philosophy
Return to Common Sense
April 21, 2010
Section: Foreign
– Philosophy
“Republicans seek to
craft and nourish allies with common interests in foreign relationships, while Democrats seek alliances sacrificing American interests
in the process.”
Philosophy
(Background, Issues, Objectives):
Department of State is tasked to create a more secure, democratic, and
prosperous world:
- Combine diplomatic skills and development assistance in the global
economy.
o Foreign
Service Officers (FSOs) take an oath to serve their country anywhere in the
world.
o Unfortunately
about one-third of all US ambassadorships go to "noncareer"
appointees (i.e. mega-rich campaign donors, fishing buddies, and retired
politicians) instead of trained foreign-service officers, who normally are
posted to popular spots like Europe, South America, and the Caribbean
- Protect our nation, our allies, and our friends against the
transnational dangers.
- Strive to build and maintain strong bilateral and multilateral
relationships.
o U.S.
Agency for International Development (USAID) receives guidance from Department
of State.
- Superpower status includes political, economic, and military
strength.
- The fall of the
o Communist
States remain in power in
- Non-communist economies began to fail under the weight of
inefficiencies of socialism.
Bedrock of foreign policy is the belief
that freedom is the desire of every human heart.
- American democratization projects have had mixed success after
World War II.
- There is a direct relationship between economic freedom and freedom
and democracy.
Anti-Americanism is not only opposition
to what the
- Anti-Americanism has many sources:
·
Some countries have a legacy of hate, while others
envy and others are irrational.
·
·
Hegemonism
is a doctrine where every American action be examined for evil intent.
·
Mainstream Media leftist bias is alive
and well outside the United States.
o Newspapers:
o Television:
BBC and Reuters are leftist oriented.
o BBC
own controller of editorial policy found the real perception of ‘bias of
omission.”
o Al
Jazeera (1996) is a
o
o The
further south in
o Foreign
press displays a leftist bias, reinforcing Democrat ideas and politicians.
- Marxist revisionism and hatred for
- The role of world policeman has been abandoned by the U.N. since
they are unable and unwilling.
- The perception of anti-Americanism is dis-proven
by the continued flood of immigrants yearning to enter this country.
Principles:
Protect
- Government must speak with a single voice to other countries (not a
competition for influence!)
- Use globalization as a tool to further
- Reward our allies for their friendship; punish our enemies with our
wallets.
- There are essentially three approaches that the
o Interventionalist – activist nation, spreader of political
liberty.
o Observationalist – friend of liberty everywhere, but guarantor
only of our own.
o Isolationist – focused only on our safety and security.
A number of great ideas are the basis
for the superiority of Western values:
·
Rationalism.
·
Self-criticism.
·
Disinterested search for truth.
·
Separation of church and state.
·
Rule of law and equality under the law.
·
Freedom of thought and expression.
·
Human rights.
·
Liberal democracy.
Provide global leadership in domestic
and foreign affairs.
- Isolationism is not a viable alternative, since it just isolates
- Containment can be effective to delay more aggressive actions until
- Champion the value of free market capitalism in a democratic
society.
James A. Baker III has outlined ten
maxims for pragmatic policymakers:
·
·
·
Be prepared to act unilaterally when the situation
requires it.
·
Appreciate the importance of allies.
·
Use all the means at our disposal to achieve our
objectives.
·
When a course of action is not producing results,
be prepared to change direction if necessary.
·
Recognize and accept the
·
Be prepared to talk with our enemies.
·
Be mindful that values are important, but not he
only thing that should guide our policy.
·
Domestic support is vital to any successful foreign
policy.
Recommendations:
Develop a coherent integrated foreign policy
strategy that reflects American national interests.
- Include all agency opinions (State, Intelligence, Defense, UN, USAID).
o Terminate FSOs who put their personal or political needs in front of
their country needs.
o Establish doctrinal principles to explain public diplomacy mission.
- Define criteria for American policy
interests.
- Define criteria for American military
intervention.
- Create planning, clearing, and assessing processes across agency
boundaries.
o Ensure
diplomatic and military efforts are coordinated and consistent.
