Each star represents a United States military base. “But just so we’re all clear,” says Judge Andrew Napolitano, “Iran is threatening us; we’re not threatening them.”
No matter which political party has occupied the White House, there hasn’t been a substantial change in the number of our foreign military posts in decades. Only one 2008 presidential candidate promised to close most of our bases and bring our military home. Only one promises to do so in the 2012 election. It’s the same candidate in both elections: Ron Paul.
Ron Paul contends that not only does our military presence overseas make us less safe by creating enemies, but that it’s making us broke. To support 900 bases around the world in 130 countries, last year the United States spent almost $700 billion, 20% of our federal budget.
Why are we in Korea?” Paul asks during this campaign. “We’ve been there since I’ve been in high school. Why are we in Japan? We’ve been there since World War II. Why are we in Germany, subsidizing their welfare state by paying for their defense? And why are we in five wars in the Middle East? We are less safe because of this. We’re going broke. And it undermines our national security. So why stay any of those places?”
Common Sense & An Open Mind 