Whose Country Is This, Anyway?
A very large number of Americans believe we should stop acting the role of world ruler. Those Americans represent the majority opinion of the American people: They believe we should have a major role to play in the world's affairs, but not a predominant role.
Yet, the will of the majority of Americans is simply not represented by anyone in the American Foreign Policy Community. Neither the Liberals, nor the Conservatives, nor the Neocons of the Foreign Policy Establishment give a damn about what the majority of Americans want. Instead, there is an entrenched and dangerous consensus in the Foreign Policy Community that America should be the predominant power in the world. As Glenn Greenwald writes:
What the hell? Just how many Americans do you suppose would support the Foreign Policy Community if they knew how it thinks?The Number One Rule of the bi-partisan Foreign Policy Community is that America has the right to invade and attack other countries at will because American power is inherently good and our role in the world is to rule it though the use of superior military force. Paying homage to that imperialistic orthodoxy is a non-negotiable pre-requisite to maintaining Good Standing and Seriousness Credentials within the Foreign Policy Community.
Conversely, one who denies that premise reveals oneself to be deeply unserious and unworthy of meaningful discourse. While differences on the "when" and "how" are permitted, there is virtually no debate within the foreign policy establishment about whether the U.S. has the right to continue to intervene and attack and invade and occupy other countries in the absence of those countries attacking us.
Make no mistake: This is the very same Foreign Policy Community that supported -- and still supports -- Bush and Cheney's tragic invasion of Iraq. It's the same Foreign Policy Community that even today calls for invading Iran while our forces are tied up in Iraq. And it's the same Foreign Policy Community that dropped the ball on North Korea, allowing them to develop nuclear weapons.
Those are our elite foreign policy scholars, folks -- and they bear an uncanny resemblance to our village idiots.
Stumble It!
6 comments:
It sure as hell aint my country. It's Halliburton's, Blackstone, and all the other War Machines we gave it to a long time ago...
Good post and very true indeed. I dont think for that matter any government gets influenced by public display of opposition. Remember the hundred thousands of protestors in London holding anti-war rally urging their govt not to go ahead with Iraq? Did Blair listen?
The people in Washington don't represent me. Lately I've felt this close to ceding from the United States and declaring my own microstate.
Webs, would you say the politicians have sold the country to the corporations?
Oemar, Welcome to my blog! You make a very good point!
Jonathan, you and me both, friend!
This is interesting. Being an outsider, I'm not clear of the exact political role of the "Foreign Policy Community".
Isn't it overruled by the White House, the Congress, and the Senate? I mean, isn't it overruled by the folks who get elected? How does this work? I'm confused!
Mahendra, as I understand it, the Foreign Policy Community plays a huge role in "legitimizing or delegitimizing" the policy decisions of the elected officials in this country. Yes, they can be overruled by the President, the Senate or the Congress, but only at the risk that they will fight back by undermining support for the policies of whoever overrules them.
That was recently seen when Obama stated that if he were president and if Osama Bin Ladin was located in Pakistan, and if the Pakistanis would not do anything on their own, he would send US troops to kill or capture Bin Laden. The Foreign Policy Community immediately to a man condemned Obama as "not serious", "not yet ready to lead the nation", and "immature". The media picked up on it, spread those views around, and convinced a lot of people that it's true Obama can't handle foreign policy.
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