Swords Into Plowshares -- KEVIN CRAIG - "Liberty Under God" Beginning in Missouri's 7th Congressional District

America's Original Foreign Policy

The great rule of conduct for us, in regard to foreign nations is in extending our commercial relations to have with them as little political connection as possible."
— Washington, Farewell Address (1796) [Washington’s emphasis]

I deem [one of] the essential principles of our government, and consequently [one] which ought to shape its administration,…peace, commerce, and honest friendship with all nations, entangling alliances with none.
— Jefferson, First Inaugural Address (1801)

"Isolationism"

Exposing the True Isolationists by Ron Paul

From Advocates for Self-Government:

      "Isolationism" has many negatives. For decades in America, "isolationism" has been a smear word. In many circles it is associated with hostility towards foreign nations and cultures, nativism, and ignorance.
      And in fact, many U.S. isolationists in the past weren't just for political non-intervention. They wanted to restrict trade and travel. To build a "wall" around America, creating a so-called "Fortress America." Some even felt America should be totally self-sufficient: trading with no one.
      None of that, of course, has anything to do with libertarian foreign policy views. Libertarians favor free trade, the freedom to travel, diplomacy, and lively and ongoing cultural interaction with people worldwide.
      A far better word for this is "non-intervention." Libertarians are "non-interventionists."
      That's still a clumsy word, unfortunately, and it is better understood when coupled with a short description of what it means, such as I gave two paragraphs ago.
      It's also sometimes helpful to describe this as "America's original foreign policy" or "the Founder's foreign policy," and to quote the classic Jefferson line: "peace, commerce, and honest friendship with all nations; entangling alliances with none."
      Some wit once said that the difference between "isolationists" and "non-interventionists" is that the former are hermits, while the latter are gentlemen.
      Ron Paul has put it very well: "Non-interventionism is not isolationism. Non-intervention simply means America does not interfere militarily, financially, or covertly in the internal affairs of other nations. It does not mean that we isolate ourselves; on the contrary, our founders advocated open trade, travel, communication, and diplomacy with other nations."
      Finally, it is sometimes useful to point out that the current U.S. foreign policy of endless intervention in the affairs of other nations, U.S. troops and military bases in almost every nation, sanctions, trade barriers, travel restrictions, and aid to tyrants and dictators is increasingly isolating America from the rest of the world. In this sense, the true "isolationists" actually are the interventionists.
      When someone labels libertarians as isolationists, they are knowingly or unknowingly smearing us and misrepresenting our views. This should be corrected, in a friendly and persuasive way, so our true ideas can be understood and embraced.

To call Jefferson, Washington, or Ron Paul an "isolationist" is uninformed or deliberately misleading. And there is great irony here. If a candidate believes it's good policy to overthrow foreign governments by bombing thousands of innocent non-combatant civilians and replacing the secular regime with an Islamic theocracy, and then imposing tariffs and protectionist sanctions on nations that oppose U.S. nation-building, cutting off trade, cutting off travel, and in numerous other ways isolating Americans from these nations and their people, their commerce, and their culture, he is not called an "isolationist."

"Swords Into Plowshares"

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