Tuesday, 11 December 2007
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Tribute to Reinhold Niebuhr - Pt II
The War on terror has been debated over the course of the Bush administration. While it has been debated by liberals, pacifists, realists, idealists, neocons, and the like, they have all invoked the help of Reinhold Neibuhr to suppport their arguments. As an advocate of US interventionism (and also US isolationism), and the author of many articles and books, such as the Serenity prayer, "Moral Man and Immoral Society", "The Irony of American History," Neibuhr has been quoted to substantiate the claims of many political groups, from both the right and left.
So many claim him as one of their own, it begs the question, "Who is right about this man?" The political candidates that are running for the Democratic and Republican seats have quoted him on different occasions in their careers. Among them and most prominently, is Barak Obama. He described him as, "my favorite philosopher"; while John McCain described him as "a paragon of clarity about the costs of a good war."
With so many different opinions about him, it is clear that it does matter who is right about him. It matters because he gets to the roots of the conflicts between American ideals and their unintended consequences in his writing, better than anybody else. He has been reknown for having a foretelling power that has given him such credibility that he is considered an authoritative source on effective foreign relations. He understood things from a distance, as reflected in his writing, and understood the global responsibility the United States would have.
It's hard to say, but the course of the United States could play out in the next election and Niebuhr is a guilding light for any political candidate. The upcoming elections will play a big role in the global standing of the United States and where it fits in, so it is good to hear that political candidates are familiar with Niebhur's writing. Our current president, has taken a very active role in the global community with his War on Terror. While, I won't say President Bush has ruined our country because I would likely have made all the same decisions he made (if I was in his shoes) I would argue that the United States is just another country now. The "American Century" is over, the dollar holds no weight compared to the Euro, and we can no longer justify our agendas in other countries - we have lost credibility -
What of Iran and North Korea? Will we have the humility to don what Thomas Jefferson, who echoed earlier speeches by Washington and Adams, penned in his First Inaugural Address by warning against "entangling alliances"? With the international landscape as it is, will the US focus abroad, on issues such as oil, or will we focus on domestic issues, like creating alternatives for oil (tapping into sustainability technologies and renewable energies)?
Will the United States pave the way with Iran on a unilateral level as well? The Secretary General of the United Nations is from Korea and has been actively working with South Korea, making great strides. On this front, there is a multi-lateral effort that is a viable alternative... Will the United States take an active stance in the coming years and under a new president? What will our diplomatic relations look like?
All I know is everybody is an immigrant in this country, and this country will make decisions with or without our input. My following post will be about my personal ideals, what I am doing with my ideals, and how I plan to make a difference. I will be selective with what I disclose but I will be honest, forthright, and attempt to encourage people to make changes in their lives to promote a better lifestyle - healthwise, environmental, and socially.
The Serenity Prayer
"God, give us grace to accept with serenity the things that cannot be changed, courage to change the things that can be changed, and the wisdom to distinguish one from the other."
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