Sunday, February 27, 2005
Singing The Praises of Arrogance
It is difficult, philosophically, to support a foreign policy that almost by its nature bucks diplomacy with America’s traditional allies, provides for pre-emptive warfare, and counts among its goals the overhaul of long-entrenched political interests in the world’s most tenuous neighborhoods. Sans Washingtonian isolationism, which in this century is a recipe for irrelevance, and when outside the auspices of national security, the Bush Doctrine can look closed-minded and unworkable.
A far more facile task is to argue for it in the frame of current events, because George Bush’s policies have succeeded to a historic degree. The Afghanis, Iraqis, Egyptians: voting. Palestinians: no longer cheering the extremists among them. The Lebanese: driving Syria from their land. Libya: Abandoning its quest for the bomb. Ukraine: An orange repudiation of Russia. Moldova, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan: on their way out of post-Soviet limbo.
These aren’t isolated revolutions; the simultaneous blossoming of so many democracies could not be insular. Nor are they of differing impetuses. Every one of these historic events has been touched by America. Directly or indirectly, the United States abides by freedom as its revolutionary powers congeal in even the most veiled parts of the Earth. There wasn’t only one iron curtain- there were and are many. Freedom continues to stab through.
The Bush Doctrine- laid forth in the days after September 11th, 2001- originally called for the destruction of terrorists, terrorist ideology, and the diseased nations that sustain both. Rapidly, it became clear that America’s new goal translated into the fertilization of liberal democracy throughout the world. Though the United States military is the most powerful in the world, the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution hold more sway. We cannot kill every terrorist. The smarter idea is to inspire people throughout the world to destroy tyrannies themselves- for their own good. Are we succeeding? Ask the millions of new voters.
Some call it arrogance, this idea of deposing dictators as we see fit, of sowing the revolutionary spirit in the hearts of the oppressed, of leading by example. Perhaps it is time we come clean. We are arrogant. The braying nay-sayers in Western Europe, then, have a problem: we’re right. It’s working.
America’s particular flare for revolution is peeking its head out again. We’ve read about it in grade-school history books, we hear about it before every ball game. It runs up a million flagpoles every morning, from sea to shining sea. But it is quite a wonder to live in an America in action, doing what it does best.
Two days ago, Slovaks waited in line in Bratislava to meet President Bush. The people there were eager to show Mr. Bush their progress. They had gone from being Europe’s black sheep; home of communist shards as recently as the late 80s; to a burgeoning upright nation of free people and free markets.
“Slovakia is a very small country and when the first man from such a great nation as America comes here it means we are recognized,” said Miroslava Micunkova, a 24-year-old student, who cheered, jumped, and waved US and Slovak flags as Bush spoke.
Posted on February 27, 2005 01:18 AM. Permalink 