National Sovereignty, Oppressive Government, and the US Role in the World

National Sovereignty, Oppressive Government, and the US Role in the World

Introduction

The American attack against Afghanistan that was triggered by the September 11th tragedy once again raised the question of US role in the world. The current military intervention also touched the issue of the major factors, defining the course of US international policy. In the globalized world today the ratio of “soft power” (the ability to attract through cultural and ideological appeal) to “hard power” (a country’s economic and military ability to buy and coerce) used in solving international conflicts is constantly increasing (Nye 2). However, military campaigns still provide a way out of deepening international crises. Should America, then, engage in indiscriminate humanitarian interventions, advancing its ideas of democracy, human rights and liberty, or should it be militarily concerned only with international affairs that have a direct bearing on US vital national interests?

In my paper I argue that the US violation of a country’s sovereignty should come only after a careful consideration and deep investigation of the reasons behind an international conflict. Moreover, all interventions should be based on specific achievable end-goals and strategies. Also, US military campaigns’ rationale should suit America’s vital national self-interest, as I define it later. Several reasons support such an international policy:

First, in the long run the negative effects of a military international intervention, even if against oppressive governments, could actually outweigh the positive ones. Moreover, coercive policy could, in fact, aggravate a conflict by providing grounds for long lasting hostility, aggression, or ev...

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