Isolationism : Choose One: Trade or War

The three relations of one nation to another:

1. Trade of goods, and also likely intermarrying, in mutually advantagous transactions.
2. One weaker nation paying tribute to the stronger nation. There is trade of goods and forced sex, entirely by strongarm coercion.
3. No trade or transfer of any kind. Exterminate the weaker nation/city/village.

As the USA steadily transforms into a North American fortress, and leaves it's role as global policeman, I am both enthusiastic about the end of very stupid nation building and other interventions...and also mindful of my numbered list above. That numbered list is based on every scenario I've studied on history. They only fall into those three slots.

We may have religions or secular humanist views that all humans and cultures are intelligent, complex and valid. The United Nations and hundreds of religious faiths may claim to honor and respect all of humanity. You as a voter may vote for the preservation of all life.

None of that matters. Here is what matters. A nation is sitting somewhere out there that we do not have any trade with, any material ties to. We make zero dollars on their existence. If we bombed them, we could divert tax dollars to the purchase of those bombs, and suddenly someone is making money. We go from not making any money to making some money.

That is a greater force of nature than any amount of valuing life for no reason other than being good. One has weight, the other is pure vacuum.