"My policy has been, and will continue to be, while I have the honor to remain in the administration of the government, to be upon friendly terms with, but independent of, all the nations of the earth. To share in the broils of none. To fulfil our own engagements. To supply the wants, and be carriers for them all: Being thoroughly convinced that it is our policy and interest to do so."
by:
George Washington
(1732-1799) Founding Father, 1st US President, 'Father of the Country'
Source:
1795 - letter to Gouverneur Morris, Ref: Washington's Maxims, 54.
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Reader comments about this quote:
Nearly makes one seep into depression to realize how far we've strayed form the wisdom of the founders. Where they infallible? No. But the wisdom they gained through their experience and knowledge of history as it WAS (not as they wished it to be) has yet to be logically dis-proven as the greatest course of action in our own day. With the American Empire reaching all over the world with the Department of Defense admitting of over 700 military instillations outside the of the United States, it's no wonder why the rest of the world calls us on our double standard.
 -- Logan, Memphis, TN     
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    To "fulfill our own engagements" has become a dangerous and prophetic statement. Thy kingdom come. Thy will Be done on earth.......
     -- Me Again     
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    Non Intervention as opposed to World Cop...what a concept.
     -- J Carlton, Calgary     
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    Good advice for a new nation, or any neophyte who could be sucked in by a larger nation or entity against its own best interests.
     -- Waffler, Smith, Arkansas     
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    If GW said this today, he'd be branded as anti-American, a defeatist, a flaming liberal who won't "fight for our FREEEEEDOM" [insert waving flag here] by going into Iraq. I don't see any Swiss vomiting such propaganda, and they dont' seem to be concerned about their liberty. (And in case you are wondering, I'm so conservative I'm off the scale, and NOT a flaming liberal...)
     -- Paul, Union, WA     
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    "Necessity is the plea for every infringement of human freedom. It is the argument of tyrants. It is the creed of slaves." (William Pitt - Pitt the Younger) We need an empire! We need a police state we can expand, when ever, and where ever we need it.
     -- Mike, Norwalk     
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    GWs words as it stands today say "to be in bed with, dependent on, all the nations of the earth. To share in the spoils of all."
     -- Dan     
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    Americans need to decide whether what our Founding fathers fought and died for is worth recovering. As far as I can see, the US has turned into an imperialist power now favoring fascist principles at home to justify the need to police the world. We were a nation of sovereigns -- kings in our own land. Now we are but bankrupted serfs, subservient to counterfeiters, despots, and their minions.
     -- E Archer, NYC     
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    My favorie Washington quote is this one, "Government is not eloquence, not reason, it is force, and like fire it is a dangerous servent and a fearful master".We would do well to remember this quote.
     -- jim k, Austin, Tx     
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    An aspect of the illuminated understanding upon which our once noble, once glorious, Republic ascended to greatness.

    Indeed, we once minded well our own house.


     -- Patrick Henry, Red Hill     
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    It was my thought and observation as reading this again - The more the mind set is to intervene with other people by government means, the greater the intrusion into individual local sovereign lives by god/government means. Freedom, liberty, rights and justice are all lost incrementally and in proportion to such foreign and domestic intrusions. The greater the foreign militarism, the greater the domestic militarism (police state enforcement of despotism, and tyranny)
     -- Mike, Norwalk     
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     -- cal, Lewisville, Texas      
    Sadly we the people have not read and understood the wisdom of the Founding Fathers. The Constitution, Declaration of Independence, Bill of Rights, Magna Charta....schools have been dumbed down and eliminated our truthful history and the very reason this nation was founded. Once we were a sovereign nation with the power to unseat an unconstitutional government, now the "government" has become more like the Blob, not only devouring our individual liberty and sovereignty, but literally threatening anyone who dares defy them. In the pursuit of the American dream we've forgotten to keep a watchful eye on those elected without bothering to test their credentials. War is for the benefit of international bankers and globalists, killing the best and the bravest without a thought.
     -- Denise, Durango     
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    We had a Swiss girl and Belgian girl visit our shop a few years back. I mentioned the shutzstaffel (shooting staff) to the Swiss girl. She said, "Oh, you know about them?" I replied, "Yes. They were the main reason the Nazis never tried to invade Switzerland." She said, "But we were neutral." I said, "So was The Netherlands, but the Nazis still invaded them."
     -- Jim, Lamar     
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    AND!  Waffler, it is GREAT ! ! ! advice for nations that have been around for almost 250 years.
     -- Mike, Norwalk     
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