Franklin Harris responds thoughtfully to my bafflement over the libertarian arguments for isolationism. Naturally, I’m still unconvinced–deficit spending seems a small price to pay for, you know, ending mass graves and so forth; and World War II and the Cold War are fairly strong arguments for the efficacy of an aggressive foreign policy in promoting the growth of liberty abroad without sacrificing it at home–but I’m pleased and grateful that Franklin took the time to explain them to me. All the points he raises are one that hawks should remain vigilant about, at any rate.
(Regarding the Founding Fathers, my guess is that an unwillingness to be drawn once again into hostilities with the most powerful empire in the history of the world accounts for at least some of their reluctance to get entangled in alliances…)