Conservative Concerns

Submitted by K.H. Ahmed (United States), Sep 16, 2006 at 08:44

As a foreign policy conservative I begin to get concerned when we start looking like know-nothings instead of conservatives. I am very uncomfortable with this sudden desire to create a foreign policy based upon a mafia-styled enemy. Conservatives for the most part seem to be suddenly comfortable with the idea of running around the world and attacking independent nations based solely on the idea that there are some bad guys there hiding out. I think I hear Barry Goldwater rolling over in his grave. This idea that conservatives and liberals disagree over the threat of Islamic radicals is greatly overstated. The means to attack the problem are not agreed upon but the threat has been accepted.

Radical Islam is as great a threat to the Islamic world as it is to the United States and what is necessary for these Middle Eastern nations to be successful is a rational U.S. policy that assists them in surpressing the movement. Regretfully GWB long ago gave up any claims to being a conservative and has gone off to live on some foreign planet where neither conservative nor liberal beliefs are held.

No the current problem isn't a conservative viewpoint of America or a liberal view point of America. The problem is I have not seen any reasonable form of foreign policy thinking coming from either the current crop of conservatives,(including Mr. Pipes), or the liberals. Neither jingoism nor "Oh the poor babies", makes a foreign policy.

Note: Opinions expressed in comments are those of the authors alone and not necessarily those of Daniel Pipes. Original writing only, please. Comments are screened and in some cases edited before posting. Reasoned disagreement is welcome but not comments that are scurrilous, off-topic, commercial, disparaging religions, or otherwise inappropriate. For complete regulations, see the "Guidelines for Reader Comments".