Now that John Bolton is out as National Security Advisor, President Trump needs some advice on foreign policy. Bolton, being a hawk, would never give this advice. It is, however, the most important piece of advice one could give to the president right now. Regarding the troops, it’s time to Bring them Home. By this, I mean that we must bring every troop on foreign soil back to our country without exception.
The President DOES have the Power to Bring them Home
Some would immediately argue that “it isn’t that simple”, but it is. The president has the power and authority to bring every troop home with the stroke of a pen. Trump has possessed this ability since he took office in January 2017. Every day that the president hasn’t brought the troops home is a day that he has allowed these endless wars to continue.
With this in mind, anyone who says the president can’t do this is wrong. As commander in chief, he possesses this power. Such power allows for the president to end these wars immediately. He has the power to bring the troops home. He just hasn’t. This, however, is not necessarily Trump’s fault alone.
Why Hasn’t the President Ended the Wars
First off, Trump is not a non-interventionist. At the very foundation, he is a Jacksonian. Jacksonians do not believe in intervention unless it is in the best interest of their own country. What is in the best interest of the U.S. is the topic of debate for President Trump. This is how one can reconcile the belief in ending the seemingly endless wars with Afghanistan, Iraq, etc. while also advocating increased hostility with Iran.
If Trump believes that intervention is in the country’s best interest, he will intervene. This is why Senator Rand Paul is such an important figure in shaping Donald Trump’s foreign policy. While Rand Paul and Trump have differing core beliefs, Rand Paul’s non-interventionism stems from the idea that foreign intervention, unless the U.S. is attacked, is never in the best interest of the U.S. This is why Paul claims that Trump’s “instincts are in the right place.” He says he wants what is best for America.
Rand Paul Isn’t the Only Advisor
While Rand Paul has significantly influenced Trump’s foreign policy, so has Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and the now-former National Security Advisor, John Bolton. Neocon allies like Pompeo and Bolton are consistently trying to persuade Trump that intervention is always in the best interest of the U.S. and her allies. The facts simply are on the side of non-intervention.
War has cost the U.S. trillions of dollars, decades of innovation, and thousands of American lives. Endless war is a road to squalor. What we, non-interventionists, must realize is that intervention is never in the best interest of the U.S. We must step up our efforts against these wars.
We have a president whose instincts are in the right place; Rand Paul is right about that. We must increase our pro-peace efforts to end the currently existing wars and stop any effort to start a war with Iran. The president has the power to end the wars. What he lacks, however, is the motivation.
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