By Edwin Cooney
Okay, here’s the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth. I’ve never been the President of the United States with all its opportunities for glory and disaster. However, I’ve often gloried in the wake of presidential wisdom, courage, and success. A few examples would include President Nixon’s foresight in recognizing China, President Ford’s courage during the May 1975 Mayaguez incident, President Carter’s patience and wisdom during the Camp David peace process, President Reagan’s restraint in the face of the Korean Air Lines Flight 007 disaster in 1983 and, finally, President Obama’s success in capturing Osama bin Laden in May 2011.
Although throughout most of its existence America has led the world, first by example and over the past century via deeds, she may be about to blunder her way into becoming the world’s most dangerous and angry antagonist, due to what Americans perceive themselves to have become — specifically, the victims of an unworthy world.
When General Douglas MacArthur in all his military splendor and dignity stepped aboard the USS Missouri to receive the surrender of Japan that September 2nd Sunday in 1945, America was not merely a victor in battle. (Victors in battle have been a cheap commodity throughout human history!) America stood at the apex of world civilization. The world was at America’s feet, but she was too magnanimous to even notice.
Seventy years have passed since that solemn September Sunday. Since that afternoon, America has led a war-tortured world into the United Nations with its declaration of human rights. Then, there was the Marshall Plan which assisted Western Europe in recovering after World War II. (So magnanimous was the Marshall Plan that the Soviets were invited by the Truman administration to benefit from it, although they ultimately refused.) Next, America took on the burdens of confronting and containing Communism which cost both lives and money in Korea, Vietnam, and twice in the Persian Gulf. Lately, having assigned itself the responsibility of defeating “Radical Islam,” many Americans are just plain tired of spending their talents, treasury and their lives making an ungrateful world safe, let alone secure! The question is, are Americans justly or unjustly tired of international heroism? If so, can we afford to surrender to solemn, angry fatigue? Even more to the point, is America, despite its longing for safety, prosperity and peace, up to President Trump’s goal of making America “great again”?
When I was growing up in the 1950s and began to really comprehend domestic and international affairs, I was convinced that America was indeed “the greatest nation in the world.” Urged by Presidents Eisenhower, Kennedy, Johnson, and Nixon that patriotism came second only to godliness in importance, even as I began to grasp the details of our history (which are less splendid and godly than I learned in grade or high school), I hung tenaciously to the belief that somehow our intentions were always good at heart. The question I came to ask however was, “…good at heart for whom?” I disagree with much modern political conservative doctrine concerning government. However, conservatives are right when they insist that government can too often, intentionally and unintentionally, stultify the legitimate liberties of its citizens! Thus, during the Vietnam Conflict, the government under Eisenhower, Kennedy, Johnson and Nixon became involved in a conflict that had little to do with the safety and security of the American people. Of course, the military, which under the Constitution is subordinate to the civilian Commander-in Chief, functioned according to its nature by drafting and recruiting into its ranks young men, some 58,000 of whom gave their lives in Vietnam. Since the tragedy in Southeast Asia, Americans have become understandably cautious about becoming involved in foreign adventures even in the wake of such incidents as 9/11. What is dangerous, however, is America’s vulnerability to its historic international ethnic prejudices.
As far back as the 1840s and 50s, Americans have viewed with suspicion Roman Catholics, Jews, blacks, native Americans, southern and southeastern Europeans and Far Easterners. In the uncertainties of the 21st Century, we seem to be becoming increasingly angered by the economic and political success of former allies and friends.
To President Trump, international relations like the “free market” (which has never been “free”) ultimately functions like a business deal. His withdrawal from the 2015 Paris Agreement in search of a “better deal” assumes America’s willingness and even right to abrogate any arrangement unless we both benefit and control any such arrangement or treaty. Even worse is what that expectancy portends.
Since last January 20th, President Trump has quarreled with Mexico, Australia, Great Britain, Germany, Canada, and China — all of which fortunately remain potential friends. How long will it be before we abandon the Organization of American States or even the United Nations? Actions of this sort would be far from effective diplomacy and may lead the president into a position of being little more than a chronic complainer.
Scour history as you may, you’ll never discover that a glorious nation was an angry quarrelsome nation.
Even more, an angry nation can never be a magnanimous nation and magnanimity is the first requirement of greatness!
RESPECTFULLY SUBMITTED,
EDWIN COONEY
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