Personally, as an american who believes in the virtues and freedoms that we as a nation claim to, I would like to see the US put the world on notice, either clean up your act or we will do it for you.
I would like to see us use our military and economic weight to push dictators and despots around the world toward democratic reform, and the respect of civil rights.
If you dont play ball, first you get trade sanctions, if that doesnt work, we oust your ass. On a severity of situation basis of course. Look at the war on terror, how it has gotten Qaddafi playing ball, we can influence other countries without military force we just have to have the will to do so, and the will to back it up with military force if necessary.
We should apply this policy to our enemies and our allies alike, tell countries like Saudi Arabia to clean up their act and move toward democracy and civil rights, obviously our "allies" should be given more of a chance to improve their situation before military force is used, but I would want to see evidence each year of significant progress towards reform.
I would like to see Iraq as the first step, in a long and bloody process of rebuilding the world as a better place, but I do not fool myself into believe Americans ever believe enough in their principals to overcome even the least amount of selfishness.
Honestly, I think that if American foreign policy reflected our supposed national values, rather than our cowardice, selfishness, greed and laziness, that we would be far less hated in the world around us, even though we would be stepping on a whole lot more toes.
Besides, think of the economic benefit from rebuilding and restruc
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Date: 2004-05-12 04:03 pm (UTC)Personally, as an american who believes in the virtues and freedoms that we as a nation claim to, I would like to see the US put the world on notice, either clean up your act or we will do it for you.
I would like to see us use our military and economic weight to push dictators and despots around the world toward democratic reform, and the respect of civil rights.
If you dont play ball, first you get trade sanctions, if that doesnt work, we oust your ass. On a severity of situation basis of course. Look at the war on terror, how it has gotten Qaddafi playing ball, we can influence other countries without military force we just have to have the will to do so, and the will to back it up with military force if necessary.
We should apply this policy to our enemies and our allies alike, tell countries like Saudi Arabia to clean up their act and move toward democracy and civil rights, obviously our "allies" should be given more of a chance to improve their situation before military force is used, but I would want to see evidence each year of significant progress towards reform.
I would like to see Iraq as the first step, in a long and bloody process of rebuilding the world as a better place, but I do not fool myself into believe Americans ever believe enough in their principals to overcome even the least amount of selfishness.
Honestly, I think that if American foreign policy reflected our supposed national values, rather than our cowardice, selfishness, greed and laziness, that we would be far less hated in the world around us, even though we would be stepping on a whole lot more toes.
Besides, think of the economic benefit from rebuilding and restruc