We'd do best to keep to ourselves

Why do we patrol the earth, looking for nations that, we think, need our help?

We send troops and money to any country that allows us to do so and many places where we are not welcome. Who do we think we are? Are we in charge of keeping law and order on Planet Earth?

After World War II, we instituted the Marshall Plan. We helped rebuild Germany, France, Italy and Japan that had massive damage to their cities and factories that we had bombed. Along with foreign aid (money) we have sent 500,000 troops into 144 countries in all parts of the world.

This has resulted in practically bankrupting us. Our national debt is in the trillions and has been financed by other countries buying our IOUs. China owns us. We could blame the Pentagon, whose primary goal is conducting warfare. We manufacture weaponry of all sorts that is sold to friendly nations, although some nations have since turned against us. We have placed arms across the planet.

The Russians tried to place missiles in Cuba, but President Kennedy did not allow this to happen. We, however, do muck about in Central and South America when our interests are involved. We do this overtly and covertly.

We are now trying to place missiles in Poland. This is to get even with Russia for intruding on Georgia. What nonsense. Russia was invited by South Ossetia and Abkhazia, breakaway provinces in Tskhinvali. Georgia did launch a barrage against Ossetia and Abkhazia to start this whole mess.

Our gunboat diplomacy to save Georgia is childish. Georgia is half the size of Illinois.

We need Russia and Russia needs us. We are trading partners. Any animosity between us is detrimental to both countries. President Eisenhower warned us to be wary of our country's military-industrial complex who are in it for profit. We did not take heed, and look at the consequences. Self-destruction seems to be our fate.

By the way, NATO is obsolete.

Bill Cooper

Geneva