- Revitalize
o Target
desired audiences with appropriate dialogue approaches and channels.
o Exploit
the use of all international broadcasting vehicles like VOA to educate
listeners on freedom and democracy.
Cooperate with other nations
diplomatically, in our own interests.
- Ensure ambassadorships go to career diplomatic appointees
- Defend America against Islamo-fascist
threats.
- Protect our interests across the globe.
References:
“Power
Rules” by Leslie H. Gelb published by Harper Perennial, 2009.
“’Peace’
Propaganda, Then and Now” by Michael P. Tremoglie
dated
“Making
Peace: 100 Years of Leftist Failure” by Spencer Warren dated
“World
Policeman – If Not Us, Who?” by David Stolinsky
dated
“A
Genealogy of Anti-Americanism” by James Caesar dated
“History
calls communists to account” by Charles Bremmer
dated
“Communism
is Still Alive and Evil” by Doug Hagin
dated
“Voice
of
“The
End of the Bush Revolution” by Philip Gordon dated
“The F
Word” by Rich Lowry dated
“Anti-Americanisms”
by Peter Katzenstein and Robert Keohane
dated
“Secretary
Rice’s View of the World” by Cal Thomas dated
“Hillary
Clinton calls for ‘internationalist” foreign policy”
dated
“Varieties
of Anti-Americanism” by Peter J. Katzenstein
and Robert O. Keohane dated
“
“Let’s
Talk About Isolationism” by Jonah Goldberg dated
“Breaking
the Hold of Hegemonist Doctrine” by J. R.
Dunn dated
“Yes,
“A Plan
Forward for
“And
Who Isolated Us” by Patrick J. Buchanan dated
“Containment
makes a comeback” by Ian Shapiro dated
“Interventions
Without End?” By Patrick J. Buchanan dated
“Why We
Fight Over Foreign Policy” by Henry Nau
dated
“
“Efforts
to Deal with
“The
Decline Begins” by James Kitfield dated
“How to
Restore
“Enduring
Alliances Empower
“To Be, or Not To Be…. An Empire” by Gary J.
Schmitt dated
“The
Return of Authoritarian Great Powers” by Azar
Gat dated
“Grand
Strategy for a Divided
“End of
Dreams, Return of History” by Robert Kagan
dated
“A New
Realism” by Bill Richardson dated Summer
2007 published by Harvard International Review at http://hir.harvard.edu/articles/1630/ .
“An
Imperialist Vision for Survival” by Erik Rush dated
“Toward
a Realistic Peace” by Rudolph Giuliani dated September/October 2007
published by Foreign Affairs at http://www.foreignaffairs.org/20070901faessay86501/rudolph-giuliani/toward-a-realistic-peace.html .
“As
Democracy Push Falters, Bush Feels Like a ‘Dissident’” by
Peter Baker dated
“Three
Centuries of Declinism” by Alan Dowd dated
“The
Big Ten: The Case for Pragmatic Idealism” by James A. Baker III dated
“Failing
Upward” by Walter Russell Mead dated
“Let’s
Get Rid of the State Department Refusenicks”
by Chris Cannon dated
“On
Setting an Example” by Peggy Noonan dated
“Does
“Rebranding
“Downsizing
our dominance” by Fred Kaplan dated
“Why
the West Is Best” by Ibn
Warraq dated Winter 2008 published by City Journal at
http://www.city-journal.org/2008/18_1_snd-west.html .
“Economic
Freedom Underpins Human Rights and Democratic Governance” by Anthony
B. Kim dated
“United
States Security and the Strategic Landscape” by Newt Gingrich dated
“Rethinking
the National Interest” by Condeleeza Rice
dated
“Anti-Americanism
Is Mostly Hype” by Fouad Ajami dated
“Obama’s
Man in London” by Benjamin Sarlin dated
February 20, 2009 published by Daily Beast at http://www3.thedailybeast.com/blogs-and-stories/2009-02-20/obamas-man-in-london/?cid=hp:beastoriginalsL5 .
