England went there twice before they followed us into Afghanistan a third time. There was a remarkably good documentary on BBC a few years back hosted by Rory Stewart (young English foreign service officer) about Afghanistan.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6a7bP49ehKQ

 

Not exactly correct...

We didn't go there to take over, we went to get the architects of 9/11 and their supporters. Our problem was that we then felt morally obligated to stay and "fix it since we broke it", although in the case of AFG it's always been broke.

 

Too much over-analysis.

We are embroiled where we are today, and have become targets for disgruntled people around the world, because we poked our nose into everybody else's business again and again. We create and destroy governments, redefine borders, arm dictators, support puppets.

There was a time when some of this may have been necessary - The Cold War - but with the demise of the USSR, we should have pulled our tentacles waaaay back.

No one hates Switzerland. They mind their own business. They do not don the mantle of World Police. If a petty dictator attacks a neighbor, the Swiss do not create a giant army to set things right.

We should take notes, and become a giant Switzerland. Trade with all, allied to none, and no more World Police. Remain vigilant, and armed. Announce to the world - "If you F with us, we will hurt you very, very badly. Otherwise, we will stay out of your business."

This means if a dictator is abusing his people, it is NOT our job to fix it. This doesn't sit well with some people, but oh well, I'm sorry, so long as the abused people are not U.S. citizens, I'm having a hard time caring any more. We cannot fix everything.

 

Best post so far.

 

"Switzerland is not a country; it's a business. " They finance weapons sales to both sides of conflicts then steal all the art work, gems, and funds the victims have deposited in their banks.

 

Works for me.

 

Isolationism doesn't work today.
The first time you take a peek outside of your blinds you don't want to see the enemy standing on your front door step.
If you want to be a world power, on any level, it comes with responsibility, on many levels.
You get to voice your opinions on those responsibilities through the elected leadership.

 

Protesting against Switzerland means nothing to anyone. It gets no attention.

Protesting against the big bad old U.S. always draws attention. When any country, terrorists, or any other group of folks wants attention and sympathy, they go after the big boy on the block (the U.S.). Nothing new about this since the U.S. became a super power.

The U.S. cannot hide from being the target for other countries and all manner of yahoos across the globe no matter if it tries to hide or runs around kicking butt. That never really matters.

If you need attention for your cause, you go after the U.S. It gets attention! No one cares if you go after Switzerland or other such countries in comparison.

 

Good points. I was advised by a family member that when the Mexican Teachers Union (CNTE in Mexico) went on strike, protesting low wages, to send a signal to the Mexican government, they protested in front of the US Embassy.

 

Wanna see how crazy a teacher's strike in Mexico can get? At one of my jobs, we did scheduled service to Oaxaca, the company stopped service to OAX while this was going on;

2006 Oaxaca protests - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia