For countries where we have lost billions to "help" them, do you believe those countries should pay us back? If so, how?

PO2 Robert M. — Fri, 24 Jun 2016 21:15:19 -0400

I submit we seize the amount of oil that it took to take Hussein down., Same as Syria.
No more aid to countries that try to kill our citizens!
Make countries PAY US BACK WHEN WE HELP THEM!!!!

ONLY ONE nation in history has EVERY repaid their WAR DEBT!!!

FINLAND.

ONLY ONE!

Response by PO2 Robert M. made Jun 24 at 2016 9:16 PM

PO2 Robert M. — Fri, 24 Jun 2016 21:16:13 -0400

am I off base on this question?
Or do other people believe we should be repaid for helping?

Response by SFC Marcus Belt made Jun 25 at 2016 1:56 AM

SFC Marcus Belt — Sat, 25 Jun 2016 01:56:51 -0400

The US does NOT "help" out of a sense of altruism; the US seeks to further its own political and foreign policy objectives, and that is the sole reason we are forward based in locations around the world in places like Japan, South Korea and Germany, and the reasons behind our military interventions. They are most often presented to the public as gracious and altruistic actions that are intended to "liberate" the subjects of oppressive totalitarian regimes, and in some cases, that is a second order effect, but it is NEVER the primary reason behind the use of military force.

There are a few exceptions, like Somalia and Rwanda.

The US, like every other sovereign nation, and like very other super power in world history, attempts to further its own best interests when it opts to use military force.

So if we're attempting to further our own best interests, do you still think it reasonable to ask other nations to "pay us back" for that?

Response by Lt Col Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 25 at 2016 4:30 PM

Lt Col Private RallyPoint Member — Sat, 25 Jun 2016 16:30:59 -0400

When we "help" a country we do it with our own national interests in mind. We don't help any nation out of the pure goodness of our hearts.

Response by LTC Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 26 at 2016 9:27 PM

LTC Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 26 Jun 2016 21:27:54 -0400

So who exactly asked us to spend billions to overthrow Saddam in Iraq? Yeah, nobody.