Over the past decade, Americas mission has been to fight the War on Terror has almost exclusively dominated US foreign policy decisions. This mentality has allowed for US intervention toward any and all perceived threats to America or its interests, exemplified through our involvement in other nations’ affairs to protect these interests.
The growing unrest and opposition to US meddling in other nations’ affairs has led to many calling for the US to move away from an interventionist mentality and toward a more isolationist approach in its foreign policy.
The fact is that the US can no longer insert itself in the affairs of other countries without consequences. Constant US presence halfway around the world will only incite more unrest and further contribute to the US’ growing reputation as a “bully” superpower. The time has come for the US to mind its own business on the international stage, and let other countries determine how to respond to conflict as best they can on their own.
It’s no secret that the US has vested interest, both economically and politically, in the resources in dozens of countries around the world. Any number of reasons can be used to explain and justify why US military forces are stationed in Afghanistan, Libya, or Iraq.
Supporters of our current interventionist mentality cite the moral argument that without US assistance, human rights violations will occur in other countries. Regardless of what violations, human rights or otherwise, may occur, it is not America’s problem or responsibility to involve itself in every global conflict.
In order for renewed success at home, America must stop trying to engineer change in faraway countries, and instead rededicate the necesary resources to addressing the problems surrounding its own people. At the very least, it is time for the US government to be more selective of who and what they choose to allot its resources to, military or otherwise. Just as we would not allow foreign countries to intervene in our affairs whenever they saw fit, we need to start respecting the sovereignty of nations and their affairs.
The notion that America should somehow police the world in the name of democracy while ignoring its internal affairs is fundamentally flawed and dangerous. Where does a government’s allegiance lie if not with its people? America cannot even police itself, and its continuing failure to attend to its own affairs has invited a plethora of concern. National debt, rising unemployment, dwindling education, and high crime rates domestically should take priority above foreign interests.
What happened to the mentality of ‘America first?' Why should US citizens stand for a government dedicating resources to foreign affairs while failing to address any number of problems domestically? The citizens of the United States of America deserve a government fundamentally focused on improving life at home, instead of investing resources in countries of political interest.
Imagine if half of the money used to deal with foreign conflicts instead went towards improving the country’s schools, outdated infrastructure, and bolstering federal programs that so many Americans rely on every day.
Think of how much progress America could make if it did not have to deal with the fiscal drain of war and intervention in foreign nations. Reform of foreign policy must be made in coming years and geared towards addressing domestic problems before anything else.
It is not the United States’ job to police the world. It is the responsibility of the American government to first and foremost focus on prosperity for US citizens. Aid to foreign countries is unacceptable when its own citizens could use the resources, finances, and services that the US government sends abroad.
The US must move away from its current interventionist approach to dealing with other nations affairs and instead ensure its own citizens can thrive.