Americans Fed Up with Neocon Wars?

[marmar]

from Consortium News:



Americans Fed Up with Neocon Wars?
January 17, 2012

Mitt Romney and other Republican presidential hopefuls (with the exception of Ron Paul) are touting tough-guy global strategies that sound like George W. Bush, circa 2002. But recent public opinion polls suggest that Americans are leery of new neocon adventures, Lawrence S. Wittner reports.

By Lawrence S. Wittner


Are American politicians out of sync with the public when it comes to foreign policy? There is considerable reason to believe so.

Throughout the scramble for the Republican presidential nomination, the major candidates have certainly been rabidly nationalistic. In a major foreign policy address on Oct. 7, 2011, Mitt Romney proclaimed that “the twenty-first century can and must be an American Century.”

Championing a vast military buildup, he argued that, to secure this “American Century,” the United States should have “the strongest military in the world.” By contrast, he assailed the “shameful” role of the United Nations and other international institutions and declared that he did not see any reason to obey them — or the international law they represented — when it did not suit the U.S. government.

Romney’s newly-anointed top competitor, Rick Santorum, says nothing about the United Nations, international cooperation or international law in the “10 Steps to Promote Our Interests Around the World” posted on his campaign website. Instead, he argues that the United States is “intrinsically better prepared to lead than any other nation.” ............(more)

The complete piece is at: http://consortiumnews.com/2012/01/17/are-americans-fed-up-with-neocon-wars/

[RC]

1. Of course we are.

It is our congress critters that are profiting from them. And until that changes we will be at war.
If the wars stop in the Middle East, the will start with us here. Scratch that... They already have.

[Populist_Prole]

2. Even cons I know think so.

The only reason anyone I know is pro-war is that they think that we have to save face, not to "cut and run", which is ridiculous, but at least they admit the wars are BS.

[Old and In the Way]

3. Surgical, multi-lateral operations to deal with non-state actors is the way to deal with the problem

Trying to swat flies with a 6"x6" is a difficult task that rarely hurts the fly but does a great deal of damage to the surrounding area and the swatter himself. Obama's action against OBL underscored how effective this approach is. And it doesn't kill us financially and ruin our international reputation.

[ThomThom]

4. what more of this American Century nonsense again

people really are getting tired of all this Imperialism and who do they think ran the last century, at least the half and look what a mess the world economy is in thanks to our leadership
these neocons still don't see what a blight we have been on the world
hopeful soon they see that war is bad not resolving anything

[cbrer]

5. While I certainly agree

With the conclusion that Americans are tired of costly (lives and debt) and worthless wars, I believe it vastly oversimplified to toss in that we have been a blight around the world. Thousands of truly good deeds are being done by Americans around the world everyday.

As difficult as it may be to extricate the greedy, and the wasteful policies that American government and corporate entities infect the world with (false economics being a perfect example) from the equation, it's misleading to ignore the Americans that have left the comfort of home to improve the lot of countless fellow humans.

I'm proud to know some of these fellow Americans. You'll never see them on CNN.

[cbrer]

6. So this article?

Is doing an end run for an endorsement of Ron Paul? Lots O Repubs out there...

[marmar]

7. Huh?

[cbrer]

10. It just seemed

More verbose to explain the psychological tendencies of people who are tilting right anyways. So I shortcut the connection and foretold what the war weary Republicans are going to conclude.

Not saying it's logical...

[Thaddeus Kosciuszko]

8. "Do Unto Others As You Would Have Others Do Unto You"

Was greeted with a disapproving grumble of boos, when uttered by Ron Paul, in the most recent GOP debate.

It appears to have been replaced with a golden rule that is more appropriate for our era.

"Do unto others, before they do unto you."

[cbrer]

11. Yup

[Mosaic]

9. We need to get over ourselves

We are not always the good guys. We are the bad guys often, often unwittingly but also wittingly. Karma rules what goes around comes around, and we have a lot to come around sadly, millions of equal humans have perished due to American's greed, ideology, and hubris. It will be sad when Karma does come around. It must have been sad what we did to millions upon millions of innocents for nothing but stupidity, animal barbarism, monkeys are more civilized than us.

[Dan]

12. Sure, we are...

So would Mitt and the rest of the GOP Presidential candidates...if their sons & daughters had to pick up a rifle and go into harm's way. As long as the real cost of war is paid by the 99%, then the 1% will continue to support, promote and advocate for war.

Let the 1% physically lead us into harm's way...then war become real for all.

If our leadership suffered from the same casualty rate as this nation (north and south) leaders suffered during the Civil war, I bet they would find mediation as a real solution. (Yep, I know that you could buy yourself out of harm's way - during that time...smile).

[2banon]

13. We are at war with Iran this very moment, yet, nobody seems to realize it.

It's an amazing Orwellian situation. Straight out of the book.