Isolationism, George Washington, & US Foreign Policy - Ayn Rand Center for Individual Rights

http://www.aynrandcenter.org

Dr. John Ridpath, member of the board of directors of the Ayn Rand Institute, American history scholar, and a retired Canadian professor, explains George Washington's farewell address about American isolationism.

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[RodCornholio]

Ironically he has more American spirit than the Americans.

[qtronman]

I vote Dr. Ridpath as the "greatest Canadian"!

[MrRob1967]

I hope the Americans keep him.

[objectivistathlete]

@Mark1101101 Thank you for posting that. Many of our fellow Objectivists seem to be completely clueless regarding foreign policy. Though their philosophical groundwork is correct, they do not understand the facts when it comes to the Middle East, and thus frequently lead us down the wrong path.

[AliceInWonderlandSyn]

@stater68 These people don't know their history or possess any common sense! They think that radical muslims just sprung up for their love of Islam and innate hatred for the US and the UK. GIve me a break, the resentment is a result of 100 years of colonialism and meddling in the internal affairs of their homelands! Remember the 500K Iraqi children that died (the UN reported this) as a result of the sanctions the US placed on Iraq during the 90's! It's shit like that makes them hate us!

[Bigturns33]

What about Peikoff ?

[Mark1101101]

In February 2003, before the invasion of Iraq in March, the Ayn Rand Institute published an essay by Ridpath called

“America Needs a Leader Like George Washington.”

It was one of dozens of articles that the ARI published between 2001 and 2003 urging the initiation of that war. You can read a review of it here:

... ARIwatch.com/GeorgeWashington.­htm

As for what Ayn Rand -- not the ARI -- says about World War II, see

... ARIwatch.com/AynRandOnWWII.htm

[Seiku]

Is there any example of a situation in history where we, the United States, suffered unintended consequences by not getting involved. Basically, where has our isolationism harmed us in the past. I thought of Japan but I realized the US has been heavily politically and economically involved with Japan for almost a century.

[SSArcher11]

The problem is that founding fathers like Washington are viewed by some as though they were fundamentalists in their political beliefs.

The fathers were intelligent men who could adjust their views as conditions changed.

They could easily be internationalists today.

[FistsOfFury21]

"Give me liberty or give me death"- P. Henry.....Liberty not safety, I would rather be free and in danger than live in a paranoid police state that spreads its military to thin and bankrupts itself roaming the globe acting like it can somehow tell people what to do and how to live their lives, it will fail. Enemies are killed but even more are made as the whole world begins to hate the bully. Our country was founded on independence and freedom not globalism, entangling alliances, and militarism.

[LuqmanNaq]

@stater People who oppose modern US foreign policy aren't necessarily against war in principle. Alot of objectivist do beleive unquestioningly the gov's assertions about foreign gov's and the scare mongering and psuedo patriotism of fox news, etc. They also dehumanize non-americans, muslims, and non-israelis. Oists don't see how the current political climate in the US is creating a culture where it is acceptable for civil liberties to be infringed and dissent stifled.