“The Anti-Federalists generally held to what Hamilton scornfully called ‘the novel and absurd experiment in politics of tying up the hands of government from offensive war founded upon reasons of state’.” (The Federalist no. 34)
“War is justifiable on no other principle than self-defense. It is at best a curse to any people; it is comprehensive of most if not all the mischief’s that do or can afflict mankind; it depopulates nations; lays waste the finest countries; destroys arts and sciences; it many times ruins the best men, and advances the worst. It effaces every trace of virtue, piety and compassion, and introduces all kinds of corruption in public affairs; in short, is pregnant with so many evils, that it ought ever to be avoided if possible; nothing but self defense can justify it.” (New Hampshire Farmer)
The American experience in Korea, Vietnam, Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya and now Syria validate the wisdom of the Anti-Federalists. One step in the right direction would be to entirely distance ourselves from the radical Muslim world and let the centuries-old Shia/Sunni religious war play itself out to its natural end.
The Sunni/Shia divide:
