The Libertarian Position on Foreign Policy

It seems that the biggest sticking point in preventing more conservatives from supporting Ron Paul is that they don't understand his position on foreign policy. (They say that they don't like it; what they mean is they don't understand it.)

Let me try to summarize the only political issue that I have ever changed my mind about.

Thanks to his book "Liberty Defined," I changed my mind on this issue.  "A Foreign Policy of Freedom" is another of Dr. Paul's books. And its available for free at the Mises Institute.

The first two paragraphs of the forward to "A Foreign Policy of Freedom":

"Ron Paul has always believed that foreign and domestic policy should
be conducted according to the same principles. Government should be
restrained from intervening at home or abroad because its actions fail to
achieve their stated aims, create more harm than good, shrink the liberty
of the people, and violate rights.

Does that proposition seem radical? Outlandish or far flung? Once
you hear it stated, it makes perfect sense that there is no sharp distinction
between the principles of domestic and foreign policy. They are part of
the same analytical fabric. What would be inconsistent would be to favor
activist government at home but restraint abroad, or the reverse: restraint
at home and activism abroad. Government unleashed behaves in its own
interests, and will not restrict itself in any area of life. It must be curbed in
all areas of life lest freedom suffer."

Let me give one example of how our current foreign policy makes the world more dangerous.

Imagine that we are in Iran's position.  If we were a smallish country with a limited military, and the worlds biggest military removed Canada's government from power.  Then substituted a new government more favorable to that power.  Next that power removes and replaces Mexico's government with one it likes better.  If that were us, why wouldn't we be trying to develop nuclear weapons and other things to prevent the world power from eliminating our government too?

I am, at present, unable to better describe this issue.  So I encourage you to read "Liberty Defined" or "A Foreign Policy of Freedom".  Its the only political issue that I've ever changed my mind about.  Dr. Paul's opinion is the right one.