Debate Desk
Should America Stop Being the World's Policeman? Why Conservatives Differ?
Conservatives divide between restraint and strength abroad; the question is which commitments serve American interests and which drain them.
The claim
After long wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, many Americans say the country should bring its troops home and stop trying to solve other countries' problems. Money and lives, they argue, belong to America's own people and borders.
The answer in three points
- Conservatives are divided here, and honestly. Restrainers invoke John Quincy Adams, who said that America goes not abroad in search of monsters to destroy. Others point to Reagan's peace through strength, and to the record that withdrawal can invite aggression.
- The right question is about interests, not slogans. Commitments should be chosen by what protects American security and prosperity: freedom of the seas, deterrence of great-power conflict, defense of allies who share the burden and the denial of safe havens to terrorists. Wars of choice without clear aims have cost the country dearly.
- Allies have to do their part. America can lead without carrying the whole load, and burden-sharing, such as the NATO pledge to spend 2 percent of GDP on defense, has been a conservative priority.
A better question than whether to engage is what American interests require, and the answer should be argued in the open and decided by Congress. Disagreement among conservatives about it is a sign of seriousness.
The numbers
- The NATO allies agreed at the 2014 Wales Summit to move toward spending 2 percent of gross domestic product on defense, according to NATO.
- At the 2025 NATO summit in The Hague, the allies agreed to a goal of 5 percent of gross domestic product on defense and related spending by 2035, according to NATO.
- The Congressional Research Service reports that the United States has several hundred thousand service members stationed or deployed abroad in a typical year.
What they will say next
"Withdrawal from Afghanistan was the right call." The goal of ending a long war was widely shared, and the manner of the withdrawal in 2021 was criticized for its costs. How to leave is part of the policy.
"Overextension weakens us." A strategy of priorities can resolve that. The Indo-Pacific, where China's rise is the main challenge, is a growing focus.
"Our allies can defend themselves." Some can, and they should do more. Others cannot without American help, and a hasty exit might cause a larger crisis.
"War powers belong to Congress." They do under the Constitution. Declarations and clear authorizations would sharpen the debate and sustain public support.
A prudent country knows that the question is not whether to engage, but how, where and at what price.
"Our allies should take the lead in their own regions." Often they should, and in many regions they are doing more. America's role as an anchor and a backstop can be reduced as their capacity grows, which is a gradual, managed process, not a sudden retreat.