Following Up

Yesterday, we published a little blurb here about how the world views the United States. It was met with significant reaction, some pro, some con, as was expected. On that front, it deserves something of a public response.

For starters, we are not advocating a go it alone attitude. Unless that is our only option. If the legitimate interests of the USA are at risk, then we should act to protect if absolutely no one else is with us. Period.

We have tried so far as possible to build consensus before taking major actions anyway. It should be noted that in President Bush's brilliant speech to the UN before we invaded Iraq, he put forth the case that the world had in fact already authorized action against that (at the time) rogue nation. It was time to put up or shut up, and he placed the United Nations right where he should have: as a meaningless and benign body if it will not act on what it says. Likewise we looked for consensus in Afghanistan and Kuwait before sending in the troops. We have not been unmindful of world opinion. When the US gets accused of disregarding the rest of the world, we need to remember those things.

A further question is that of whether we look at the rest of the nations as equals. Said bluntly, it is dangerous to look at another nation as our moral equal simply and merely because it is another nation. We are morally superior to the despots of Iran, China, and North Korea. Even many of our brother countries recognize this; it isn't as though Washington has been going it alone against Irani and North Korean nuclear programs. As individuals must judge the actions of other individuals in regards to how they might affect them, so do nations have the obligation to judge the actions and intentions of other nations and act accordingly.

There is no automatic, universal, and inviolate equality among nations. Failure to recognize this is a failure to serve our own people, or the greater good of the world at large.