Status Quo Foreign Policy

Although I’m not a historian, I love history. I enjoy reading history books, watching the History Channel or any other media that serves up history. The internet too has been a valuable tool as a resource of historical events.  And recently hearing some political elites describe their version of history or knowledge of facts, I would have to say I have a much better understanding of historical facts than these elected leaders.

Prior to the events of 9/11 I too was somewhat inoculated to the horrific events happening in the world. Sadly world political leaders and the United Nations too turned a blind eye to many sad events in the world.

Peace awards were passed out like penny candy, all parties shook hands in solidarity, slapped either other on the back to a job well done, but in reality nothing changed. The speeches of these false accomplishments made the evening news or national news publications and we all viewed this as a world Utopia. (MORE)

This status quo foreign policy, still practiced by many nations, was the perfect excuse to not do anything and confront the real horror in the world. Countless voiceless people lost their freedoms, their hopes and their lives.

Currently in Sudan’s western region of Darfur the UN estimates that since October 2003 more than 180,000 innocent people have lost their lives. Their has been much talk about the problem but nothing is being done. Ironically only a few nations, the United States among them, have had the guts to declare that what’s happening in Darfur as genocide.

Rwanda is another example of the world looking the other way. In roughly a 90-day period the slaughter of some 800,000 Rwandans took place. Little attention was paid to these horrific events and lessons we (the world) should have learned were not. There was much reflecting back to this sad event, such as “we should have done something” but of course this does little for those who perished by a machete or were lucky enough to have a bullet slice through their head and end life quickly. Sadly history repeats itself again and again with little being done.

Throughout history are examples of such events. And throughout history you can find quotes by political leaders and organizations of what should have been done. The status quo foreign policy that the majority of nations stick to do not help the innocent, rather is kills them.

I doubt that the current President of the United States or Prime Ministers of Great Britain or Australia will ever win a peace price, the people or countries saved from horrific events don’t vote on such things. What must be asked is what if nothing is done, much like the foreign policy before?

It is sad that an event like 9/11 had to happen to change our tack regarding foreign policy. And although it is not a popular one among the worlds so called elite, the United Nations and the left in America, it should have happened long ago.

The policy of appeasement, the corner stone of foreign policy, has never solved any crisis in the world. It has in fact made worse, emboldened if you will, corrupt rulers and rouge nations all at the expense of individuals who have no voice or tools to protect themselves.

Take for example Africa. The G8 recently decided for forgave some $40 billion in debt owed by 18 of the world's poorest nations, including 14 in Africa. This may seem like the humanitarian thing to do – to allow these nations to pick themselves back up and become productive without the burden of debt over their head. However does anyone believe that these nations will actually “make it” without a dramatic overhaul of their political, educational and social system. Their people will continue to live in poverty, uneducated and poor while their leaders reap the benefits. In time they will again amass huge debt with little progress to show. And again leaders of the free world will line up for awards and slap each other on the back for meaningless job well done.

There are those how are critical of the current U.S. foreign policy, a much tougher and vastly different approach than the appeasement or status quo. It would be wise for other countries or world bodies such as the United Nations to re-examine their own polices, do a little research, and accurately assess their actions or inactions and see if they have really contributed to world peace, education and prosperity. If they are humble enough, look at the examples, they will hopefully realize the truth in the many failures and millions of dead men, women and children.

If a nation needs the world’s money (from the so called rich nations) to better themselves, just handing it out with no strings attached does not work. We have the history to prove it does not work. There needs to be conditions and demands for changes in the benefactor’s country. This is not sticking our nose in someone else’s business, but rather seeking a return on our investment - a peace dividend. Making sure the same mistakes, misuse and neglect do not happen again. And if a ruler needs to be overthrown to insure our investment, so be it. It is not so much as to the sovereign respect of the country, but rather respect for its people.

Today we are faced with continued problems in Africa, the Mid East and North Korea. A rock concert, with all its blind goodwill won’t fix the problem. It will however give them a cash transfusion to prolong the real agony of these oppressed people. The United Nations would be the logical choice to deal with such problems. It however has shown to be a sham of an organization with its own laundry list of problems, corruption, lack of will and truly protecting innocent people of the world.

Unfortunately the burden is place on a small number of nations that can, have done and frankly could do more (and we are not talking only about handing out money). This is and was the right thing to do, break away from the failed status quo. It is about time for the United Nations, industrialized nations of the world and even the world press to admit their failings.  Failings that are too apparent spanning the later half of the century and more.  Demonizing individual countries, such as the United States, its government and people, do not fix the problem.  Admitting their own pass mistakes and their own failed policy is a better place to start.

Ultimately history will judge our actions. Our past history however paints an ugly picture of failed foreign policy.  World leaders and organizations should admit to their mistakes rather than sticking to the same policies that have accounted for millions of dead and the same problems happening again and again.  At the end of the day there is little difference between the dictator who starves and oppresses his people and the banker who finances the project without looking for results.

June 2005 -- Political Failures.Com