RestoreTheRepublic
03-05-2009, 11:15 PM
For my ethics in international affairs class, I am writing a paper with the central premise being does America have an ethical responsibility to intervene in world affairs?
Of course, my answer is no. I have a few paragraphs done, anyone with free time please comment on my intro paragraphs. Any feedback appreciated!
Following the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, the United States, for better or worse, was thrust into the spotlight as the sole world superpower. The realization that the United States was the world’s undisputed leader left many to ponder this vital question; does America have a responsibility to the international community to police, or better yet intervene when necessary? Based on the current international scene and the diminished credibility of the United States, my sincere belief is that the United States has no ethical obligation and should for no reason intervene in international affairs, unless directly implicated in an attack on our national interests. Our interventionist tactics overseas help to foster the enlargement of non-state actors such as terrorist groups that want to harm us, if given the chance. Couple this with our dire economic situation and current lack of monetary resources; it makes no sense for the United States to busy herself with interventionist policies.
This question should be asked by every American, seeing as it has a direct impact on all of us. Some people may be hesitant to believe that this question is at all relevant to our current domestic predicament, but that is far from the truth. Our leaders in government are responsible for making competent decisions as to where our resources should be directed, and over the last eight years our leaders have seemingly failed us. The Bush Administration turned a budget surplus into a momentous budget deficit, in large part due to the burdensome costs of both of the wars we are currently fighting. I believe that a change in policy towards the domestic front, as opposed to the international front, can greatly help us focus on our current problems and address those first. Every American should be asking why our government, who is responsible only for its citizens at home, is focusing so many resources on the international community.
Over the last several years many political theorists and international relations specialists have been theorizing and hypothesizing the answers to the question posed in this essay. Two major schools of thought have emerged from this question, with one camp emphasizing our need and responsibility to aid the international community, and one camp reiterating that we best serve the international community with non-interventionist policies. Both schools of thought have their relative strengths and weaknesses, strengths and weaknesses that need to be thoroughly examined in order to make a sound judgment on this question posed. Having examined both means of approaching the question, it still remains my belief that the appropriate school of thought lies in America’s need to start adopting polices that reflect our needs first, as directing the majority of our resources to the international spectrum can have dire effects on both our economy and our national security.
Of course, my answer is no. I have a few paragraphs done, anyone with free time please comment on my intro paragraphs. Any feedback appreciated!
Following the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, the United States, for better or worse, was thrust into the spotlight as the sole world superpower. The realization that the United States was the world’s undisputed leader left many to ponder this vital question; does America have a responsibility to the international community to police, or better yet intervene when necessary? Based on the current international scene and the diminished credibility of the United States, my sincere belief is that the United States has no ethical obligation and should for no reason intervene in international affairs, unless directly implicated in an attack on our national interests. Our interventionist tactics overseas help to foster the enlargement of non-state actors such as terrorist groups that want to harm us, if given the chance. Couple this with our dire economic situation and current lack of monetary resources; it makes no sense for the United States to busy herself with interventionist policies.
This question should be asked by every American, seeing as it has a direct impact on all of us. Some people may be hesitant to believe that this question is at all relevant to our current domestic predicament, but that is far from the truth. Our leaders in government are responsible for making competent decisions as to where our resources should be directed, and over the last eight years our leaders have seemingly failed us. The Bush Administration turned a budget surplus into a momentous budget deficit, in large part due to the burdensome costs of both of the wars we are currently fighting. I believe that a change in policy towards the domestic front, as opposed to the international front, can greatly help us focus on our current problems and address those first. Every American should be asking why our government, who is responsible only for its citizens at home, is focusing so many resources on the international community.
Over the last several years many political theorists and international relations specialists have been theorizing and hypothesizing the answers to the question posed in this essay. Two major schools of thought have emerged from this question, with one camp emphasizing our need and responsibility to aid the international community, and one camp reiterating that we best serve the international community with non-interventionist policies. Both schools of thought have their relative strengths and weaknesses, strengths and weaknesses that need to be thoroughly examined in order to make a sound judgment on this question posed. Having examined both means of approaching the question, it still remains my belief that the appropriate school of thought lies in America’s need to start adopting polices that reflect our needs first, as directing the majority of our resources to the international spectrum can have dire effects on both our economy and our national security.