Remember, Americans: Pearl Harbor Proved Isolationism’s Folly

Americans today observe Pearl Harbor Day, the 84th anniversary of the “day that will live in infamy,” when the fascist Japanese Empire suddenly attacked the United States Naval Base at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. The attack on December 7, 1941 thrust Americans into war against Japan and the rest of its fascist Axis allies, as part of the Second World War that had begun in September 1939, with the Axis Nazi German and Soviet invasion of Poland. Pearl Harbor Day also was a watershed in American politics, as it ended the isolationist movement that either sympathized with the Axis, or at least, in the name of being pacifist, opposed any meaningful policies to resist the advance of totalitarian imperialism. The folly of the isolationist slogan that “our oceans will protect us” was disproven and the movement was destroyed by the Japanese bombs at Pearl Harbor, along with the ships, aircraft and thousands of military personnel and civilians who were killed. During the Cold War, a remnant of isolationists or Communist sympathizers on the left and even some isolationists on the far right opposed meaningful measures to contain the Soviet Union and International Communism, foolishly again placing their trust in the oceans while the Soviets developed nuclear weapons and intercontinental ballistic missiles. After the fall of Soviet Communism, which was achieved by not adopting isolationist policies, a second Pearl Harbor-scale attack occurred on September 11, 2001, when Islamist terrorists hijacked civilian aircraft and crashed them into New York, Washington, D.C. and Pennsylvania, killed even more people than at Pearl Harbor. And once again, isolationists on the far left and far right were proven foolish by the attacks the showed how oceans and even military and economic might afford little protection against such an evil and determined foe. But isolationists opposed the Global War on Terrorism and demanded an end to the wars that the Islamist enemy has been willing to engage in endlessly. Each time America or its allies and interests are threatened, the isolationists present an argument that superficially appears patriotic: that lives and treasure would be spared by not becoming involved in wars. But it is one that is either influenced by sympathy for the enemy or naivety at best. Furthermore, isolationism is based on the hope that foreign States would be equally or more powerful than the U.S. to defend their own interests, instead of in support for and confidence in American might and leadership. Isolationists would look the other way, instead of proactively defending abroad against threats that would eventually threaten the American homeland. They would focus in American economic well-being while our trading partners were attacked and invaded, millions would be internally displaced or become international refugees, and the freedom of Americans to travel abroad to engage in commerce, study, religious pilgrimage, or any other valid purpose would be curtailed, all while a cloud of uncertainty would hang over the global economy that is ever-increasingly linked. Yet today – once again – isolationists on the far left and especially on the far right oppose any meaningful measures to stop the imperialism of the Russian Federation, led by a former Soviet intelligence agent who is trying to restore the Soviet Union and Russian Empire. The Russians have invaded the former Soviet Republics of Georgia and Ukraine and stationed troops in Moldova against its will, while engaging in machinations abroad, such as cyberattacks, election interference, sabotage and assassinations. They have thus attacked U.S. allies and Americans and even the American homeland itself, while Russia possesses the most nuclear warheads in the world and the missiles to strike every part of the American homeland. Just as every other time when the U.S. has been threatened, most Americans disagreed with the isolationists, although less decisively in regard to the major battles of the War on Terrorism, but at least not to the opposition to terrorism overall, but never has a presidential administration been guided by isolationists or collaborationists until now, which makes the current threat especially grave. The American people must continue to demand that Congress act to continue to defend U.S. interests, maintain American influence and exercise responsible world leadership to stop Russian aggression and defend the independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity of all States, foreign and American.