Should The United States Help other Countries?

For the longest time America has been known to ally with foreign countries, or be involved with few disputes in other countries. Yes, we need to trade and keep peace. However, what is better peace or to not be involved at all? Now, is a circumstance where we are stuck in Iraq and Afghan over issues such as terroristic activities but why did they start? America does have its own gas storage, not only that but there are areas where oil can be dug up from and bought from within borders and it could be sold amongst the few of us, instead we bought it from the middle east and when they fought amongst each other we got involved to keep the trade going, when it was none of our business. Yes World Peace is a great concept, But it doesn’t work, there will always be problems and trying to fix them only seems to make it worst, American forces should serve to defend and only attack after we’ve been attacked not used to help end civil wars or so on, it’s not our business, and most definitely not our problem but due to us stepping in, it becomes one.

In Paul Johnson’s “American Idealism and Realpolitik Critique” about American involvement in political battles in foreign countries, he brings forth the idea that the American government plays a vital role when it comes to mediating and facilitating conflict. Their importance can often be overshadowed by some opinions that the government, specifically the army, has over stepped its boundaries by intruding on countries and excessively becoming involved in hostility. Johnson notes that without American intervention, there would be cause for a considerable diminish in aid and possibly a rise in disputes. Johnson compares to America’s duties to Thomas Hobbes’ Leviathan in which the lack of control over the discord between countries results in an anarchy that would leave the world’s population to “‘continual fear and danger of violent death, and the life of man solitary, poor, nasty, brutish and short.” (Johnson 387) Although he does put a stress on the significance of the American government, he does not ignore the obvious moral flaws that sometimes tarnish this reputation. When adding up the pros and cons of the United States authority, Johnson’s writing favours the positive aspects but also has hints of neutrality; this attitude is quite fitting considering America’s actions.

Over and over again, Williams illustrates this theme of “American Exceptionalism.” Throughout the book, there are several occurrences in which the “We are the best, and all that we are doing is of benefit to the world” mentality is shown. On one hand, there is nothing wrong with being proud of roots as an American and believing that America is the greatest country, but on the other hand, using this thought process in in order to legitimize the domination and control of other nations unlike America while preaching one set of values and acting on others, is wrong. We see these actions play out time and time again as America invades and controls other countries “to help” them, however, prohibits the country from experiencing the full advantages of self-determination – a value that America claims to hold i.e. a tragedy of American Diplomacy.

The United States has been a super power for decades, and since America has always involved themselves in other countries' problems. Instead of isolationism, the country has practiced getting involved. Since the Monroe Presidency, America has been named the World's police force. Dispelling anarchists, and stopping coos, the united states portrays itself as the world protector. Since Monroe, some Americans have felt that isolation is the way to go, and most feel that it is our right to offer assistance. Two recent incidents, Operation Desert Storm and The War in Bosnia have allowed the United States to show off it's strength, both on the military and political level. It has also given the chance for America to evaluate it's foreign policy,

The foreign policy of the United States has changed drastically between eras. During the Gilded Age, America experienced isolationism. The US focused on expanding their borders locally and seizing control of Central America. With the first rise of global and total war, America transitioned to being somewhat interested in foreign affairs while still staying neutral to its own cause. However, that did not last long with America's hand forced and entered World War I as an associate to the Allied Powers. Twenty years after World War I, another World War started after Germany wanted revenge for their “unfair” treatment. America was once again forced into the war after Japan, Germanys ally, surprise attacked Pearl Harbor in Hawaii. After the end of World War II, American isolationism completely ended and the US found itself as a global superpower. With the end of the world wars came a Cold War solely focused between the US and the Soviet Union. The US got itself into unwinnable wars, attempts to overthrow communist regimes, a weapons race, and a technology race. Foreign policy shifts between Détente and escalation. With the collapse of the Soviet Union, the Cold War came to an end and America focused on allies and trade. The long peace ended with the September 11 attacks. These attacks launched America into a War on Terrorism, and they adopted the Bush Doctrine. Over the course of American history, foreign policy transitioned from isolationism into the “Empire of Liberty,”

Should the United States let the world take care of itself? There is much debate over American foreign policy as to whether or not the United States should return to the isolationism of pre 1940s. Many believe the United States intervenes too often and in turn other nations have issues with us. The United States started out as isolationists when the country was first born, but has slowly moved to become the world 's police and interventionism has taken over. Should we be the world 's police and how would we justify it? How is it that the United States moved away from isolationism?

