Quote:
Originally Posted by Jim in CT
one thing that people on both sides do when they have a weak position and know it, is accuse the other side of extremes.
i’m not an isolationist. i’m suggesting that an argument can be made that if we’re in syria long enough to complete the mission against ISIS ( and i haven’t heard anyone say that isis still has a meaningful presence there), that maybe it’s time for someone else to take a turn.
just because i don’t necessarily want to be there forever, doesn’t make me an isolationist. does it?
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America actually is not locked into pointless “endless wars” in the Middle East. We have troops there for the same reason we keep troops in other parts of the world — to preempt threats to our homeland, deter aggression and protect America’s far-flung interests. Their mission is counterterrorism, not war, in support of Afghan and other local forces that are doing most of the fighting on the ground.
It’s been 74 years since Japan surrendered unconditionally on the battleship USS Missouri, but the United States still has 56,000 troops there. About 65,000 active duty U.S. troops are stationed in Europe (including NATO ally Turkey). We have over 25,000 troops in South Korea. And the U.S. Central Command overseas between 60,000 and 70,000 troops in the Middle East, most of whom are not engaged directly in combat.