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Title: One Word Defines U.S. Foreign Policy: Hubris
Source:
The Contrary Perspective
URL Source: http://contraryperspective.com/2014 ... nes-u-s-foreign-policy-hubris/
Published: Apr 4, 2014
Author: W.J. Astore
Post Date: 2014-04-07 22:19:52 by X-15
Keywords: None
Views: 270
Comments: 11
When Hannah Arendt, the famous German-American political philosopher, criticized American involvement in the Vietnam War, she said that our foreign policy “experts” fell prey to using excessive means to achieve minor aims in a region of marginal interest to the United States. You could say the same of most of America’s foreign interventions since 1945. We are a superpower with a boundless propensity for meddling in world affairs. We waste enormous amounts of money and resources intervening in areas that are of marginal importance to our national security. There are many reasons for these wasteful interventions, of course. The military-industrial-Congressional complex plays its role. Presidents love to intervene as a sign of “strength.” Natural resources, especially oil, are usually in play. The usual motives, in short: profit, power, greed. But perhaps the root cause of our mistakes can be traced to hubris, our prideful belief that we can remake other societies and peoples in our image. Our hubris leads us to undervalue legitimate cultural differences, and to underestimate the difficulties involved in bridging those distances. Because we underestimate the difficulties, we rush in with money and troops, only to find that the problems we encounter — and often exacerbate — are not amenable to being solved with money and troops. Nevertheless, once we’ve committed our prestige, we believe that we can’t withdraw without losing face. So we commit even more money and troops and prestige, until our folly can no longer be denied, even to ourselves. After which, sadly, we usually search for scapegoats. Rarely do we stop to think that some problems simply can’t be solved with massive infusions of money and troops. Indeed, infusions of the same often exacerbate the very problems we claim we’re trying to solve. The way out, to paraphrase Arendt, is to commit only those means necessary to secure our major aims in regions of vital interest to the U.S. Such an approach requires humility as well as moderation. Our foreign policy types will need to stop strutting the world stage as if they own it. Our leaders will need to stop vamping like Gloria Swanson in Sunset Boulevard, declaiming “I am big. It’s the pictures that got small.” (If only they had her style.) “Look at them in the front offices. The masterminds!” Yes, Gloria Swanson had it right. Our foreign policy “masterminds” need to learn some humility. Either that, or America will be among the smashed idols of history.
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#1. To: X-15 (#0)
"we can remake other societies and peoples in our image" That was NEVER the intent. It is perhaps the surface observation, but never intent. Even our government is not that stupid. We must realize, in the past 100 years, this world has needed, and will ALWAYS need someone to referee the numerous forces at work on this planet, good and evil and in between. Remove this country from that job, absolve ourselves of all past blame, then consider what country, what force would fill that void????????????????
Unfortunately, the do-gooder-neocon lunatics are running the asylum in D.C. and the hubris is strong with them: "We are, in other words, not a nation based on ethnicity, but on beliefs, and not coincidentally, that is why we attract people of all ethnicities and they become proud Americans.... When we have used our power, however, we have done it for good." -Jim DeMint "It is the threat of the use of force [against Iraq] and our line-up there that is going to put force behind the diplomacy. But if we have to use force, it is because we are America; we are the indispensable nation. We stand tall and we see further than other countries into the future, and we see the danger here to all of us." -former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright But perhaps the root cause of our mistakes can be traced to hubris, our prideful belief that we can remake other societies and peoples in our image. Our hubris leads us to undervalue legitimate cultural differences, and to underestimate the difficulties involved in bridging those distances.
#2. To: Cynicom (#1)
-Alex Kurtagic
#3. To: X-15 (#2)
World society is rotten to the core. Our government is a corrupt criminal enterprise, has been since the Civil War. However, both Japan and Germany in the 1930s often used the term "New Order" for the world. Sounds familiar. In fact there are photos of Japanese propaganda leaflets and posters that proclaim the NEW ORDER. Yes, we deserve all the blame headed our way, however, we have to be honest enough to understand and accept, if it were not us, it would have been someone else. On the world stage who is "else"?????? On the world stage, last 100 years, Japan, Germany, Soviet Union and now China. Pick any one of them and consider, would the world now be a better place, or worse place?