In George Washington’s Farewell Address, the first President declared to avoid “entangling alliances” and engaging internationally to not get drawn into war, which the US had followed unless it fell under certain circumstances. These certain circumstances entailed social demands and outbursts for a transition to an interventionist and almost bellicose ideology that drew in the United States to engage in foreign wars and policies.

Throughout post-WWII history, the United States has taken on the role of the world’s police. They feel the obligation to ensure the spread of their ideals for selfish and self-righteous reasons. John Mueller and Odd Arne Westad share their arguments as to what the United States’ actions have produced during the Cold War in Eastern Europe, Korea, and Vietnam and during the post-9/11 period in the Afghanistan and Iraq. While some of their arguments are valid, others are flawed.

Since World War II, the United States foreign policy has metastasised to a global level. The United States has taken the position as the global police. We have done countless interventions to “better” the good of the world and its people. Yet, it seems we have forgotten about Americans themselves, who have to deal with the enormous costs of these interventions. When a tyrannous dictator takes control of a country in some far flung part of the world, the United States steps in. We use American soldiers and taxpayers dollars to oust the dictator. Then when a vacuum is created we go back and fight the terrorist group which has taken over. This has happened too many times. It shows the weakness of our foreign policy system. The cost of our military, foreign interventions, and aid has gotten out of control for a country with looming debt problems. As of 2015, military spending has taken up fifty four percent of our discretionary spending, coming out to a total of $598.5 billion dollars (Nationalpriorities.org). Additionally, $195 billion is going outside the United States to fund foreign bases and aid (Politico.com). United

(Real Truth 1) Open trade and democracy are not found in every country, which means that America is at least a little ahead of the game. It has risen to the height of one of the world’s main superpowers in less time than the other powers. “Another way America has exercised its influence on the world is through peacekeeping.” (Real Truth 1) Although it doesn’t always seem like it, America almost always joins the fight one way or another.

His final claim states that the US is the only country with enough military, economic, and diplomatic power to "fix" the world. In the text, he gives examples of how America has unprecedented power. For instance, all of the world's navies combined together would still be inferior to that of the American Navy. Moreover, the US generates 30% of the total world economic output. These two factors, among many others, give America the responsibility to watch over and "fix" the world.

„Should the U.S. use its military and financial power to act as the world’s policeman?”

“I reject the notion that America is in a well-deserved decline, that she and her citizens are unexceptional. I do not believe America is the problem in the world.” “I see America spreading disaster. I see America as a black curse upon the world.” The United States of America’s role in the world has been to watch over the all the other nations and intervene when necessary which makes us the policeman of the world. The United States has our own problems; however the world would not function properly without our strong leadership. There are obviously two sides of this argument, Should or shouldn’t America police the world?

“America was conducting business as usual, but others were joining the game.” (Zakaria, 221). All this time we thought we were on top, we were actually slowly becoming less and less of leader and more a bystander as the rest of the world is slowly rising around us. Zakaria shows in that quote that as America has been continuing business like always, and because of this we have failed to realize our standing with the world around us. In the book The Post-American World, Zakaria shows us the challenges that America faces today. I believe the United States is most affected by our ignorance, competition, and worldly participation.

The Next Decade, a novel by George Friedman, talks about the predictions of countries in the upcoming decade and how the United States should react to the various challenges. The novel’s first major claim is that the United States is actually an empire, similar to how Rome and Great Brian were. However, unlike the previous empires, the United States refuses to acknowledge its status as an empire. “What makes the United States an empire is the number of countries it affects, the intensity of the impact, and the number of people in those countries affected.” The implication of this quote is that the US has gotten to be so large, if the US decided to draw out of global affairs, the impact would be detrimental. Instead of escaping its duty to the world, Friedman claims that the United States must acknowledge its status as an empire and function as such in order to maneuver the next decade. This claim is a wise claim made by Friedman, but it his only claim of worth in the novel. In The Next Decade, Friedman fails to make his thesis credible because he doesn’t his sources, provide logical arguments on his predications of the future, or examine alternative possibilities.