I wonder how consistent our national policies are over time, despite the focus of each policy or the party/man in power. Maybe it is the underlying understanding of ourselves as a people, as a nation-state, held strongly by the people in power.
We protected our interests in the ‘banana republics’ when the large fruit companies where threatened by ‘natives’ who were no longer willing to accept exploitation and at times virtual enslavement by their American overlords. We can protect our interests, but the interests being protected during that time and by those leaders where not our national interests, but the economic interests of an oligarchy of companies and their owners. The results proved to be Cuba, dictatorial regimes, communist insurgents, and the like and has resulted in an unstable Central and South America where the perception of the United States is palpably hostile. We did not do what we did for the sake of the people. If we had, the whole region may have been far more prosperous and stable. We continue to pay the price for our arrogance, selfishness, and shortsightedness.
Now, we are protecting our interests in the Middle East. In the guise of spreading democracy or fighting terrorism, we are enforcing our policies and interests without consideration of what may be best for the people there, but rather for our own economic interests, our companies, and the wealthy people who run them. We won’t succeed there, either. We could, but that would mean truly and honestly considering what may be best for the Saudi’s, for the Iraq’s, or for the Iranians for that matter. But, we won’t. We won’t because just like the English did not consider the best interests of the American colonies, but their own, only led to revolution, so too will our policies in the different areas of the world only lead to the present day equivalent to the American revolution against England. Why are so many fighting against the United States? There are a myriad of reasons, but it probably isn’t because they are jealous (although some are), it is because they perceive that we are selfish, arrogant, and only concerned in our own best interests in opposition to their own. For our current leadership, and for many of our citizens, their perception is true.
If we truly want national security – safety for Americans – we must stop and realize that what we like and think best may well not be. I do not believe that all cultures are equal nor do I believe that all forms of government or economic systems are equal. Over the span of history, and despite atrocities, I think Western Civilization is superior. Democracy and free-enterprise has shown to be the best of all flawed systems. But, democracy cannot be imposed – it must be won, and not by an outside force demoliting all contrary options. Corruption free free-enterprise cannot simply be mandated, it must be experienced in a way that shows that the common person can and will benefit.
Our arrogance is our undoing. Our inability to realize the similarities in our policies toward and approach to Central and South American, the ‘banana republics,’ in times past and the negative results of those approaches/policies with what we are doing in the Middle-East, in the ‘oil republics,’ will result in the same kinds of outcomes.
We could truly be a positive force for world improvement and freedom, but we are too busy looking after our own best interests – really the best interests of multi-nationals and their managers, along with an American oligarchy. We honestly fail to realize the national aspirations of other peoples, their desire for their own welfare free from interference from outside forces. We fail to realize that what they actually respect about this thing called the United States is the very thing we are forgetting and leaving behind as we move into these nations with our demands and our military.
We forget why we revolted against the English over 200 years ago. We forget our own heritage, and we do so because it is so inconvenient to the present interests of certain people. We do what we do to our own detriment, because an American empire will only lead to an American disaster.