George Canning Quotes
Intimately concerned as we are with the system of Europe, it does not follow that we are therefore called upon to mix ourselves on every occasion, with a restless and meddling activity, in the concerns of the nations which surround us.
George Canning, 1770-1827, British Prime Minister (Tory), Speech, October 28, 1823
Sourced by: Eigen's Political and Historical Quotations
This is one of the favorite quotations of American isolationists. Try as he and others did, they found the principle easier to utter than implement. Jefferson, having diplomatic experience in Europe knew far more than most Americans about foreign affairs, and he used this knowledge well on many occasions in playing off the French, Spanish and English against each other regarding their interests in America. By purchasing the Louisiana Territory from Napoleon, he not only greatly increased the size of the nation but all but eliminated Spanish aspirations in North America. At the same time the money he gave Napoleon increased the French threat to England, Spain and other European countries. So Jefferson and America was in European “broils” as the advantage and necessity outweighed the general principle and dislike for those machinations.
The Congressman was being critical of the George W. Bush Administration and their tendency to decide which leaders and countries were legitimate and moral and which were not, and then invading the “bad” and executing the leaders as with Iraq and Saddam Hussein.
Chamberlain’s policy was to appease Hitler and Germany to avoid war. Although he did not see Czechoslavkia as a critical British national interest and claimed he had secured peace {585941} , the reality was that he gave Germany room to start its aggression which would engulf all of Europe and much of the world. The British became the only bulwark against Hitler until the Russians stopped the Germans and America entered the war.
Adams was in agreement with his former chief George Washington {37176} as well as with many of his political foes.
Inscribed in the John Adams Building of the Library of Congress. On this subject Jefferson was in agreement with George Washington {37176} and his political opponent, John Adams {592705}.
Shortly thereafter the United States joined the allies and the First World War.
Announcing his opposition to the covenant of a League of Nations:
She was explaining the general American’s hostility toward diplomacy.
This was the first organization in Great Britain devoted to foreign affairs. In 1867 Linton emigrated to America where he devoted most of his time to the arts.
Senator Burton was using this quotation to support the Republican isolation policy that they were advocating at the time. This quotation has been cited by almost every American politician advocating isolationism. Generally it was the Republican party that has been the isolationist advocates in America. However, after the Second World War that began to change, and in the beginning of the 21st century, the George W. Bush Administration, without any declaration of war by Congress, attacked and invaded two different countries starting the Iraq and the Afghanistan Wars. Meanwhile, the Democrats, who had been advocating American activism in foreign affairs also flip flopped and opposed foreign military intervention as Democratic President Obama withdrew American troops from the two Bush wars. The Afghanistan War was the longest war in American history.
The plan was to have an American agent with a few marines make an alliance with a rival to the throne of Algiers and depose the existing ruler with American “special forces”.
George Canning FRS was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from April to August 1827. He occupied various senior cabinet positions under numerous prime ministers, finally becoming Prime Minister for the last 118 days of his life.
