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The US needs more manpower and cheap manufacturing to compete with such a large adversary as China. Instead of keeping close ties with Europe, we should be inve

The US needs more manpower and cheap manufacturing to compete with such a large adversary as China. Instead of keeping close ties with Europe, we should be investing our time and energy in building a strong fraternity among American nations.

DamnYuppie 9y ago
I do not disagree with your sentiment. Yet most of America has closer cultural ties to Europe than the America's. Also the economies of Europe are much more robust and well run compared to those in Central and South America.
JumpCrisscross 9y ago
> The US needs more manpower and cheap manufacturing to compete with such a large adversary as China Automation.
pjc50 9y ago
American ties to Europe were never entirely altruistic but about maintaining it against Russian influence and control. Whereas the US presence in South America has always been about anti-communism at any cost, including overthrowing elected governments to replace them with dictatorships (Chile); then secondarily about maintaining the drug war and its associated violence. If the US wants to get started there it should see about bringing peace to Mexico and work downwards.
- forapurpose 9y ago
  Russia and communism haven't been threats for 25 years (though Russia is trying to make a comeback). > American ties to Europe were never entirely altruistic but about maintaining it against Russian influence and control. You're omitting the very strongly shared interests in liberty and democracy, as well as in free trade. There really is little reason for countries that believe in those things not to cooperate - they naturally have each other's best interests in mind. > the US presence in South America has always been about anti-communism at any cost, ... If the US wants to get started there it should see about bringing peace to Mexico and work downwards. Again, that was a long time ago. Since the Cold War, almost the entire Western Hemisphere has become peaceful (internationally), democratic, and far more prosperous, lifting hundreds of millions out of extreme poverty. I don't meant to downplay the drug war, which I agree is awful and highly damaging to people in those nations.
- dragonwriter 9y ago
  > American ties to Europe were never entirely altruistic but about maintaining it against Russian influence and control US ties to Europe predate geopolitical conflict with Russia. > Whereas the US presence in South America has always been about anti-communism at any cost Likewise, US presence and exercise of colonial and quasi-legal power in Latin America long predates anticommunist foreign policy.

DamnYuppie 9y ago

I do not disagree with your sentiment. Yet most of America has closer cultural ties to Europe than the America's. Also the economies of Europe are much more robust and well run compared to those in Central and South America.

JumpCrisscross 9y ago

> The US needs more manpower and cheap manufacturing to compete with such a large adversary as China Automation.

pjc50 9y ago

American ties to Europe were never entirely altruistic but about maintaining it against Russian influence and control. Whereas the US presence in South America has always been about anti-communism at any cost, including overthrowing elected governments to replace them with dictatorships (Chile); then secondarily about maintaining the drug war and its associated violence. If the US wants to get started there it should see about bringing peace to Mexico and work downwards.

forapurpose 9y ago
Russia and communism haven't been threats for 25 years (though Russia is trying to make a comeback). > American ties to Europe were never entirely altruistic but about maintaining it against Russian influence and control. You're omitting the very strongly shared interests in liberty and democracy, as well as in free trade. There really is little reason for countries that believe in those things not to cooperate - they naturally have each other's best interests in mind. > the US presence in South America has always been about anti-communism at any cost, ... If the US wants to get started there it should see about bringing peace to Mexico and work downwards. Again, that was a long time ago. Since the Cold War, almost the entire Western Hemisphere has become peaceful (internationally), democratic, and far more prosperous, lifting hundreds of millions out of extreme poverty. I don't meant to downplay the drug war, which I agree is awful and highly damaging to people in those nations.
dragonwriter 9y ago
> American ties to Europe were never entirely altruistic but about maintaining it against Russian influence and control US ties to Europe predate geopolitical conflict with Russia. > Whereas the US presence in South America has always been about anti-communism at any cost Likewise, US presence and exercise of colonial and quasi-legal power in Latin America long predates anticommunist foreign policy.