- Joined
- Jan 31, 2010
- Messages
- 846
The problem with that theory is that the "other side of the world" of the world is plane ticket away. The Monroe Doctrine works much better in an era where non-state and hybrid threats can't reach out and touch you in a time span ranging from milliseconds to hours.
You missed the "Modified" part of my leaning... Can't be totally isolationist. I have no problem taking out bad actors on the other side of the globe, whether via drone or all out invasion.
It's the nation building, democracy building, police actions that are the issue. Not that they are not needed, but in my modified Monroe Doctrine approach, the effort, energy, and expense would be relative to proximity balanced with risk/reward of intrevention.
Ex: Trying to nation build in Afghanistan with all it's historical (centuries) of challenges, while we let Venezuela & Central America degrade? We intervene due to corrupt governments on the other side of the world, but ignore Mexico?
Remember, Venezuela has larger oil reserves than even Saudi Arabia. Twenty years ago Venezuela was a US vacation destination!
Relative risks? Since 9/11 timeframe it is estimated that over 60,000 Mexican drug cartel related deaths have occurred. And that number is considered most likely to be low! On average, a citizen in the Mexican state of Chihuahua (adjacent to the US) is 9x more likely to die a violent death than an Afghan resident.
Again, I'm not saying we should not be fighting terror wherever it occurs. Just that we demonstrate very selective focus on where we intervene, and in some aspects I think we may have miscalled that.
As mentioned earlier, my foreign policy oriented DS tells me I'm wrong. Asks what exactly would we do in VE/MX? I say heavy NGO activity/money. Maybe covert/overt action on key corrupt leaders. Use their own approach "Plata o Plomo"
A prime example was the Marine "Wrong turn" situation in MX. We should have played hardball... quickly issued an ultimatum on funding, etc.
But that's just my view as a curmudgeon. Instead, we'll pursue foreign policy that let's Saudi as an ally commit human rights violations worse than countries we condemn. Let Yemen fall, but spend billions of $$ and precious lives on Afghanistan. And let Iran go nuclear.