Quote Originally Posted by gazhekwe View Post
Well, keeping out the immigrants from those countries might make them mad, and the ones that are already here might get mad, too.

Isolationism is an interesting concept. Reduce trade with countries that are mad at us. Won't that make them mad?

See, mad people don't stop being mad. The more you ignore a bully, the more he hurts you.
Are Germans or the Japanese angry at us for temporarily reducing their visas and immigration to the US during WW II? I think contemporary Germans and Japanese understand that we took measures to protect ourselves. If the Saudis or Somalis are temporarily mad so what? It's better that they be mad over there than here. If the ones here don't like this place, they also have the option of leaving. I see what you mean though. They might react. Your point though about not submitting to bullies should also apply to such hypothetical reactionaries.

I did not suggest isolationism as much as I suggested energy independence. I even suggested paying their price for oil rather than persisting in gunboat diplomacy until establishing energy independence.