us_ch8_video-overview1

=**America's Role in the World vs. Cruel Dictators**= The U.S. has a unique position in the world today. We're the most powerful nation in the world and hold a lot of influence with our allies. In the 1930s, we allowed Hitler, Mussolini, and Stalin - all cruel murderers - to rise to power and stay in power. American public opinion was that of isolation. In the meantime, millions of Europeans would be killed by these dictators.

There are cruel leaders doing the same today and since the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001 the U.S. assisted in the removal of the brutal Taliban regime in Afghanistan, which was allowing terrorists to organize there, Saddam Hussein in Iraq, who was responsible for the deaths of millions of his own citizens and was sympathetic to terrorists (both of these were under President Bush) and Muammar Qaddafi of Libya who had ties to terror as he ruled for 42 years (this removal was under President Obama in 2011). Also, Syria in 2013 dictator Bashar al-Assad used chemical weapons on civilians in his nation in a war against rebels in his own nation and President Obama was debating how to respond while most Americans wanted to stay out of the matter - some similarities with the 1930s. He had previously stated that if Assad used chemical weapons then the U.S. would respond. This was the red line so to speak according to President Obama. However, Assad did use the weapons. The U.S. did not respond. That may have been the best move for America or might not have been depending on your position, but on the world stage, our rivals including Assad saw that the U.S. says one thing talking tough, but won't follow through. There is no doubt that this emboldened evil rulers in the world including Assad in Syria, the Mullahs in Iran, and Putin in Russia. The Russians claimed they would help Assad get rid of any remaining chemical weapons. When the Obama Administration was leaving office, they were claiming that their diplomacy led to the thug Assad removing the chemical weapons. However, in April 2017, Assad again used chemical weapons. Donald Trump was president by this point and responded by launching 60 Tomahawk missiles on the sites where Assad launched his chemical weapons from. This attack was President Trump sending a message to Assad and the rest of the world that chemical weapons will not be tolerated in the world. This position of standing up to evil has seemed to be working.

There are still others in the world (Kim Jong-Un in North Korea, Communists in Venezuela, the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt, Bashar Assad in Syria, and of course the Mullahs in Iran, perhaps the most evil of them all). The lesson WWII teaches is that appeasing evil rulers merely makes them more aggressive. Thugs who care only about power aren't willing to use diplomacy unless it increases their power. There is evil in the world trying to gain more power and influence. America is a force for good in the world. Should America have isolationist beliefs or play a role?

= = =**Fascism and the 1930s U.S.**= media type="youtube" key="oseTqzzVB3w" width="560" height="315"

= = = = =**Rise of Totalitarian Dictators - I Got The Power**= media type="youtube" key="ZF7AAizPt8M" width="560" height="315"

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