reply to post by seabag
From a military perspective I can tell you that it is very important to have a presence overseas. While deployed I had the opportunity to
train with soldiers, sailors and Marines from many different countries. The knowledge we gain and bonds we form from working together are invaluable.
It allows for cohesion when called upon to fight side by side in some unforeseen conflict in the future.
It's not about warmongering or occupying countries. Our militaries train together...we're allies. You can't do that from here.
I get where your coming from, when it comes to training and the like having soldiers overseas can teach them a lot.
But to say we need a permanent military force overseas because we are "the superpower of the world" is ridiculous. This is exactly what Dr. Paul is
talking about, we can not be the police of the world. Other countries are just as capable as us in defending themselves against the "enemies" (it
would be a stretch to call them even that) of today. Do you think the Germans need Ramstein Air Base for their own safety, do you think the Japanese
need the Camp Smedley Butler military bases to keep them safe. No...they have their own military and the responsibility to protect their people from
foreign aggression.
Now when it pertains our own countries safety I think you pointed that out already
Has our presence in Germany, Italy, Guam, South Korea, Netherlands, Turkey, UK, etc, etc provoked an attack on us? Nope!
No they have not, nor have they been helpful in defending our country. Because no one has attacked us since Pearl Harbor. The only force that has
attacked us since were a bunch unorganized wealthy international criminals hiding in the desert, who are now mostly either dead or in prison. The only
reason to have these bases is to conduct "preventive" warfare, the absurd idea that "This country is bad but is not a threat at the moment but it
could be in the future, so we have to eliminate them before they are". What!? Such a ludicrous philosophy.
These bases DO have a negative effect on how people view us. This negativity comes from the citizens of the "occupied" country and the citizens of
this nation. The people of Japan have called for the end of the bases there for many many years but their government wont listen to them, because our
government bullies them into keeping it around, the same goes for South Korea (albeit the SK government actually want to have the American base around
while the SK people do not).
Every country that our media and empty suits say is a threat to us, is simply put...not. They all have small to medium size armies, little to no
modern armor, a small air force and navy if any and the remote POSSIBILITY of WMD's. Our government and media are very good at making these guys look
as evil and deplorable as possible, hell some of our politicians and commentators think Iran, Russia, and China are the forces that will instigate the
apocalypse. Funny enough these guys are also the biggest advocates for keeping our military bases overseas.
Iran for example might very well be developing a nuke, why? Because they feel that everyone is against them, and that the western powers will attack
them no matter of what they due short of adopting western policies. Israel does not play nice with their Arab neighbors, especially when they look
around them and see only enemies. I am not saying the Iranian government is innocent and right in what they do, I am saying that we are trying to
police the world and inject our values, customs, government and military in as many nations as possible because we want to live up to our "super
power" title.
) 
Star for you.
