Even though it would have disastrous consequences for the rest of the world, I think it is overdue. We've tried to make the world a better place, obviously we've failed, so let's call it a day, pack it up and go home. What do you say? It's been proven already that isolationism doesn't work, but apparently neither does taking an active role in world affairs. Let's give the world a nice big Christmas present this year, as well as our active duty service members, and bring every soldier home for the holidays and not send them back overseas. Obviously there will be a rather tumultuous period of time where..... tens of millions of people die. Israel, South Korea, Taiwan, Lithuania, Estonia, Latvia, Kuwait, and Armenia will all cease to exist, but oh well.

What say you?

I agree completely. Screw the rest of the world, we can do it ourselves. And when the rest of the world falls, Id like to be the one to kick the dirt in their faces as they come crawling to kiss our feet.

not gonna happen. most of the products we buy are imported, not to mention oil that powers our homes, cars and manufacturing. sure we could produce some of this on our own, but tthe price would be very prohibitive.

We are well on our way to finding alternative energy sources...We could do without certain products, and the ones we do need/want...Well...Theres some job opportunities there.

I hate to mention this and will probably draw fire but isolationism cost us dearly during WWII. When forced to defend our country, the services were lacking in one thing that was vitally important, battle hardened troops. All the training in the world can't replace that kind of experience. We had to start from scratch designing and tooling up for airplanes, ships, tanks and all other kinds of ordinance. In today's small world, isolationism could mean the end of civilization as we know it.

Yea...I agree with that too...Theres just no PERFECT solution.

Any American who is in favor of isolationism hasn't learned a thing from history - isolationism has never worked in the past ... and ... it will NEVER work in the future.

We live in a global community and the ONLY thing isolationism can accomplish, is to cut us off from the world at a time when world affairs are at their most relevent to our well being and understanding between nations is at it's most important.

With the advent of world terrorism and nationalism, neither the United States (nor an other country), can afford the disconnect that isolationism causes in our dealings with other nations. Whether it is dealing with global terrorism, oil prices, availibility of other resources or the policing of our borders ... political policies between diverse nations is the grease that lubes the wheels of nationalism and economics. No longer can nations pretend that the world is their personal bread box that can be plundered at will - interaction and cooperation between nations is a must IF constant warfare is to be prevented.

-and-

Unless (or until), the nations of the world unite in their fight against terrorism because of religious bigotry or national hatreds, the imposition of isolationism would be the same thing as putting a loaded gun to your head and pulling the trigger.

Damn, I'd hate to see Lithuania fall to the Russians - again. They already stole my family's wealth there after WWII.

My whole opening paragraph was tongue in cheek, I'm not really in favor of isolationism because I am not so much of a bastard that I would want so many people to die just to thumb my nose at the rest of the world, but really, what have we gotten out of our attempts to try and help the rest of the world? Nothing but more and more anti-American sentiment. It's bigger than just Iraq too.

I have to agree with Chief Bones that the global village will prevent isolationism. But what I hear is that there are only two options: isolationism or active intervention all over the world. What ever happened to diplomacy and aliances? Why is, according to some, an intervening military policy the opposite of isolationism? The rest of the world seem to can without, maybe it is worth a try?