foreign policy as it relates to opinion
oftentimes i hear the Bush administrations foreign policy being bashed and assigned words like: disastrous, stupid, inane, dangerous, etc...
most of the time, the reason the policy is described as such is because people in *random* country don't like it. those who criticize perceive a degree of distaste for American policy and automatically conclude that there must be something wrong with it.
while i will certainly admit that foreign perception of US policy is important, do not assume that just because outside interests don't approve of it that it is the wrong policy.
like every other nation on earth, the US has its own set of interests. we elect our leaders to protect our interests. invariably, there will be times when our leadership chooses a separate path than the leaders of countries whose citizens expect the same from them.
sometimes doing the right thing steps on people's toes. sometimes doing the right thing will expose those who are secretly doing wrong. sometimes doing the right thing must be hidden from public view for a time to ensure that it can be done at all. sometimes in order to promote the interests of your own country, to promote your social ideal, to ensure your own safety...
you have to tick off those whose goals conflict with yours.
Ok, so this outlook on life is akin to the law of the jungle... i agree. Yes, this doesn't necessarily do the most to avoid conflict. But, it is often the most effective way to deal with problems that you cast your vote to solve.
Am I saying that the US is right all time? Absolutely not. Do we have much to learn from the opinions and history of other nations? Certainly. Just don't assume that those anti-Bush protestors overseas, the complaints of foreign ambassadors, or the opinion of elitists have your best interests at heart.
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If you will not fight when your victory will be sure and not too costly, you may come to the moment when you will have to fight with all the odds against you and only a precarious chance for survival. There may even be a worse case. You may have to fight when there is no hope of victory, because it is better to perish than to live as slaves.
~ Winston Churchill
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