Since 1945, the United States has been a crucial member of the United Nations, and a leader on the world stage. If Republicans have their way, however, that will end.Republicans in Congress have been whining about the United Nations for decades, and now that Donald Trump has taken over the White House, they are starting the process to force American withdrawal from the peacekeeping organization.Why?Because Trump and Republicans are mad that the United Nations condemned Israel for building illegal settlements on Palestinian land. In other words, Republicans are whining because they think the United Nations works for the United States instead of the entire world. Just as Trump thinks everything is about him, Republicans think international relations should be all about the United States.So, GOP Rep. Michael Rogers has filed The American Sovereignty Restoration Act of 2017 to formally withdraw the United States from the United Nations, which would effectively create a power vacuum within the international body that the Russians and Chinese will seek to fill.Without American influence, which we have had since the organization s founding, we will be left behind as the world moves on without us. Either that, or international cooperation will collapse entirely and throw the world into chaos as nations follow the United States and adopt isolationist policies that will ultimately lead to global wars. The United Nations was created to prevent such large scale conflicts in the first place, which is why we have avoided a World War III.The bill specifically directs Trump to  terminate all membership by the United States in the United Nations, and in any organ, specialized agency, commission, or other formally affiliated body of the United Nations. And that means the United States would also be withdrawing from the World Bank, the International Court of Justice, the World Health Organization, the International Monetary Fund, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), and the International Atomic Energy Agency, among many others.Not only would America be going it alone, withdrawal would affect our ability to keep wannabe nuclear powers like Iran in check without starting a war. Our withdrawal from international financial institutions could have a devastating effect on the world economy, including our own.The United Nations would also have to move headquarters out of the United States, which would be a humiliating loss of international prestige.For decades, the world has looked to the United States for leadership and cooperation. But Republicans apparently want America to withdraw from the world stage   a move that would erase all the progress made over the last seven decades, and tarnish our reputation forever.This cannot be allowed to happen. This country has worked too hard to bring democracy and peace to the world to quit now. We should be leaders on the world stage, not isolationists.Featured image via Wikimedia