Forget the election politics for a second, since that's more a fight about what words we use than what strategy we actually pursue. What should America's strategy be with respect to the Muslim world? The options would appear to be:
(1) Isolationism: Basically, no military interventions, no economic or political aid, little or no diplomatic overtures, no bone in the Arab-Israeli conflict.
(2) American Security Interests: Intervene only where it is viewed as necessary to protect the security of America or Americans.
(3) Global Security Interests: Intervene only where it is viewed as necessary to check expansionism or combat terror, whether aimed at Americans, Israel, Europe, economic allies like Saudi Arabia or Kuwait, etc.
(4) Economic Interests: In combination with either (2) or (3) above, intervene where viewed as necessary to ensure our continued access to Middle Eastern oil or other potential economic/resource interests
(5) Support Any "Pro-American" Leader: In combination with any or all of the above, there's the tried and true strategy of supporting and sustaining despots, regardless of what they do internally, so long as they ultimately advance American RealPolitik interests.
(6) Promote Self-Determination/Democracy
(7) Promote Human Rights
(8) Promote Religious Moderation/Modernization and/or Secularization (with or without "culture bombing")
(10) Global Faith War/Crusade: bomb them all and let G-d sort it out
(1) Isolationism: Basically, no military interventions, no economic or political aid, little or no diplomatic overtures, no bone in the Arab-Israeli conflict.
(2) American Security Interests: Intervene only where it is viewed as necessary to protect the security of America or Americans.
(3) Global Security Interests: Intervene only where it is viewed as necessary to check expansionism or combat terror, whether aimed at Americans, Israel, Europe, economic allies like Saudi Arabia or Kuwait, etc.
(4) Economic Interests: In combination with either (2) or (3) above, intervene where viewed as necessary to ensure our continued access to Middle Eastern oil or other potential economic/resource interests
(5) Support Any "Pro-American" Leader: In combination with any or all of the above, there's the tried and true strategy of supporting and sustaining despots, regardless of what they do internally, so long as they ultimately advance American RealPolitik interests.
(6) Promote Self-Determination/Democracy
(7) Promote Human Rights
(8) Promote Religious Moderation/Modernization and/or Secularization (with or without "culture bombing")
(10) Global Faith War/Crusade: bomb them all and let G-d sort it out
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