The foreign policy advocated by Jerry Hendrix at National Interest, which eschews both isolationism “imposing our traditions on the world” and which he characterizes as a “truly conservative foreign policy, is something I think a lot of Americans would sign on to:
Maybe it’s time to try a classically conservative approach to the world beyond our borders. What would that look like, many might ask? Do you mean isolationism? Do you mean a withdrawal from the world? Of course not. Classic conservatives recognize that the world does exist and that it will and must impact each nation and each must react to those impacts according to established principles and traditions. Certainly the United States, the most powerful nation in the world, in fact the most influential nation that has ever existed, must be prepared to play a leading role, a role that a conservative foreign policy must seek to, well, conserve. How should we go about that?
Too bad there aren’t any true conservatives any more. We’re just offered a choice between neo-conservatism and liberal interventionism.
True conservative? When that question comes up I like to look back a bit to the roots of the modern conservative movement. This is the best source I have found:
http://www.kirkcenter.org/index.php/detail/ten-conservative-principles/