Why hasn't anyone ever gone to war with Switzerland? Could it be that all male members of a family are required, yes required, to own a firearm and train to use it?

I think there is a good lesson to be learned here. Switzerland has never tried to conquer another country and no country has ever invaded Switzerland, including Nazi Germany. Switzerland leaves all other nations to kill off each other if they choose, but by inference declares that if you come into our country, we are prepared to take you on.

Reagan told us that we achieved peace through strength, but that is only half of Switzerland's formula. They have attained peace through strength and by minding their own business. Switzerland is one of the most respected nations in the world. On a respect scale they are near the top while we are near the bottom.

One would think that we could learn from their example. If we did what they did right, and did what we do right we would increase our wealth as a nation and our place in the nations of the world, as long as we stopped doing what we do wrong. We need to butt out of everybody else's business, unless there is a direct threat to us, and as Switzerland has proven, if you are strong, and mind your own business nobody will make a direct threat to you.

Is Switzerland isolationist? Is that what some people mean by being isolationalist when refering to Americans like Pat Buchanan? If so, I guess I am an isolationalist. I guess if that is isolationalism, I'm all for it. I would prefer to call it being a good neighbor. A good neighbor is there to help when help is needed, usually requested, but not there to interfere in how we run our family and household. A good neighbor shares with us and we share with them. When we have an abundance in our garden, we gladly share with friends and neighbors, and they do the same. I'm not talking about commune like living, but the voluntary helping out of ones neighbor, when there is a need, and that is best done by individuals on a voluntrary basis. Government instead takes from us and gives to other countries that maybe we would choose not to give to. America then makes demands on those nations we "help out" by telling them when, where, and how they can defend themselves. Yes, I'm talking about our best friend in the middle east, Israel.

We give Israel assistance in the form of foreign aid, but we give at least twice as much to Israels enemies in the region. How is that helping Israel? Maybe I'm confused a little here, but when a presidential candidate advocates cutting off all foreign aid, why is he called anti-semitic when there is a net gain to Israel if everyone is cut off from American foreign aid? Why isn't he called anti-Palastenian, or anti Saudi, or anti Iranian?

Well, I strayed all the way from Switzerland to Israel, but it seems like one thing leads to another, and somehow, it's all wound up together.