[ QUOTE ]


You raise an interesting issue. Could we completely withdraw militarily and from a foreign policy standpoint, and have any hope of retaining economic policy? I am not sure. I would like to believe that we could, but I'm afraid that we have wrapped ourselves so deeply in these tangled alliances, there is no way out.

I would not be concerned about an isolationist military strategy...that would be fine with me, honestly. But, I would be VERY concerned about the economic impact, because we cannot maintain our current way of life without foreign trade.



[/ QUOTE ]

I think I know exactly how you feel. I wish we could just pull our boots, boats and planes out of the majority of places we have them. I get the impression the DOD is quietly working in that direction. And for two reasons, I think.

Our all-volunteer military works. We've got the absolute, without a doubt, finest overall military on the planet. The problem is they're stretched too thin. They simply can't cope with what's asked of them. Using the Guard and Reserve forces as backup has been going on for a long, long time. But never to the extent it is today.

There are a host of countries that could easily get along without our bases and direct protection. There are a number of strategically located bases we must keep. I know there are a few lists somewhere in the Pentagon. More than a few scenarios have generated them.

Sadly, what it seems to get down to is the economic impact you mentioned. The amount of money we spend on our military outside our borders is staggering. No country wants to lose it. Hell, you've seen the hardball politicians and "concerned citizens" play right here at home when a local military facility, no matter how small, gets on the cut list. Our "tangled alliances" are on both sides of the waters.

So, IMO, the answer to your question is, regretably, no. Not in one fell swoop, anyway. And not without making compensation somehow.