Shabaz Khan
8-22-11
Americas Foreign Policy: Before and After Effect
We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. This is what Americans believed in and the idea to spread this philosophy around the world to other countries wasnt a bad idea. Around this time (18th century), monarchs were removed and people were starting to establish new governments based on democratic principles (Ex: France). Many, if not all politicians in the U.S. were willing to support these kinds of needs of people (since we were once in their shoes-living in a not-so-long ago monarch state), especially Thomas Jefferson, who believed the destruction of monarchs is inevitable, the consequent disgrace of the invading tyrants is destined, in the order of events, to kindle the wrath of the people of Europe against those who have dared to embroil them in such wickedness (p.142). However, due to our circumstances after the Revolutionary War, we decided to better act neutral and not be involved in foreign affairs, in order for our nation to heal and to build up and strengthen the economy. However, things have changed since then and instead of being neutral, America has had a dominance in world affairs since the end of the Cold War, but things are not going perfectly and Americas foreign policy has become less important in the 21st century, with countries like China and India becoming stronger in the economic field and looked upon as more powerful and responsible than the U.S. In this essay, you will see how America became a nation that was not to be active in foreign politics 200 years ago to a world policeman in todays world.
Shabaz Khan
8-22-11
Lets go back to 1796, when Washington was announcing to the American public that he was re-signing from his post at the oval office. It was because of his old age and was starting to be incapable of handling the job, so Washington created a Farewell Address to tell the American people his final insights on topics (relevant back then) and his wishes on what he wanted America to be in the future. One of the sections in the Address, concerns about Americas role in the world and is considered a major insight on what Americas true nature should be in world politics, Throughout the 19th and most of the 20th century, the bulk of attention focused on the foreign policy section, advocates of American isolationism citing it as the classic statement of their cause (p.129). This is true that Washington wanted the U.S. to be neutral in foreign affairs in order to avoid any alliance (it could be considered bad to other nations and create a bad name for the nation) and especially to avoid conflict with other nations (French-British conflict/ Jays Treaty). Theres evidence to claim these statements, in Congress, Washington gave his advice on foreign policy to the representatives by telling them, it is a maxim founded on the universal experience of mankind, that no nation is to be trusted farther than it is bound by its interest; and no prudent statesman or politician will venture to depart from it (p.132133). For Washington, there was no such thing as a permanent foreign alliance, only permanent national interests. He expressed this kind of behavior on the topic once more in his Farwell Address, Tis our true policy to steer clear of permanent Alliances, with any portion of the foreign world (p.152). Washington just wanted Americans to stay together as, a united people and never forget our revolutionary principles. Fast-forward to the present and if Washington was alive today, he would be shocked and amazed to see how much progress America has had over the last 200 years.
Shabaz Khan
8-22-11
Not only has America been big as an economic superpower but also weve been big on influencing nations in foreign affairs. The U.S. is involved in many national alliances like NATO, G20, and U.N. and has the most military bases around the world. It seems everything is ok in America- until 9/11 struck-thats when the U.S. went full blown aggressive on nations located in the Middle East-specifically Iraq and Afghanistan. The results have been not so good as Congress approved, $1.075 trillion dollars for military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan since 2001. Plus, the intentions of going into Iraq and Afghanistan were to hunt down Bin Laden (Mastermind of 9/11) and Saddam Hussein (WMDs). Well, Bin Laden was killed but he was in Pakistan for this whole time and Saddam Husseins WMDs were never discovered, The CIAs top weapons inspector in Iraq said Monday that the hunt for WMDs has gone as far as feasible and has found nothing. After this information was revealed, the U.S. was and still is embarrassed for starting this whole thing and the world agrees that the U.S. in these wars has fully damaged and deteriorated their positive status in the world. In my opinion, I think U.S. foreign policy must be fixed immediately and begin to take a new outlook: stay out of other nations problems, unless its really necessary. Thats not just me whos saying this, the world is, Natalia Narochitskaya (Head of the Paris branch of Russias Institute of Democracy), stated that, The U.S. needs to stop acting like a teacher to the rest of the world. Also, I believe that since we started the violence and chaos in Iraq and Afghanistan, we need to start fulfilling promises and like Ahmed Rashid (author of Descent into Chaos: How the war against Islamic extremism is being lost in Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Central Asia) said, The U.S. needs to send a powerful message of friendship to the Islamic World. However, things are starting to improve as
Shabaz Khan
8-22-11
the U.S. successfully intervened in Libya because it, did not because it did not follow the traditional pattern of U.S.-led interventions. Instead, the U.S. created a list of things to get by (U.N., Arab League of Nations) in order to intervene in Libya, instead of just going aggressive into the nation like we did in Iraq and Afghanistan. In the end, America must always try to stick with neutrality, co-operate with its allies on interests in helping the world, and must always focus on the most important affairs: our own people.
Shabaz Khan
8-22-11
Bibliography
Book: Ellis J. Joseph. Founding Brothers: A Revolutionary Generation. New York: Vintage Books. 2000 (Chapter 4: The Farewell) (P.132-133, 129, 142, 152)
Web: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/7634313/ns/world_news-mideast_n_africa/t/cias-finalreport-no-wmd-found-iraq/#.TmWZiDtr6Bs (WMDs in Iraq: No traces have been found) http://www.reuters.com/article/2010/01/26/afghanistan-iraq-usa-costidUSN2611591520100126 (Cost of Iraq and Afghanistan War) http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/7637321.stm#rashid (Voices from around the world on Americas foreign policy) http://globalpublicsquare.blogs.cnn.com/2011/08/23/a-new-era-in-u-s-foreign-policy/) (New Era in U.S. Foreign Policy)
