Domestic Policy

World Opinion Of America Does Matter

February 20, 2006 ⋅  E-Mail Article ⋅  Print Article ⋅ Post a comment

Is American foreign policy actually isolating the U.S. from the rest of the world? Many are now asking this question and although you may disagree it is a question worth asking.

How many countries in the world have fought a war on every continent? How many countries have used atomic weaponry during a war? How many countries have at one time or another had an embargo, or a boycott, on at least one country on each continent all at the same time? Answer these questions truthfully and you can begin to understand why many say this is a valid question to ask.

In world politics perception is fifty percent of the reality, if foreign governments perceive you as friendly they promote you as legitimate. However, when you try to dictate policy to sovereign countries you run the risk of offending their leadership and that in turn gets you a lot of bad PR, a lot of bad PR.

Case in point, look at the world perception of Russia and America. Twenty years ago everyone in the world was afraid of Russia, they were called the Big Bad Communist Ruskies. Fast forward to the present and Russia is now one of the first countries asked into negotiations by countries trying to resolve conflicts. Conversely, many countries ask America to stay out of negotiations because of the political fire they bring to any hot topics and discussions.

Now consider China, the ol ‘Better dead than Red Commie country’ has went from being known as the Far East Fear to the ‘Hottest National Economy’. Countries are stepping head over foot to line up deals with China; what are they doing right in the world that America is not. Shouldn’t we be promoting ourselves more as the number one country to do business with rather than China? China is aggressively seeking to redefine their world image regardless of their domestic politics; you do not see that here in America.

So what can be done? I believe we need to stop being a nation of country builders, the American country thrived under Bill Clinton, and Ronald Reagan, both of whom were mainly peace-time Presidents. This is not to say we need to bring all of our troops home, it is more to say we need to work through diplomacy in the modern world, not just bomb the crap out of countries.

Some times force is necessary but once we lay the smack down we should not put our soldiers in harms way while we try to rebuild what we destroyed. If you have to fix it why bust it up in the first place? We need to get on with the business of making Am Erica great itself once again. We also need to repair our image in the world. We need to be seen as friends, not imperialists, we need to be seen as protectors , not an occupiers. We need to be seen as we are, proud, upstanding, moral, respectful citizens of the world.

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