Does USA Isolation Still Help in our defense?

[vinceasneed]

One of the reasons why our country has been able to thrive as well and as long as it has is because of our isolation. We have 2 big oceans that encompass us. We have a very friendly country to the North and a tolerant relatively friendly country to the South. In this age of planes and subs, does this isolation still benefit us in regards to defense? I for one think that it does. Not as well as it might have some decades ago, but it still helps.

 

[Redheart]

The minimum range of intercontinental ballistic missiles is about 3,600 miles. The distance between Europe and the U.S is about 3,000 miles. So, if any country has such missiles [and many do] then the U.S isn't as safe as many people might like to believe.

Russian Nuclear Weapons Cannot Be Stopped By US Defenses, Says Russian Deputy Prime Minister
"The deputy prime minister of Russia, Dmitry Ragozin, said Monday that a breakthrough in Russian missile technology means that the United States will no longer be able to intercept Russian ballistic nuclear missiles."

 

[vinceasneed]

I agree with that. But would invasion be more difficult due to the isolation? Most of the time when countries invade, they enter from neighboring countries. But I don't see Canada or Mexico teaming up with our enemies. We could indeed be attacked with ease due to missiles, but what of invasion?

 

[User911]

I agree with that. But would invasion be more difficult due to the isolation? Most of the time when countries invade, they enter from neighboring countries. But I don't see Canada or Mexico teaming up with our enemies. We could indeed be attacked with ease due to missiles, but what of invasion?

Well, I guess there have been a fair amount of islamic prayer rugs found along our southern border. There are probably a lot more people coming in from the M.E. and going through Mexico than we know. I think they've worked out kind of a deal with the drug cartels down there.

I am also concerned about suitcase nukes. Since we basically leave our southern border open, what is there to stop anyone from bringing over a few suitcase nukes at some point and planting them in our major cities? I'm sure there are PLENTY over in the M.E. who are working 24/7, 365 days a year trying to figure out how to wipe us off the planet.

 

[DeltaForce103]

Can you define isolation? The US has the largest population of immigrants worldwide and continues to be a popular destination for immigration. American culture is a veritable melting pot for different cultures. For better or worse, the US is home to some of the largest multinational corporations. The US has a highly interventionist foreign policy and has been involved in every major war in the 21st and 20th centuries.

 

[User911]

Can you define isolation? The US has the largest population of immigrants worldwide and continues to be a popular destination for immigration. American culture is a veritable melting pot for different cultures. For better or worse, the US is home to some of the largest multinational corporations. The US has a highly interventionist foreign policy and has been involved in every major war in the 21st and 20th centuries.

Well, I think the original author of this post was referring to our geographical isolation, which we have somewhat because we have large oceans on each side. However, as I pointed out earlier we have an open southern border and there is all kinds of traffic coming over that border. It is very difficult to maintain any level of isolation from the nutjobs in the world when we have allowed them to cross our southern border.

 

[JoshSmith100]

Even though we do have friendly countries around us, USA is far from a isolationist country. We are involved with almost any event that happens globally and we do this for the problem doesn't become a issue on our soil. This is the reason why the USA has been protected from a war on our home soil really.

 

[Rowe992]

This is modern times and the age of technology where missiles can be launched from thousands of miles away. The USA is no longer safe because of its isolation as was proven by Japan decades ago when they attacked Pearl Harbor. The technologies have improved significantly since WW2 and so the world is much smaller now in terms of accessibility.

 

[User911]

This is modern times and the age of technology where missiles can be launched from thousands of miles away. The USA is no longer safe because of its isolation as was proven by Japan decades ago when they attacked Pearl Harbor. The technologies have improved significantly since WW2 and so the world is much smaller now in terms of accessibility.

Yes, this is very true. It may seem for now that we're "safe" but that is just an illusion. Iran is working on/or already has missiles that could reach us. People naively assume the Barack would of course order a counter measure to prevent the missiles from reaching us if/when it ever came to that. He wouldn't. He hates America so much I'm sure he would think it would be a good thing if we took a missile so we learned "our place" in the world, which according to him, should NOT be at the top.

The "deal" with Iran will be forced through and we will be facing a serious nuclear threat much sooner rather than later.

 

[xTinx]

Isolation never benefits anyone. Even indigenous tribes have begun to send their children to schools in the city just to expose them to the modern era. They can opt out of today's civilization, but sooner or later, they'll see the need for it. Compared to indigenous people, the USA has hardly isolated itself over the past century. Defense is not just a mere undertaking in times of threat. The country has a keen business interest in defense. Isolation would be the last thing on the federal government's mind.

 

[vinceasneed]

The world is certainly a global place now. There is no undiscovered place anymore. People just say that the USA having 2 oceans that surround us helps us not to have to worry about situations such as in the Slavic states where people were concerned about potential invasion or muscle flexing by Russia. Or as in the case of Georgia and Russia. But I can see both points of view on this issue.

 

[DancingLady]

Yes, it a still a benefit. It takes time for planes and subs to get to our shores. While something could all by, it is less likely that much would make it all the way without being notices on radar.

 

[timelord731]

How isolated are we really? We have tons of immigrants and a whole myriad of cultures in the US. How are we still isolated? I mean, missiles and such could still easily reach us, so it can't be that beneficial now a days.

 

[crimsonghost747]

The ocean's still help, especially when you have arguably the best navy in the world. Same goes for the air force.
There are also many technologies to stop ICBMs from hitting their targets, though I assume that there aren't enough of such systems in place to stop a larger attack. (where most of the missiles are decoys anyway, the point being the overwhelm the defensive systems)

 

[CivilDefense]

Yes, but only up to a point. Small, but belligerent, regional powers cannot reach us, but we can most certainly reach them. However, the the major players (e.g., Russian Federation, etc.) have ICBMs, so it is a moot point in that regard.