I have posted another Federalist : Federalist , No.4

I realize that I've been remiss while posting these important works. I haven't provided a subject-matter description of these numbers. Numbers 2 through 5 cover a very important subject ; that is , the dangers to the Union from foreign force and influences , and in this Number as is pointed out, against the American people , by the actions of their government , provoking the same. War-making and allowing foreign influences a place within the U.S. , or inviting aggression from other nations , have a profound and negative influence on the American people in all aspects of things relating to politics , liberty , and economics.

John Jay wrote in Federalist Number 4 :

"But the safety of the people of America against dangers from foreign force depends not only on their forbearing to give just causes of war to other nations, but also on their placing and continuing themselves in such a situation as not to invite hostility or insult; for it need not be observed that there are pretended as well as just causes of war....

There is great wisdom here. One mostly thinks of the U.S. going to war as a purely self-defense reaction ; a reaction to violence done against us. Here , Jay warns that not all attacks on us may arise from the natural aggressive natures of other peoples and nations. Rather , we may bring violence on ourselves.

The Law of Nations holds that each nation among the society of nations has certain rights it can claim for itself , just as there are rights among individuals within the society of his/her own nation. However , just as with individuals , if a nation will claim for itself a right it also has duties it then owes to other nations. A nation has the right to safety from aggression by other nations , so long as that nation itself remains a non-aggressor against her neighbor nations.

Nations have a duty to forebear using violence against other nations , with self-defense being an exception. If a nation will expect that no other has a right to attack her then she must give every other nation that same respect and refrain from violence and interference in the affairs of every other nation. Whatever permission one nation gives itself to do among other nations , every other nation may claim that same permission for itself to do also. Thus , if the U.S. interferes in the internal affairs of other nations or uses violence against a non-aggressor nation (as in the case of Yugoslavia a few years back)then every other nation may claim the same right of action against other nations...even against the U.S. This is the kind of "blow-back" that Ron Paul mentions.

Jay continues.....

"It is too true, however disgraceful it may be to human nature, that nations in general will make war whenever they have a prospect of getting anything by it; nay, absolute monarchs will often make war when their nations are to get nothing by it, but for the purposes and objects merely personal, such as thirst for military glory, revenge for personal affronts, ambition, or private compacts to aggrandize or support their particular families or partisans."

These forms of action are spoken of in the language of politics as "National interest." , or "National security." But, what is really meant by them is commercial interests ; interests in controlling other nations' resources. The real object behind such forays is cloaked in terms of nationalism , such that the people will not only not object to such action in behalf of private commercial interests , but will , out of a sense of either national pride (patriotism) or fear of the demonized nation against whom we must guard our "national interest" , actively and enthusiastically support or even encourage such use of violence.

I have included below links to the Federalist numbers in written form in case anyone would rather read them instead of listen to the audio book segments in my blog.

Federalist , No.1
Federalist , No.2
Federalist , No.3