Isolationism appeals to me too. Why not use the billions we spend each year on foreign aid on R&D for alternative power instead.

It wouldn't work though. Too much of US manufacturing is done outside our borders.

I dare anyone to find a product within arms reach that's made in the USA, not just assembled. Then look around your building/house.

Keybord- China
Old Microsoft keyboard- Mexico
Radio shack Caller ID phone - Malaysia

Toshiba VCR- Indonesia
Bread maker -China
Mr Coffee-China
TV - Japan

You get the picture.

You may think that at least we have our Cars which are made in the USA. Well, a large percentage of parts for your car are manufactured in Canada and Mexico.

Your house? I estimate 35% of the dimensional lumber and other building materials that went into my house came from Canada.

So isolation is out. But do we need to continue to police the World?
Tom you mention the many tyrannies that are poised strike all over the world. I can think of only a handful.

You believe in the free market and so do I. But why not a free world? Let man's aggressive nature run its course. Let Taiwan, Israel, and South Korea fall if that is their destiny. Let Pakistan and India Nuke each other, maybe it would teach the world a lesson.

As far as western civilization goes, I think the West can defeat any threat by another nation. Until faced with that threat, and if we can free ourselves from the dependence on foreign oil I say
- to hell with the rest of the world.