Points of discussion
Standard
What standard should determine a free country's relationships with other nations?
Military
- What should be the essential purpose of the military of a free country?
- Under what circumstances should the military of a free country be deployed?
- If a free country enters into war, how should it be conducted, and towards what goal?
- In a war of self-defense, to what extent does a free country bear moral responsibility for casualties inflicted upon the enemy's civilian population?
- Should the goal of regime change be to allow democratic elections or to replace a hostile government that poses a military threat with a non-hostile government that doesn't pose a military threat?
- What are examples of just and unjust wars?
Foreign Aid
Are there circumstances in which a free country has a moral obligation and/or self-interest in providing financial aid to another country?
U.S. Foreign Policy vis-à-vis Israel and Iran
- What should be the U.S. foreign policy towards Israel? Why?
- What should be the U.S. foreign policy towards Iran? Why?
- Has Iran engaged in aggression towards the U.S. that would merit a declaration of war?
- Are limited strikes against Iran's nuclear facilities likely to end any miliary threat that Iran may pose to the U.S.?
- Are U.S. or Israeli efforts aimed at enacting regime change likely to succeed?
Time allowing, we may also discuss the following:
Trade
Is it in the interest of a free country to impose trade barriers such as tariffs and duties?
Immigration
- Is immigration economically and/or culturally beneficial or harmful to a free country?
- Are there circumstances in which the citizens of a free country have a collective right to limit immigration?
- Should our government allow foreigners to enter the country illegally?
- Should foreigners who enter the country illegally be granted citizenship?
- Should our legal immigration system be reformed, and if so, why and how?
AN IMPORTANT NOTICE REGARDING NO-SHOWS:
Unfortunately, there is a longstanding problem in our group with large numbers of people who signup frivolously and neither cancel nor show up, leading to large waiting lists of others who lose their opportunity to attend. So please note going forward that those who signup and neither cancel nor show will be permanently removed from the group. Please also, if you do need to cancel, have the courtesy to give at least 24 hours advance notice rather than cancelling immediately before the event, so that those on the waiting list are given an opportunity to attend.
