Foreign Policy Discussion

[Autolykos]

Greetings, everyone.

I read an article today which quoted John McCain at the Republican National Convention in a speech honoring President Bush. He said, "'I salute his determination to make this world a better, safer, freer place. He has not wavered. He has not flinched from the hard choices. He will not yield. And neither will we'" (http://www.lewrockwell.com/ocregiste...in-debate.html). To me, this seems an accurate depiction of the government's (at least the executive branch's) attitude about foreign policy. However, is this the right attitude to have? More succinctly, will this attitude benefit the American people more than any other? I am interested in hearing your thoughts.

Personally, my answer is "No." I disagree with that attitude as a matter of principle. First and foremost, I do not consider it to be within the sphere of any government to remake the world as it sees fit, let alone remake any given country if that country's government did not attack it. Second, what's better, safer, and freer to one person may not be to another. Third, there is overwhelming evidence to suggest that the Bush administration's foreign policy is not making the world "a better, safer, freer place," but in fact is doing the opposite, and is doing that here at home as well. But basically, the fundamental point here is the first one: whether the U.S. government has the right, let alone the obligation, to interfere in other countries' affairs, and whether it should do so. Again, I am interested in hearing your thoughts.

- Autolykos
"Regentes rectis separati semper sunt."