Choosing the “basement” option every time.

Why is the defense of a powerful South Korea, with an economy 40 times that of the North, still a U.S. responsibility?^[1]

A good question, any reasonable citizen says to himself. Our presence in Korea is just absurd, just as our presence in Europe is absurd and our presence on Russia's border is absurd. The Sorks and the Europeans are wealthy and have plenty of resources to field credible military deterrents (against?) but there we are with massive annual military expenditures in aid of a U.S. military presence . . . and not federal troop one on the U.S. southern border.

I’ve used the image of a movie I saw years ago. A teen boy and girl hear a noise in the basement of a haunted house so, of course, they go into the basement to investigate. Once there, the boy suggests the split up. At both junctures you mentally scream at them, “Don’t go into the basement! Don’t split up!” But it’s useless, of course. They are oblivious to the risks involved and are determined to pursue the most dangerous, the most stupidest course of action.

Just like the U.S. now. Americans scream, “Leave Syria and Afghanistan! Don’t get involved in a wider war in Syria! Don’t buy into Israeli bullshit about Iran and Syria! Don’t jettison the post-WWII peace-keeping mechanisms!” But it’s pointless. Trump heads straight to the basement door.

It’s like clockwork. It just never fails. Trump and just about every last Western politician make a bee line to the absolutely most insane, expensive, suicidal, or repulsive national option.

Notes
^[1] "America’s Unsustainable Empire." By Patrick J. Buchanan, Taki’s Magazine, 4/25/18.