Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin on Saturday denounced those who advocate “an American retreat from responsibility” and said sustained U.S. leadership is needed to help keep the world as safe, free and prosperous as possible. He also urged Congress to end the partisan gridlock that has stalled the federal budget and war spending.

The United States must reject calls to turn away from global interests and become more isolationist, he told an audience of lawmakers, corporate and defense leaders and government officials attending a security conference. Those who “try to pull up the drawbridge,” he said, undermine the security that has led to decades of prosperity.

  • ChaosCharlie@lemmy.ca
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    1 year ago

    American doesn’t even fulfill its responsibility to take care of its own citizens at home. What a cop out excuse.

  • ghostdoggtv@lemmy.world
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    1 year ago

    We have no responsibility to help Israel continue operations in Gaza once it stops being a defensive operation, and we’re about a month and a half beyond that now.

  • Lexam@lemmy.ca
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    1 year ago

    America does need a National Retreat. There needs to be an order that all Americans retreat to their bed until warmer weather.

  • TimeSquirrel@kbin.social
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    1 year ago

    Those who “try to pull up the drawbridge,” he said, undermine the security that has led to decades of prosperity.

    Those decades of security and power were brought to you by the atom bomb and being the only one left standing after WW2. It’s time to learn to coexist with others who have caught up on a level playing field. We’re going to become a regular irrelevant country again, deal with it. It kills these people when they imagine themselves not being able to police and manipulate the world.

    • SCB@lemmy.world
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      1 year ago

      We’re going to become a regular irrelevant country again, deal with it.

      Nah. That’s completely unacceptable

  • AutoTL;DR@lemmings.worldB
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    1 year ago

    This is the best summary I could come up with:


    SIMI VALLEY, Calif. (AP) — Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin on Saturday denounced those who advocate “an American retreat from responsibility” and said sustained U.S. leadership is needed to help keep the world as safe, free and prosperous as possible.

    The United States must reject calls to turn away from global interests and become more isolationist, he told an audience of lawmakers, corporate and defense leaders and government officials attending a security conference.

    His message of rejecting isolationism appeared directed at conservative lawmakers who are increasingly opposed to spending on overseas wars and back former President Donald Trump’s “America First’” ideology.

    Congress has failed to approve any new money for the wars in Ukraine and Israel and has managed to pass only a short-term budget bill, known as a continuing resolution, that runs out early next year.

    Austin also noted that as much as $50 billion of that supplemental budget request for the wars would through American defense companies, helping to create or support tens of thousands of jobs in 30 states.

    In other comments, Austin underscored the administration’s repeated insistence that Israel do more to protect civilians as it restarts its air assault against Hamas after a seven-day cease-fire to secure the release of prisoners.


    The original article contains 771 words, the summary contains 205 words. Saved 73%. I’m a bot and I’m open source!

    • spaceghoti@lemmy.one
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      1 year ago

      We can mind our own business and remain leaders in world affairs by focusing our efforts on issues that involve the entire community and step back from the cowboy diplomacy of the Bush era. We stop acting unilaterally and start acting cooperatively, backing UN resolutions that enhance human rights and progress and supporting allies who are defending themselves.

    • SCB@lemmy.world
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      1 year ago

      Someone is going to lead world policy. A leadership vacuum will be filled. I’d strongly prefer the US claim the position than, say, China.