Radio and Big Gov't

Today as I was driving around for several errands, I tuned in on SiriusXM to John Gibson's (@johngibsononfox) radio show. At one point in the show, a man from Minnesota (I believe) called in and commented that America should pull back most of its troops. He asked "Why does America stick its nose where it doesn't belong?" One of Gibson's cohorts/sidekicks said, in so many words, "Our military belongs where we say it belongs. That's what being a superpower means."

This raises a few questions. First and foremost, "Are you kidding me?" Well, that's a little rhetorical. Maybe something more like "If/When America loses superpower status, will your opinion change?"

I'll be the first to say that the outcome of the Iraq war (e.g. the removal of Saddam) was favorable for everyone except Saddam. Maybe even him. However, am I alone in thinking that our military should be defending OUR land? Disagree? Maybe George Washington can persuade you:

"The great rule of conduct for us in regard to foreign nations is in extending our commercial relations, to have with them as little political connection as possible. So far as we have already formed engagements, let them be fulfilled with perfect good faith. Here let us stop." -Farewell Address, 1796

I'm inclined to agree with the father of our country.

Now we find ourselves in 2011 with over 70 military bases outside the borders of the United States. We have thousands of soldiers operating and living at these locations. Some of these include places like Japan, England, and Spain. Greenland, Greece, and the Netherlands also play host to our servicemen and servicewomen. Does this strike you as even somewhat excessive?

So, back to Gibson and his hasty sidekick. Do you really think, honestly, when you're away from the heat of the moment and the stare of the mic that we need a Naval Support Detachment in Sao Paulo, Brazil? Is it really so easy that America can just "stick its nose" anywhere it wants to because "That's what being a superpower means?" Are you giving license to the BRIC nations who are (Brazil, Russia, China) or will soon be (India) superpowers themselves to stick their noses into our business? Or are they only allowed to butt-in where the local GDP is below a certain pre-determined level? What's the magic/arbitrary number, Gibson, et al?

We don't have the resources to be patrolling the Indian Ocean while flying over the Baltic and flooding Afghanistan with 30,000 more troops. Not only does this contradict the Founders' intent, it also defies fiscal sensibility in a trying time for a global economy.

-Matthew Nielsen
-IVLG