John McCain: Idealism on Steriods
Writing by abuhatem on Sunday, 12 of October , 2008 at 6:24 pm
John McCain wrote an article in the 1998 edition of the Brown Journal for World Affairs based on his vision of American foreign policy. McCain argued for a foreign policy based in “American values,” and not in pursuit of “narrow interests” (as in realism) or “disengagement” (i.e. non-intervention). The arrogant myth that America could only do good in its interventions and interactions with the world is an idealist relic of the Wilsonian tradition, firmly refuted by the great Christian realist Reinhold Niebuhr.
McCain’s reliance on hard power, or military and economic might, instead of diplomacy, in achieving his objectives of utopian change in the world is the very philosophy we have had in the Bush administration.
Although most American presidents, at least post-Cold War, subscribe to some form of this basic philosophy, I think Obama would rely less on hard power to achieve his objectives. Its the difference between a Bush and a Clinton, and although Clinton was horrible, Bush is much, much, much worse.
McCain’s foreign policy in a nutshell, quoted from his article:
The United States has always been a nation committed to values. It is not the way of the United States to pursue a foreign policy based on narrow interests regardless of these values, or to disengage from foreign affairs, or to promote our values without a realistic strategy that takes account of our interests and limitations. The foundation of a U.S. foreign policy strategy must be to stand firmly on our belief in the American idea, and then to nurture carefully the building blocks that will allow for the natural spreading of this idea over time.
Category: Uncategorized
- Add this post to
- Del.icio.us -
- Meneame -
- Digg
No comments yet.
Sorry, the comment form is closed at this time.
