Dr. Edward Demenchonok
Philosophical Reflections During the 2004 Elections: Essays and Letters to The New York Times, USA Today, and The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
In the beginning of the new century, America is at a crossroads, and the November elections will be crucial in deciding the political course and future of our nation, and of the global world in which we are living. The first presidential debate between President Bush and Senator John Kerry was a "moment of truth", illuminating two very different views of America's role in today's global world and of the means for its national security. Mr. Bush repetitively declared that he will "stay the course" and continue the same foreign policy. Mr. Kerry criticized this policy, calling the invasion in Iraq "a colossal error in judgement", and offered his alternative foreign policy.
What was so "colossally" erroneous in Bush's politics? In brief, unilateralism and a "bully" disdain of the international community, which backfired with the result that America alienated its traditional allies and became almost alone in confronting terrorism and other global problems. Not only the poorly planned and unjustified attack on Iraq was erroneous, but the whole "Bush doctrine" of "preventive war" and global supremacy. This is a reversal shift back to the cold war mentality with ambitions of global dominance as the sole remaining superpower. After the end of the cold war, there emerged a historical opportunity to ameliorate the world order by the joint efforts of all nations to solve the social and global problems of nuclear weaponry, the ecological crisis, and the underdevelopment of the Third World countries, which provokes instability and terrorism. Unfortunately, this golden opportunity to win the peace was missed. Instead, Bush's labeling of some of the countries as an "axis of evil" resurrected the language of ideological confrontation.
The Bush's administration showed a disregard for the UN and international law, withdrawing from the Anti-Ballistic Missile treaty, refusing to ratify the Kyoto Protocol on global warming and a treaty on the International Criminal Court, and instead promoting the preventive war doctrine. Other nations were viewed as superfluous. In the past, the security of the US was based on the maintaining the world order by the balance of power, alliances, treaties, support of the UN and international law. Unfortunately, Bush's politics negated this approach, thus undermining this basis of global stability and making America more vulnerable.
After the 9/11 tragedy, the international community was overwhelmingly supportive of the military actions of the US in Afghanistan to destroy Al Qaeda. But Bush's unilateral invasion of Iraq was not merely, as John Kerry called it, a "profound diversion" from the effort to hunt down Osama bin Laden and protect America from terrorism, but in a broader sense it was a diversion from international law and the United Nations Charter. UN Secretary General Kofi Annon as well as many international lawyers consider that the invasion was illegal and amounted to a war of aggression.
The Bush promise of a quick military operation became an ongoing trap for American troops, with disastrous consequences. America has lost over a thousand solders, nearly 200 billion dollars, and its moral authority in the world is severely damaged. The underside of unilateralism is that America has acted essentially alone because Bush has been unable to build a true coalition (almost 90% of the burden is on the US). Major European and Asian allies are reluctant to participate in Bush's war, which is seen as "bully" politics of global dominance. The continuation of Bush's politics will result in America becoming even more estranged from its traditional allies, and even more enemies will be created. The fiasco of Bush's "experiment" in Iraq as a testing ground for his foreign policy has shown the powerlessness of power and the danger of the doctrine of "preventive war" and imperial ambitions.
But beside Iraq there are many other challenges to America's security, such as nuclear weapons. This is a global issue, which requires the collaboration of all nations. Bush's unilateralism failed to deal with the nuclear nonproliferation issue. By ignoring the diplomatic tools and collaboration with the United Nations Security Council to influence North Korea and Iran, he allowed their nuclear activities to careen out of control.
John Kerry's comprehensive approach to foreign policy, however, is in tune with the realities of our globally interdependent world. His goal is to regain America's respect in the world and to strengthen an international dialogue and collaboration. He wants to build a broad international coalition of the major European and Asian allies and of the UN and to lead them in resolving the problem with Iraq and other problems of the global world. America will be much more safer with Kerry.
Dr. Edward Demenchonok is a university professor, the author of numerous books and articles. He is listed in several biographical dictionaries, including
Who's Who in the World, 2000 Outstanding Scholars of the 21st Century, and One Thousand Great Americans, and he is the recipient of the 21st Century Award for Achievements in Philosophy from the International Biographical Centre.
Vote for a Peaceful Alternative to Bush's War
Talieson.com