#4. To: Cynicom (#3)
I don't think Germany would have threatened to invade America, but they did have plans for long-range rockets to bombard the East Coast, and they would have eventually used nukes if America couldn't have come to an uneasy truce that would have confined our activities right here at home in North America. That's also assuming that Japan would have stopped their Pacific campaign at Hawaii, too. They certainly didn't want to try to invade the West Coast. My .02, would that world scenario be any worse than the one we currently live in?? Germany
-Alex Kurtagic
#5. To: X-15 (#4) (Edited)
Indeed it would, most indeed. That is the scales which properly determine whether our "bullying and war mongering" is better or worse than that of someone else. The prize example is Western Europe. They are free today because of us, not once but twice within the realm of WWII. Once from the actual clutches of fascist Germany, the second time from the clutches of the fascist Soviet Union, during the cold war. During the 1930s, Stalin was building an army suited to his desire to take all of Western Europe to the English Channel. His only impediment was Germany. He knew they would fight, the Jews were hell bent on taking Germany into the Communist camp, Stalin could have walked to the Channel. However Hitler took over in 1932 and the Jews ran for their lives. Stalin lost that chance but received another one at end of WW2 when he sat in Berlin, a cakewalk to the Channel. The US and the US alone stopped that. Thus in 2014 we are still sitting in Western Europe. Right or wrong, we must consider the alternative fairly. Total isolation would never work. My .02, would that world scenario be any worse than the one we currently live in??
#6. To: Cynicom (#5)
The U.S. wavered under the threat of Stalin continuing his advance west, General Patton rattled his sabre and threatened to release the German POW's under his protection and arm them to fight the Soviets. He bought time until the West decided to turn firmly against Stalin and halt his advance through Europe. Stalin lost that chance but received another one at end of WW2 when he sat in Berlin, a cakewalk to the Channel. The US and the US alone stopped that.
-Alex Kurtagic
#7. To: Cynicom (#5)
Total isolation would never work. I'm confused. What's your inclination? The USA made a mistake the first time round. Do we repeat the mistake? But there are different players today. Putin is not Stalin. Thus in 2014 we are still sitting in Western Europe. Right or wrong, we must consider the alternative fairly.
#8. To: scrapper2, X-15 (#7)
Forces of geo/politics are once again in play, add to that, men of ill intent and world war is once again fermenting. Correct, Putin is not Stalin, however he is much smarter, less ruthless, thus a more dangerous adversary. Currently he is indeed putting the olde Soviet Union back together, with a different name of course. Out front, the US is huffing and puffing about all of this. However behind the curtain, it is for our welfare to have a stronger, larger Russia, one that poses a problem to China. The US and EU know full well that Russia will not move westward under present circumstances. Thus a stronger Russia is our counter balance against China. When and if China decides to move, it will either be north or south. Hopes, odds and plans are to the South in Western/Russian thinking. Thus we are nearly devoid of boots on the ground in the Western Pacific but we have a tremendous arsenal prepared for the Air Force and Navy. If and when China moves, both Russia and the US are prepared. Our only problem is a protracted land war only, with China striking South to Australia. MacArthur warned long ago, "only a fool would engage in a land war in Asia". We have 25,000 grunts sitting in Korea. China sent over a million men last time. What's your inclination?
#9. To: Cynicom (#1)
this equal to removing the fox from the hen house. Remove this country from that job, absolve ourselves of all past blame, then consider
"Resolve to serve no more,” he says, “and you are at once freed. I do not ask that you place hands upon the tyrant to topple him over, but simply that you support him no longer; then you will behold him, like a great Colossus whose pedestal has been pulled away, fall of his own weight and break in pieces.”
Étienne de La Boétie
#10. To: noone222 (#9)
There will always be a fox sniffing around the hen house. The only difference might it be is whether it is you or me. There is NO way to cleanse or absolve this country for its past and present world involvement. However any rational, fair minded person, needs to consider and evaluate any alternative of their choice, Germany, China, Soviet Union etc etc.
#11. To: Cynicom (#10)
Thank God for Zionist Imperial Intervention !! /sarc
"If you love wealth more than liberty, the tranquility of servitude better than the animating contest of freedom, depart from us in peace. We ask not your counsel nor your arms. Crouch down and lick the hand that feeds you. May your chains rest lightly upon you and may posterity forget that you were our countrymen.”—Samuel Adams 
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