In respect to the Cold War after World War II, it has now been revealed that Nikita Sergeyevich Krushchev, Premier of the Soviet Union (March 28, 1958 – October 14, 1964) - was afraid the United States was going to attack the Soviet Union, and because our leaders did not communicate effectively with him, the costly Cold War developed.

When communicating with a perceived enemy, it is essential to exhibit authentic love, coupled with justice in every dimension of your behavior toward them. Authentic Love is the most constructive resource force toward overcoming the worst possible concealed or revealed enmity. The creative and constructive Spiritual Resource Forces of Love & Justice can accomplish a Peace & mutual prosperity that the use of the killing tools of violent force can only destroy.
Nikita Sergeyevich Krushchev - His Profile - From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Korea had been invaded by Japan during World War II and there was a need for a reunification of the country, which really did not make a whole lot of difference whether it was communist or not. Therefore, we should not have entered into the Korean conflict. It might well have been better if Korea had been unified under communism control than for it to be a divided country resulting in the horrible loss of human life. The better system will win control  eventually without such losses.

In respect to Vietnam, it would not have made any difference to our security here at home if we had stayed out of the Vietnam conflict. Consider the lives on all sides of that equation that could have been saved and the tremendous amount of money expenditures, heartache and grief that could have been avoided.
Dwight D. Eisenhower made another major mistake in respect to nuclear power when he addressed the United Nations on December 8, 1953. The address was known as “Atoms for Peace,” wherein he offered enriched uranium and nuclear technology to many other countries for the peaceful production of energy.

Those countries were supposed to agree that they would not use any of the nuclear material to make war weapons. Spreading enriched uranium and nuclear technology around the world was one of the biggest mistakes the United States has ever made. Of the 17 tons of enriched uranium that the U.S. spread throughout the world, we only got about 1/6 of that enriched nuclear uranium back to the United States.

In respect to protecting our homeland, all of our efforts over all those decades should have been focused on securing peaceful relationships with the Soviet Union and "securing all sources of weapons of mass destruction" so that they would not get in the hands of irresponsible regimes. However, rather than focusing on that mission, bungling George W. Bush invaded Iraq.

The invasion of Iraq by President George W. Bush was one of the worst blundering errors in the history of our country. It has also been stated that it was a direct violation of international law.
Iraq invasion violated international law: Blix  - by former chief UN weapons inspector Hans Blix
Why were these mistakes made in what could have been done about it.

The most important resource that most leaders throughout the world lack is the application of wisdom based principled truth realities to all their policy decisionmaking. What happened to the thorough inspection process and a conciliatory diplomacy prior to the deadly "Shock & Awe" mass destruction of Baghdad and indiscriminate human deaths? All I heard was GWB's cry for a military invasion without any credible proofs of an imminent threat to America.  The case to go to invade Iraq should have been submitted to the "International Court of Justice" for their opinion. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Court_of_Justice
http://www.un.org/law/  Viewing the carnage of innocent Iraqi victims of that unjustified invasion would make most human beings vomit, & cry out to everyone to stop such horrible acts against defenseless human beings.

This would have taken some thoughtful thorough discussion of what the real threats to the world human community would be in the future and it should have been plain to see that it would be weapons of mass destruction. The idea or concept of keeping any type of WMDs, nuclear, biological or chemical, out of the hands of other countries or regimes was absolutely a first essential requirement of foreign-policy.

Preemptive military strikes is the worst possible strategy whereas, securing all sources of WMDs, along with a full out effort to defend against attacks against our Homeland, is the better choice. Additionally, not taking sides in disputes but rather, trying to settle them through the United Nations with diplomatic negotiations is the better path toward improved opportunities for restoration of non-violent peaceful settlements.

This is for Katie, and all those who call talk shows. When you call-in & say we were responsible for some of the hatred toward us, they will say oh it's just the Islamic extremists, they hate us because of who we are and what we stand for. That statement has as many holes as WI cheese. Human beings do not hate without an initial cause(s).  You don't have to go very far back in history to expose some examples.

The Israeli Palestinian dispute is one core cause over the six day war & Israeli occupying of their land is one. We should not have taken sides but rather acted as a fair & just arbitrator. Additionally, Israel conducted the so-called preemptive strike using our military technologies. We are over their & everywhere trying to get our values established in their countries, and so it goes, endlessly.  The talk hosts will let their guests get away with their groundless statements!