-afghanistan-chaos-despite-evidence-to-contrary/

And then here are the facts:

https://www.powerlineblog.com/archives/2021/08/when-boris-called.php

https://www.dailywire.com/news/british-parliament-unloads-on-biden-biden-may-have-condemned-the-world-to-chinese-domination-in-future

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/debate/article-9903067/The-speech-shamed-America-ANDREW-NEIL-asks-Joe-Biden-recover.html

https://www.powerlineblog.com/archives/2021/08/the-straight-story-on-afghanistan.php

https://www.dailywire.com/news/did-the-biden-administration-remove-frances-push-for-moral-responsibility-from-call-record

And finally, to close out this piece…here are a couple of summary judgments about how our President and his Administration have performed during this crisis:

https://www.jns.org/opinion/the-cost-of-disgrace-is-not-cheap/

https://nypost.com/2021/08/19/afghan-debacle-has-exposed-joe-biden-as-a-failed-president/

When Hillary Clinton ran against Donald Trump for President, one of her more memorable campaign ads was the “3 AM White House Call”.  Essentially, the ad showed the so-called “red phone” in the White House that only rings when there is a critical national crisis.  The point of the ad was the question: Who do you want answering that phone when the stakes are so high?”  Hillary thought it should be her; America thought differently. 

I think we now have a good idea about what might happen in the future if that red phone rings.  We are paying a terrible price today for making a bad decision last November.  The next time we go to the polls to vote, we had better grow up and put our petty likes and dislikes behind us.  We will not get a saint or an angel for President.  We might not get the man or woman that advocates policies of our choosing.  We might even be faced with a decision where we feel we must choose between the least of two evils.  But this much is for certain: We had better understand the consequences of selecting someone to lead our country that is incompetent to do so.  We WILL get the government we deserve.

 

 

 

 

This Way Lies Ruin

The real-time tragedy that is playing out in Afghanistan is disillusioning.  Does this sobering chapter in American foreign policy lie at the feet of Joe Biden?  No.  It is clearly the cumulative result of consecutive Presidents going all the way back to George W. Bush.  Does this episode in the story lie at the feet of Joe Biden?  Yes.  Without a doubt.  

The Biden Administration has re-engaged the simplistic, Pollyannaish foreign policy of the Obama era and what we are witnessing today in and around Kabul is the result of those actions.  I stand and applaud Biden for getting us out of Afghanistan.  It is how he is doing it that is tragic.  

In his typical naïve and clueless fashion,  President Biden has applied two principles to this particular foreign policy debacle: (1) Take the road of least resistance that might best transfer to political gain ... and ... (2) Just do the opposite of what President Trump did.  Unfortunately, this has become a predictable formula used by the Biden Administration...applicable to all things.

Consistent with the liberal mantra that is sweeping through our government in both domestic and now foreign policy, the Middle East policy actions that have led to this situation were foolishly simplistic and short-sighted.  Like an immature child, this liberal bunch of politicians lives by the slogan "If it sounds good, say it.  If it feels good, do it".  This is what that philosophy brings.

Here is a reprint of a post I put up November 1 of 2019.  I believed it then and I still believe it today.....

Has the American military and diplomatic approach to global conflicts and our cooperation with global allies become so outdated as to be dysfunctional?  Do the endless wars that we have become embroiled in over the last three decades indicate that our foreign policy has not kept pace with the evolution of the geopolitical dynamic?   In a strictly non-partisan context, have our Presidents and Legislative Branches assumed an outdated posture of operating in a reactive, rather than proactive, manner that consistently has their plans and schemes outpaced by reality?  I believe the answers to these questions are yes.

In an effort to balance global support for human dignity and freedom with global military assessments with national security issues and with domestic political upheaval, our past several Presidents have seemed to be constantly off-balance and disconcerted in the responses that have been implemented against the very real and violent threats posed by foreign nations and entities against our country and our way of life.  Terrorism, nationalistic military adventures all across the planet, political discord and uncertainty in the governments of both our enemies and our allies, the potential (and perhaps active) militarization of space, and the virtual shrinking of the communal world ushered in by technological advances….all of this has contributed to a global environment of chaos, uncertainty, and conflict.  How can we as a nation, one whose very existence is built on the premise of freedom, dignity and human rights for all people, continue to remain a stabilizing and positive force in the future for the whole of nations?

