Hillbilly wisdom: If you want peace, bring the troops home. American interest start at the borders of the United States. The United States involvement in foreign nations affairs was limited until the twentieth century. Our troops have been deployed for over eighty years. The United States joined the second World War, played a part in bringing the war to a conclusion, and forgot to come home.

President Trump loves to be the first US president to do something, like attack Iran. He has the opportunity to be the president to bring the troops home. This is not a simple concept. Bringing the troops home would require a different foreign policy. Defensive military needs versus offensive capability are different goals. * American interest or protection of large corporations’ bottom line.

The bases represent the American interest (?) in the world. The security provided by the military bases is a negotiation card in dealings with other nations. The United States offers military bases, planes, missiles, radar packages to protect other nations as a package. Over 750 bases in eighty different countries have become targets with collateral damage possibilities for the host country and this has been exposed in the Iran war. The wisdom of these forward US bases originally offering security for the host country has come under question. If the answer leans toward removal of bases for safety of the of country, will the next step be removal of the American Embassies? Without the bases will the embassies be safe for American personnel around the world?

The Embassies are essential for trade and cooperation between the sovereign nations. In an electronic world is the physical presence of an embassy with associated cost even necessary? Embassies and bases are very different institutions. Both are considered necessary for the nation in dealing with foreign nation-states. We have more embassies than bases but bases have more reach, more immediate impact. The embassy says you matter while the bases allows the US to dictate terms. The military carries the ever present threat of violence.

Diplomatic capacity is a partnership, it requires an agreement between the parties through dialog. The bases, however, are a projection of power along the lines of colonization of other territories.

Consider the national interest of the United States.

How much should US consider other nations’ position when the deciding what to do? This is a question about cooperation versus competition between nation-states. Prior to 1800 President Washington in his parting comments at the end of his presidency warned the nation not to over consider the other nation. In other words, America first. Going forward will the United States’ policy be peace and trade or the use of force to obtain national interest.