United Nations

Since the beginning of our inception, our nation has sought to bring Democracy to every corner of the world-to free the citizens of this planet from tyrannical governments and dictatorships. Democracy is the United States anthem; celebrated and offered freely to any nation seeking reprieve. This is due in large part to President Monroe, the framer of the Monroe Doctrine. The Monroe Doctrine, expressed in 1823, proclaimed the United States' opinion that European powers should no longer colonize the Americas or interfere with the affairs of sovereign nations located in the Americas, such as the United States, Mexico, and others. In return, the United States planned to stay neutral in wars between European powers and in wars between a European power and its colonies. However, if these latter type of wars were to occur in the Americas, the U.S. would view such action as hostile toward itself. The doctrine was issued by President James Monroe during his seventh annual State of the Union address to Congress. It was met first with doubt, then with enthusiasm. This was a defining moment in the foreign policy of the United States. (Wikipedia: The Monroe Doctrine) Since the establishment of this policy, many US presidents have followed this doctrine. In 1962, John F. Kennedy said the following at a news conference: "The Monroe Doctrine means what it has meant since President Monroe and John Quincy Adams enunciated it, and that is that we would oppose a foreign power extending its power to the Western Hemisphere, and that is why we oppose what is happening in Cuba today. That is why we have cut off our trade. That is why we worked in the OAS and in other ways to isolate the Communist menace in Cuba. That is why we will continue to give a good deal of our effort and attention to it." (Wikipedia: The Monroe Doctrine) This mission comes with great sacrifice and toil; time, money and physical human lives have been surrendered-all for the cause. When do we step back and take a look at our efforts? Are they effective and is our involvement really deemed necessary? Do fellow nations truly need assistance from the United States? These are just a few questions I feel need to be evaluated in this essay regarding the United States Foreign Policy when it comes to invasion and war.