It had to happen sooner or later. America enjoyed her stint as a world leader and superpower without much competition, but now we face challenges from China, Russia, and even the Third World. Half a century has passed since Kennedy said no to Khrushchev’s missiles in Cuba. If the same thing happened today Putin wouldn’t even bother listening to our president.
“What’s in it for us?” is the question America should ask.
It is easy to charge that America’s role as a world leader is fading. Some would say things are even worse than that and the place we held is lost because when push came to shove, we let ourselves get pushed.
We have picked up a lot of bad habits over the years and a few new ones since 2009. Perhaps if we asked “What’s in it for us?” before we made decisions about how to conduct our affairs we could avoid looking like a sucker for every bleeding heart and lost cause tossed on our doorstep. Here are a few things America’s leaders, or whoever we have masquerading as leaders should remember before they make us look worse than they already have.
America’s role as a superpower does not mean super police force.
American troops are not a free army to be had for the asking. We are not the world’s standby militia or a police force for the Third World. Before we spend a single dollar sending missiles, guns, aid, or anything else into another country, we need to ask “What’s in it for us?” In the case of Syria, the answer is simple. Nothing.
American taxpayers don’t work to pay welfare to the world.
We didn’t end aid to Russia until October 2012 and lent a helping hand to North Korea as recently as 2011. The list of U.S. aid recipients goes on and on, as if we still believe our bribes will be reciprocated with loyalty (see: Is U.S. Aid to Buy Peace and Security Worth the Price?).
The U.S. is not the world’s social worker. Before we pay out welfare in hopes of buying another ally we should ask “What’s in it for us?” Money given away with no accountability only leads to resentment and betrayal. Just ask Pakistan.
You can keep your unwashed immigrant masses.
There is a difference between welcoming immigrants and giving anyone with their hand out what our citizens deserve. When our government finally betrays America by giving legal status to millions of illegal immigrants because they demand it, how do you think other countries who respect their citizens enough to keep track of who comes and goes will view us? Once again, all we need to do is ask “What’s in it for us?” Forget what politicians and public officials are telling you. They are lying.
Those who hurt Americans must pay a price they can’t afford.
Does globalism mean American lives are worth less, or does no one in Washington feel a response is worth the risk of alienating countries and people that already hate us? When Americans are murdered for religious or political reasons there should be a response that will never, ever be forgotten. Perhaps we should have asked Israel for a few pointers after Benghazi.
A real world leader owes no group or nation an apology.
Projecting strength and confidence isn’t all that difficult because we are strong, but that strength is easy to undermine. Our leaders need to follow a few simple rules. Don’t apologize. Never explain. Always back your country, your country’s people, and the leaders who came before you no matter what, because when you berate America to the world, the world never forgets.
Are you writing this down, Mr. President??
We can thank President Obama for what he has done to our standing in the world. He gets a grade of “F”. He has no ability to lead the US and the world knows it, yet he keeps handing out money and aid we can ill afford, he continues to police the world costing billions, he refuses to control the illegal immigrant situation, all to our taxpayers expense, in hopes that the world will love us. Quite the contrary, the world hates us. Our President is a joke in the eyes of many foreign leaders.