Calls for isolationism raise troubling questions
For several days now, in consecutive columns, Mr. (Patrick) Buchanan has been preaching the dogma of the need to return to isolationism.
He insists that American well-being requires our withdrawal from world leadership and adopting policies focused on self-interest narrowly defined. He seems to think that America has grown tired of defending such ideas as human rights, self-government, rule of law and similar values. He believes that turning inward or “recalibration” is needed if we are to remain at peace and prosperous.
Needless to say, this raises numerous questions. One wonders if America would be more secure if she abandoned her numerous alliances and stuck it out with, let us say, just England and Canada. If Europe was dominated by Russia and Southeast Asia by China, would “Fortress America” strategy be adequate? I doubt it.
Moreover, many people in other countries and many of us Americans would miss America’s advocacy of values such as self-determination, rights of the individual and others so well articulated by our former presidents such as Jefferson, Wilson and Roosevelt.
It is unclear what values Mr. Buchanan espouses. Although, he uses the term “self-interest” repeatedly, he does not define it. Let us hope that self-interest has a wider meaning for him than it would for Wall Street.
Saul Vydas
Columbus
The Dispatch Editorial Board is made up of publisher Peter Imes, columnist Slim Smith, managing editor Zack Plair and senior newsroom staff.
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