Written by Jessica Hopkins   

This last week has been a sad one, with the events in Paris, and the Republican response towards refugees, and beating the drums of war in this country. After processing my feelings about events in Paris, and contemplating how fear and lack of compassion has brought fear-based responses, I got to thinking about how these events would/could affect our presidential campaigns. I wondered if Bernie's lack of foreign policy experience, and Hillary's Secretary of State experience, will be used against Bernie in this perceived time of vulnerability.

Of course, many people in this country want to ramp up to a military response. I was reminded that according to the mainstream media, Hillary "won" in the debate this past Sat night in regards to which candidate would make a better (stronger) commander in chief. The timing of the events in Paris creates the fear that could affect our elections.

One of the goals of the Bush Sr. and Bush Jr. White Houses, was to create a New World Order, with the U.S. "in charge" of it. Cheney and cronies wanted to establish this mindset for ages to come. That was a proposed turning point for this country that offended my sensibilities, and that of many, many other people. However, Bush Jr's two election "wins," and his "axis of evil" mindset was a step in that direction.

911 was the next step (a new Pearl Harbor?). Our interventions in the Middle East, deposing and killing Saddam Hussein, war in Iraq, then Afghanistan, killing Osama bin Laden, and bringing our economy to its knees, were horrible results of us moving into the Bush/Cheney "dream," (their twisted vision of America's future), in the direction of being the World's Super Power.

Remember, that along the way, it was proposed by many progressives, that perhaps we didn't have to be the World's Super Power. That Idea was imaginable when we FIRST heard it discussed. However, as we have become the world's police, and have become embroiled in the Middle East, it strikes many as preposterous to even consider now. Now, and especially this past week, it is "natural" to assume that the U.S. would step in and use our military to "fix" the West's problems with ISIS. Republicans even started to blame Obama's peace efforts (read, "weakness") for the ISIS attacks.

However, despite Obama's more peaceful tendencies (than Bush/Cheney), both the extra-legal killing of bin Laden, and the toppling of Gaddafi, happened on his watch, while Hillary was Secretary of State. Both, were "World Police/Super Power" actions. Provocative actions that would have been considered un-American just a generation ago.

I think that Bernie has it right. These are Middle East problems that have to be solved by the Middle East. War in Iraq got the snowball rolling, and put us in the middle of troubles between radical Muslims who have yet to solve their centuries-long disagreements. Imagine our stepping into the middle of things in Ireland during "the troubles" between Protestants and Catholics. Sounds crazy, doesn't? However, if Ireland was sitting on oil, we would have invaded there too. But only after they "attacked" us, forcing the hand of The Super Power!

So, now, ISIS attacks France, threatens us, and suddenly, the media wonders if our next president is up to being the leader of a military World Super Power. Bush/Cheney won THAT round.

However.

The Iraq war, and that militaristic point of view, pushed this country into massive debt, killed and maimed so many Americans, has us caught in a quagmire in the Middle East, and has moved this country to the right. Look at the rise of the Tea Party, the bellicose Republican candidates, the rightwing media. All, attendant with the Bush/Cheney doctrine.

While it makes many feel safer to have a "strong" commander in chief, we know that Hillary believes that assassinating an American enemy, and toppling another government (Libya's) that is not threatening us, are good ideas. As we know, that has not worked out. We have moved so far to the right, that the idea of staying out of the Middle East sounds alarmingly unthinkable to many. Perhaps what we need right now is NOT someone who is an "expert" in foreign policy, when that policy is so interventionist.

Maybe it is time to rebuild America, and, in a more compassionate way. It is not a weakness that Bernie isn't perceived as being "strong enough, " it's just that the media and recent past politics have worked to create the idea that an ongoing war on terror for generations to come is the new "reality." If we can change this point of view for enough of America, it becomes clear that Bernie's focus on a domestic agenda is just what this country needs.

I have great compassion for the French. And, since I don't know what is the right thing to do about psychopathic killers murdering innocent people in their nation's capital (an act of war) I can't speak to any of their decisions in dealing with these attacks.

But, back to America. Only if we are willing to live with our Nation's money concentrated among a minority of the wealthiest (with their heavy investments in armaments and "war support") and with underemployment, and with debt, and with failing superstructure, and poverty,.....can we even imagine being a "military superpower."

Or, we can support Bernie in waking from this nightmare that Bush/Cheney created for us. As John Lennon said, "Imagine." If we want to re-imagine America as a place where we are not constantly at war, where people can let loose their imaginations as entrepreneurs in this era of high technology and a new consciousness about the environment, and lifting the standard of living across the blue and the red states, and pursuing the Pursuit of Happiness, then we must move away from a bellicose presidency. We aren't going to have it both ways.

To wrap up: While the mainstream media would have us wanting a "strong" commander in chief, with lots of foreign policy experience, they should be careful what they wish for. It seems to me that the more secure route is one where we are NOT at war, but are rebuilding this nation, and waking up out of the Bush/Cheney nightmare.

Just some thoughts through the day. Don't let the media scare you or your friends with the idea that Bernie isn't good for this nation because he is focusing on a domestic agenda. In fact, he's exactly what we need.