> Brian Siano wrote:
>
>> I don't think it's a matter of simple isolationism; after all, the Left
>> hasn't re-appraised the Abraham Lincoln Brigades as a bad thing, so I
>> don't think that's the guiding principle her
>
> There aren't that many good guys to fight for. (Not that I'd sign up -
> I'm a coward.) Who'd fight on the side of Saddam or Milosevic or Taylor?
Well, one could argue that the people _opposing_ such thugs are the "good guys." It's a bit simplistic, of course, and it's not true in every instance, but consider; the Abraham Lincoln brigades didn't go into a simple situation, either. One might go in expecting to fight Franco, but wind up being chased out by the Stalinists-- only to find that one's efforts were being denounced by Americans. Not an easy place to find the "good guys," especially when many alleged "good guys" in the past turned into counterrevolutionary maniacs (say, Robert Mugabe).
Perhaps it's this history of having one's best intentions screwed over that's put the kibosh on going to take up arms against the fascists.
For what it's worth, I'm a coward too.