What Is the Most Important Task for American Foreign Policy?


Home About Me Interests Books *Writings* Movies Travel Coins People Places Calendars Links Email
		What Is the Most Important Task for American Foreign Policy?

			1 May 1998

	With the overwhelming threat of war with the former Soviet Union behind it, the United States is entering an era that has recurred often in its history. It is an era that lacks a definitive morality, defined by lackluster leadership at home and increasing trouble abroad. It is during this era that the United States' ability to lead in the intricate dance of foreign diplomacy will be tested. The United States must make the decision whether to step back and join the rest of the dancers on the dance floor, or take the spotlight and risk stepping on some toes.

	There are problems in the world today that seem larger and more insurmountable than any problem that has ever faced the world. Nearly any dictator in Africa can rival the notoriety of history's most famous barbarians, and Saddam Hussein can match any other tyrant and oppressor that has marred humanity's records.� Terrorism is on the rise, and the environment is wasting away. It is only a matter of time before Thomas Malthus will be proven right, and much of the world's population is as oppressed now as much as it ever has been. Tackling any of this myriad of problems seems difficult, noble, and worthwhile. Yet none of these is the most important task for American foreign policy. The world goes on spinning whether the United States is the supreme power or not; it has done this for millions of years and probably will for millions more. It is undeniable that the United States has emerged as the dominant power in an increasingly multilateral world, yet its role in this world is still undefined. It presents itself as a defender of the environment, yet it is consistently not. The United States Congress failed to ratify the Convention on Biodiversity, which would have pressed for regulations for the biotechnology industry and conservation of natural resources. It presents itself as a champion of human rights, yet it is consistently not. The United States continues to overlook China's human rights abuses as it reinstates Most Favored Nation status year after year. Finally, the United States portrays itself as a global leader, but it can not live up to the standards that it has set for itself. It must develop a paradigm of policy that reflects its domestic concerns while addressing global needs. The most important task for the United States at the end of this century is to decide whether it wants to be an isolated elitist, towering over the rest of the world, or whether it wants to be a contributing member of a peaceful planet.


	The world is without the bipolar basis that characterized much of the twentieth century. The Soviet Union is no more; its dissolution in 1990 ended what some analysts have called the longest period of peace ever known to man. The Cold War had been a relief to a world that had been devastated by two global wars in four decades that inflicted magnanimous injury and seemingly irreparable damages on the defeated countries. Out of the ashes of war-ravaged former powers arose two new powers that vied for supremacy for over forty years. The United States and the Soviet Union rewrote the rules for foreign policy, adding nuclear weaponry and other weapons of mass destruction to the already volatile recipe of conflicting ideologies, cultures, and religions. The ensuing arms race heightened fears of a nuclear war, yet the balance maintained through mutually-assured destruction and ignorance of just which country was the supreme strategic leader meant that the threat of nuclear war was never as close as it appeared. In fact, the United States used the fear to its advantage; by being one of only a handful of countries with nuclear capability, it was easy to commandeer countries without capability to follow and obey it. Having the Soviet threat allowed the leaders of the United States to make decisions based on black-and-white morality: democracy is good, and anything that can be done to promote democracy should be done, whether hundreds of thousands of people are killed in Vietnam, or whether a popular dictator of a Socialist country is overthrown. Communism was the greatest evil of all. Almost anything done to combat the threat of communism was supported by the American people, upheld by its leaders, and carried out by its military. Although public opinion began to turn as the Johnson administration waded deeper into the conflict with Vietnam, the first instinct of most Americans had been to help the French to oust the evil Communist leaders. The United States was part of the bilateral powers that ruled the world, and it had to defend its position.

	But the Cold War is over now, and there is no enemy for the United States to pit half of the world against. In the time since the Soviet Union has collapsed, the American public has been increasingly disinterested in foreign affairs and foreign policy. Based on a platform of domestic concerns, Bill Clinton was elected President in 1992. During his first administration, foreign policy was one of his least concerns. Since then, the focus of the administration has shifted toward a more internationalist view, but public opinion has not changed. For many voters, foreign policy is of little importance compared with domestic problems. Congress' attitude has reflected this view. Important foreign policy legislation, such as the Chemical Weapons Convention and IMF funding, has been held up numerous times over domestic squabbles or partisan power struggles. Environmental legislation with global potential has languished while Congress uses its own inaction as a way to discredit the President. Amidst these obstacles, the United States has not emerged as an effective leader on the world stage. Rather, it is a country with a strong economy, massive military, idealistic leaders, and no direction.

	Without the framework of a moral fairy tale where good is attempting to conquer evil, the United States has floundered in its global leadership. It is seen by many countries as a nation that is ignorant of other cultures, arrogant in its own superiority, and belligerent in its quest to spread democracy. It is a rare country that the United States has not intervened in. Despite its wealth, it contributes little to international organizations, yet it expects to have the most power. In this context, the United States is not seen by most as a friendly power. This is the reason that the United States must change its international image if it is to be a successful, contributing member of the world.

	The United States, like every other country, has its own interests to be considered when devising foreign policy. Yet past policies have not always supported the United States' larger interests. Every country has in its own interests to be safe and able to defend its territory. The United States, on the other hand, has consistently spurned countries with differing ideologies such as Cuba, making enemies close to its shores and decreasing its own safety. In the name of leadership and democracy, it has invaded countries, overthrown governments, and led radical coups. Because it wants to be perceived as a leader, the United States has on numerous occasions disregarded its allies and made even more enemies. The countries that it has sheltered and provided defense for often resent their roles as countries that need protection from the great superpower. Being resented by its allies is not in the United States' best political, economic, or security interests. Instead, as more and more regional alliances are made, it is important for the United States to be seen not only as a model for democracy, but as a generous, peaceful nation as well.

	The United States has an interest in maintaining peace, especially as the number of countries with nuclear weaponry grows and no one can assure that these countries will be governed by rational people. To this end, the United States should retire its role as "policeman of the world" and concentrate more on sustaining peaceful relations with other countries. While it is important to be active in world affairs, the United States should not sacrifice its integrity and reputation for petty causes. The "democratic" ideals that it tries to force on the rest of the world do not correspond to its own actions. Many times, the foreign policy of the United States has undermined its own interests. Peace should be peace by choice, not peace by force. The United States will never be able to juggle its own domestic interests with the needs of the world.��

	In essence, the greatest task facing the United States is its need to repudiate its former role as purported leader of the world and instead find a niche where it can be a country intent on maintaining peace. The world needs a model of democracy that it can look up to much more than it needs another intimidating superpower. The United States has within its capabilities the capacity to be an example of a democratic, prosperous, and peaceful nation. If it will only capitalize on the need of the international community for this example and devise foreign policy toward this goal, the United States can be successful in the coming century.

Hosted by www.Geocities.ws