Given the current proposal to significantly downsize our military to pre WWII levels, it might be wise to consider the following concepts of our history and what we expect our military to do.
On December 2, 1823, in his seventh State of the Union address to Congress, President James Monroe proclaimed his so-called Monroe Doctrine that European powers would no longer colonize or interfere with the newly independent nations in North and South America and hat we would view such action as hostile. That concept has been supported by every Administration since that time.
In the 1840's, Jackson Democrats promoted a concept of Manifest Destiny that promoted U.S. annexation of the Oregon Territory, Texas, etc. Many believe this was divinely inspired and most believed it was our righteous right to expand liberty and opportunity. That concept has been supported by most, Democrat and Republican alike, for most of the time since then.
By the mid Nineteenth Century, the Monroe Doctrine and Manifest Destiny merged to provide precedent and support for U.S. expansion throughout North America, and by the late Nineteenth Century was the justification for U.S. influence outside of North America, initially via Teddy Roosevelt's dealings in Latin America, and subsequently elsewhere.
These concepts are sometimes pointed to now as precedent and justification for American intervention in various politics and situations around the world whether to protect American interests or for humanitarian reasons. And they would certainly be evoked if anybody should attack Canada or Mexico and many other nations.
Still others grow weary of the USA being the world's policeman and the world's backup army.
Basically the topic and the poll questions are focused on the primary question: Do we need a new doctrine and a new destiny?
On December 2, 1823, in his seventh State of the Union address to Congress, President James Monroe proclaimed his so-called Monroe Doctrine that European powers would no longer colonize or interfere with the newly independent nations in North and South America and hat we would view such action as hostile. That concept has been supported by every Administration since that time.
In the 1840's, Jackson Democrats promoted a concept of Manifest Destiny that promoted U.S. annexation of the Oregon Territory, Texas, etc. Many believe this was divinely inspired and most believed it was our righteous right to expand liberty and opportunity. That concept has been supported by most, Democrat and Republican alike, for most of the time since then.
By the mid Nineteenth Century, the Monroe Doctrine and Manifest Destiny merged to provide precedent and support for U.S. expansion throughout North America, and by the late Nineteenth Century was the justification for U.S. influence outside of North America, initially via Teddy Roosevelt's dealings in Latin America, and subsequently elsewhere.
These concepts are sometimes pointed to now as precedent and justification for American intervention in various politics and situations around the world whether to protect American interests or for humanitarian reasons. And they would certainly be evoked if anybody should attack Canada or Mexico and many other nations.
Still others grow weary of the USA being the world's policeman and the world's backup army.
Basically the topic and the poll questions are focused on the primary question: Do we need a new doctrine and a new destiny?