Rotten Little Girls

Reasons Why Our NEW Stance on Foreign Policy is AWESOME:

1) It’s realistic – We won’t be a superpower forever (take a look at the historical rise and fall of great civilizations if you don’t believe me) and we can either a) plan for that occasion NOW or b) continue to piss everyone off and get fucked over when another country dominates the world stage.

2) We really DO need help. Americans should not (and cannot) be the only ones paying/working to end terrorism, world hunger, etc,etc,etc. Not only should we recognize the actions of other countries in pursuit of these international goals, but we should pursue more alliances & relationships with like-minded countries.

3) Multipolarity is cool. Policentrism is better. Right now most Americans function under the assumption that America is the “leader” of the Free World. Pssh. Look, we have our world view and self-interests. Other countries have their own world view and self-interests. Who says we should get to decide everything? I am personally in favor of a world order that contains many different centers of power – not separate poles of power competing or threatening each other (i.e. Cold War – Soviet Bloc vs. U.S. & allies) or a unipolar system in which one country is hegemonic.

4) It reinforces UN legitimacy — Let’s be honest, here. Bush kinda fucked up UN-U.S. relations with the whole Iraq war thing. I don’t think the UN has much hard power in general, but without the U.S. backing it/supporting it, it loses a lot of power (soft, hard, or what have you). Hopefully, now, the tides will turn back towards a stronger UN and a more diplomatic U.S.

5) Obama says it himself best:

“In his first address to the U.N. General Assembly, Obama sought to set a new tone in U.S. relations, moving away from the unilateralism of his predecessor, George W. Bush. He coupled conciliatory words about a “new era of engagement” with a summons for other nations to shoulder more of the burden.

“Those who used to chastise America for acting alone in the world cannot now stand by and wait for America to solve the world’s problems alone,” Obama said.

“Now is the time for all of us to take our share of responsibility for a global response to global challenges.”

…

“In an era where our destiny is shared, power is no longer a zero-sum game,” Obama said. “No world order that elevates one nation or group of people over another will succeed.”

…

“If we are honest with ourselves,” he told world leaders, “we need to admit that we are not living up” to the shared responsibility to meet such challenges.

“Extremists sowing terror in pockets of the world,” Obama said. “Protracted conflicts that grind on and on; genocide; mass atrocities; more nations with nuclear weapons; melting ice caps and ravaged populations; persistent poverty and pandemic disease.”

“I say this not to sow fear, but to state a fact: The magnitude of our challenges has yet to be met by the measure of our actions,” Obama said.”

Well said, man.

- Dollface

When I sent the article to my mom, she had this to say “Very well put. Just wish he’d stop sitting on the fence & be the person he sold us at election time.”