Should the US end over seas operations

I accept the challenge. I've never participated in a debate before but I look forward to gaining much needed experience. For this debate my goal is to demonstrate that that the current overseas operations by the United States Military are not only ineffective, but detrimental to the safety to the people of the United States. The United States is the world"s only superpower and yet its safety and security has yet to be guaranteed through its overseas operations. Firstly, it should be noted before overseas operations, the United States was still able to neutralise foreign threats to itself through traditional defensive measures in maintaining a well-manned and well-armed military (1). This line of strategy has been consistent with America"s founding principles and the morality of its people, so it is not a trade-off that the country must sacrifice its morality for security. Secondly, it should also be noted that these operations have yet to yield any long term security for the United States or its citizens. Even before the attacks on September 11, the United States could not guarantee its own security (2), (3) and now over a decade later, the same threat of terrorism both abroad (4) and at home (5) remain. These post-9/11 attacks were not stopped because there was a lack of will, but a lack of capability. Along with clandestine operations that are not announced or reported, operations which are publicly carried out have yet to demonstrate either a safer America, or action consistent with the citizens of the United States" democratic will, as these operations, under the guise of security, can be carried out in the interests of the few. The invasion of Iraq (6) is one such example, where the war was spoken of as a war for liberation and not a means of securing oil resources from an already impoverished nation. The consequences of this operation have yet to be fully realised, by both in fallen American soldiers (7) and continued instability in the region (8). In addition to the standing threats that have yet to be neutralised, the continuation of foreign operations has incidentally created new ones. These include the rise of anti-Americanism in Latin America as a legitimate political ideology in their respective democracies (9) and the failure of America"s democracy promotion in the Middle East to create safety and stability in the region (10) has led to an even greater threat that American soldiers now fight to counter. Perhaps the greatest argument against overseas operations, and it"s viability for ensuring security, should be the power of America itself simply by its existence. America has the most powerful military in human history (11), guarded by two massive oceans, a wealth of natural resources (within its own borders) unparalleled by any other nation, the world"s largest contiguous piece of arable land and the world"s largest navy (12). America is truly a superpower in every definition of the word. These factors create a nation that no rival could hope to conquer (13). I would like to conclude by addressing the common clich" "the threat is still out there" by reassuring those who profess it so, that the threat is still out there and it is out there because it always will be. Such is the nature of foreign relations, that the "international system exists in a state of constant antagonism" (14), and that there will always be a new danger, merely by existing- no amount of overseas operations, no matter how intensive or numerous, could ever achieve a completely safe existence for the United States. As such, the United States would have to acquiesce to accepting the title of most secure country in the world. I hope those of you reading this shall agree with the affirmative, in that the United States should end overseas operations. Thank You. (1)https://en.wikipedia.org... (2)https://en.wikipedia.org... (3)https://en.wikipedia.org... (4)https://en.wikipedia.org... (5)https://en.wikipedia.org... (6)https://en.wikipedia.org... (7)https://en.wikipedia.org... (8)https://en.wikipedia.org... (9)https://en.wikipedia.org... (10)https://en.wikipedia.org... (11)http://www.globalfirepower.com... (12) (13) https://greyweirdo.wordpress.com... (14)https://en.wikipedia.org...