Are we back on track to good old isolationism?

I found an ironic juxtaposition in my afternoon. After finishing my annual post-Halloween viewing of Casablanca, arguably the most poignant statement on the crumbling of America's early 20th Century isolationist mindset, I read an article in the latest issue of the New Yorker titled "The Predator War" by Jane Mayer. Elements of the two got me thinking: has technology set us back on the track to isolationism?

Richard Blaine, Humphrey Bogart's signature role, stands as the single greatest example of the American isolation mindset through the first half of Casablanca, set in Morocco during World War II. He's politically neutral, preferring to watch emerging global conflicts from the unassuming position of local saloon owner. His bar, Rick's Cafe Americain, is a place for music, liquid pleasure and gambling. Yes, it attracts much black market business, but Rick himself is never directly involved. The problems of others, even friends, slide right by. In response to the arrest of Ugarte, a man recently implicated in the murder of two German couriers, Rick says simply, "I stick my neck out for nobody." Ugarte is one of the few men in the city of Casablanca whom Rick respects. Despite that, Rick refrains from getting involved for the sake of his own safety. It was the same with America, which didn't get involved in WWII until a few weeks before the film was released.

America's involvement in World War I certainly set the stage for the departure from isolationism. But the domestic troubles of the Great Depression interrupted that transition, and WWII stands as the first real step in turning our country's attention to global development. Sentiments within the country certainly reflected outside concerns, as many citizens were recent transplants or could still easily track their family's history to some specific European hamlet. But as with the management at Rick's Cafe Americain, the U.S. government kept its eyes firmly focused on domestic affairs.

"The Predator War" hints at some upcoming return to that same ideology. Thanks to technology, Americans can happily involve themselves in international affairs without leaving the house. Hell, with the Internet, you can scope out the streets of Paris or London without putting on pants. Mayer's article discusses the latest developments in remote-control killing, specifically the unmanned drones used to kill upwards of 500 people in Pakistan since January 2009. All attacks have been sanctioned by President Barack Obama, Mayer writes, and executed by CIA operatives or government contractors operating joysticks from secure locations within the U.S. Mayer quotes Mary Dudziak, a law professor from the University of Southern California: "Drones are a technological step that further isolates the American people from military action, undermining political checks...on endless war."

Yes, our government is still steeped in foreign affairs. The wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are far from over. But if soldiers can execute key leaders of Al Qaeda using the same technology gaming nerds do to slaughter hordes of goblins or aliens or whatnot, how long before we see no reason to stick our necks out for anyone? We may wage war for decades to come, but the loss of a multi-million dollar aerial drone hardly constitutes sacrifice. Clearly that's all the problems of others in this crazy world are worth to us. Killing enemies from a Laz-E-Boy? Can't get much more isolationist than that.