Turkey Invades Syria

[LynnInDenver]

You know... I think it might be good in the long run for the United States to basically have most of the world turn its back on us.  For the first couple decades after World War II, we were a good Policeman To The World because we'd worked to get there, and we'd sacrificed, and we knew the costs and had seen what happened when they weren't paid.  But somewhere in the 1960s and 1970s it stopped being "we're leading the world because this is where work and sacrifice and history have put us, so we'll do it the best we can" but "Of course we lead the world, we're Murrikins!"  It stopped being an obligation/duty we shouldered whether or not we were the best choice to do it at the time and instead became another instance of the "Manifest Destiny" mindset, a perception that Americans had a special position in the world that just naturally put us in charge and that what we did in that position was by definition right, regardless of what it was.  (Which we probably inherited from the British, but that's another topic entirely.)

It'd be a good thing for us if the rest of the world looked elsewhere for their allies and aid for few decades -- kind of the international equivalent of ostracizing a bitchy girl at the big dance.  Maybe we'll re-learn the humility that seemed to be part of the American character before WWII.

Can we add "trading with" to that list? Given the amount of thrashing and flailing around, anyone who trades with us (read: imports American stuff versus exports to America) should be, at best, outright demanding contracted in penalties if (read: when) we get regime change to someone who likes to shred up existing agreements because they're "unfair". At the very least, making sure we're the LAST place they come to for food, or really any of our exports. And if their exports are tight and have to start being allocated? Put us at the back of the damned line where we belong.