What we cannot do is continue to put out flash fires as they crop up in every little nook and cranny across the international landscape.  While we certainly can, and should, fulfill our obligation to serve as a beacon of light, hope, and support for all people who seek personal freedoms; the harsh reality is that the United States simply no longer has the brute military force and diplomatic influence necessary to serve as the world’s policeman in every incident of global unrest.  At some point, sooner rather than later, it will become apparent that the money we spend in the defense of world peace and contentment is depriving us of important resources sorely needed to insure the well-being of our own citizens.  But far more importantly, we should by now realize that we can no longer pursue U.S. military involvement in foreign skirmishes that costs us dearly in human life and monetary loss while essentially casting us in the unappreciated role of military interloper and global bully.

How can we, as a nation seeking to find our proper role in a changing world, continue to be a reliable pillar of peace for those seeking civil existence while simultaneously finding an alternative to a fragmented, knee-jerk foreign policy that spreads our marvelous military and diplomatic capabilities thinly across the face of the planet?  These resources, incredible as they might be, simply cannot withstand the continued challenges that are increasingly being thrust upon them.  What path can we possibly travel to achieve the balance necessary to continue our desired role in the geopolitical and military development of this world?   While acknowledging, as I have done many times before, the utter foolishness and hubris of a layman like me spouting foreign policy ideals; I will nonetheless put forth a vision for the future role of America in the world.  I will call it Pax America Light. 

Pax Americana (Latin for American Peace) is a term applied to the concept of relative peace in the Western Hemisphere and later the world as a result of the preponderance of power enjoyed by the United States beginning around the middle of the 20^th century and continuing to this day.  Although the term finds its primary utility in the latter half of the 20^th century, it has been used with different meanings and eras, such as the post-Civil War era in North America, and regionally in the Americas at the start of the 20^th century.  Pax Americana is primarily used in its modern connotations to refer to the peace among great powers established after the end of World War II in 1945, also called the Long Peace.  In this modern sense, it has come to indicate the military and economic position of the United States in relation to other nations.  For example, the Marshall Plan, which spent $13 billion to rebuild the economy of Western Europe, has been seen as the launching of Pax Americana.

The ever-evolving dynamic of foreign powers and governments makes it impossible to ascertain precisely who is in charge at any particular time and place.  Ruling strongmen or entities come and go, often changing through violent overthrow or political disruption.  I must imagine that the rest of the world looks at America with the same concern.  Obama’s foreign policy was largely an advancement and natural evolution of Bush’s foreign policy; while Trump’s foreign policy initiatives have been dramatic departures from both of his predecessor’s philosophies. 

What we do know for certain is the extent of our military abilities. And through our intelligence establishment, we have a pretty good idea of what we do not know.  In other words, as we look to the future, we can map out the world in regions that can be defined based on their stability, volatility, risk to global peace, threat to U.S. national security, and long-term implications to world peace.  Once these regions are established and based on strategic concerns, the United States could establish regional super-bases; autonomous sites equipped with modern technology attributes and sufficient military capabilities to enforce American interests in their area.  We can harden them and make them as impenetrable as is humanly possible.

Obviously, these sites would require the clear and unquestioned support of the nations in which they were located.  It is altogether conceivable that ironclad, long-term agreements could be consummated with American allies to establish these bases on property that is considered to be essentially sovereign America.  Although that reality would be extremely challenging, it should be achievable given America’s military strength and diplomatic prowess.  By noting American military strength, I do not propose the acquisition of this property by force.  I am simply saying that given the principles upon which our nation stands and our obvious military prowess, this type of facility should be a welcome addition for any country that shares those aspirations.  What better defense could their nation have in place?

No doubt, a network similar to what I am suggesting already exists to some degree.  America surely has some very impressive military bases here and there across the globe.  And it is certain that these bases are part of a deliberate and strategic pattern regarding capabilities and locations.  The system I envision is one built upon the assets we already have in place and supplemented by additional bases; while some bases might be closed.   If an existing base is already in the right place internationally and is not limited by extraneous factors regarding its enhancement, then that reality can simply move the effort down the road that much quicker.  Aside from elevating any physical capabilities that we may now possess, this new effort would also feature a very public acknowledgment of our new approach and intent.  There would be no stealth or secrecy in the establishment of these bases.  A prominent element of their deterrence value would be their very visible presence.  Our existing military alliances (i.e. NATO) and cooperative efforts will remain intact and should actually be facilitated by this type of operation. 

It is clear that these bases would provide open and inviting targets for America’s enemies; those being political, military, and terrorist-related.  But would a defined base of operations, protected by all the resources and technology we have at hand, be any more at risk than our globally-scattered boots on the ground military equipment and personnel?   I don’t think so.  Aside from the very real physical threats that would have to be taken into account; there would likely be considerable political and diplomatic resentment to America’s open expansion of its authority and presence.  Once again, if we are secure and resolute in our cause, we should be able to convince our potential allies of the wisdom in this approach. 

From these bases, we should be able to address strategic threats as they occur.  Our intelligence can identify and evaluate necessary responses and actions.  Our defensive capabilities should provide us with adequate long-range, or if necessary, short range special operations strikes that fit into our strategies for world peace and stability.  Having a single, defensible footprint in these regions, as opposed to having our assets sprinkled across deserts and jungles from north to south and west to east, should increase our efficiency and effectiveness in the pursuit of America’s role in global, human development.  Rather than dealing with the necessity of assimilating our defensive presence into the natural habit and population; we would have the autonomy to basically restrict our normal operations to the base itself.  There would be times when skirmishes might swirl about in proximity of these bases; but every local conflict would not require American intervention.  I do not propose a monolithic icon of an imposing and ominous death star castle.  To the greatest extent possible, the principle of self-determination should remain in play.

Americans will still integrate themselves into the cultures and societies of foreign nations; it will simply be in a non-uniformed fashion.  And if it should ever become necessary, the intelligent and geographic locating of these bases would place American forces in a prime position to protect indispensable natural resources that are vital to our nation and the free world.  My preference would be that while the U.S. continues its alliances and leadership in NATO; this would be an effort of our nation alone.  Any efforts to dilute it with globalist aspirations would, in my opinion, compromise its very nature and intent.

In a broad sense, this strategy would allow the United States to embrace its role as a stalwart force for freedom in the world; while freeing us from the complex and arbitrary diplomatic strings attached to many foreign relations concerns.  It is perhaps bizarre to some to push a vision of American military forces serving as the Watchmen for the World.  But here is the deal: If the task is going to inevitably fall to us anyway…if we are the only nation equipped to perform such a function…if no one else will step forward and assume that role in the future of mankind…then why not do it on our own terms?  America’s failure to put its total resources and efforts into military foreign policy initiatives, both military and diplomatic, has resulted in past tragic failures.  The wages of those partial efforts are spent lives, broken reputations, untold consequences of lost opportunities, and billions of dollars wasted on lofty political structuring with poor foundations. 

Voltaire first said…with great power comes great responsibility.  Whether we like it or not, the United States is the preeminent power in the world.  Such a system of militarily-imposing bases would constitute an awesome power in the hands of American leaders.  The challenge to use that power judiciously would be great indeed.  But is that obligation any greater than the one our leaders face today?  Is it not the case that the present military advantage and arsenal that America possesses is at the discretionary disposal and behest of our elected and appointed officials?  In a very real sense, the only thing that would change is how America implements its role in the league of nations; not how we approach that role.  Having a better system in place will not make us any wiser; it will simply make us more powerful and effective.

Once again, I endorse the direction President Trump seems to be taking American foreign policy.  Aggressively pursuing an interventionist policy in foreign conflicts has accomplished very little for the United States and has accumulated a tragic price-tag over the terms of several presidents; both Republican and Democrat.  We cannot, and should not, foist upon foreign governments the Constitution of the United States.  We can, however, internationally support and uphold the principles contained in that document.  How we implement that support is the key question in this entire debate.  It strikes me that a transparent and strategic application of our military strength in a fashion as I have set forth would be a very logical way to begin that process.  To apply some context to this subject, a very good read follows: http://carolineglick.com/al-baghdadi-and-trumps-syrian-chessboard/ .  American foreign policy is truly onion layer-level complex.