Follow-Up on Nuclear Energy
In a recent post on our prospects for nuclear energy, I happened to mention that the U.S. is in a position to lead the world away from nuclear weaponry. Frequent commenter MarcoPolo writes: In this claim, there is the assumption that a U.S. president really does possess the power to influence countries like Israel, Pakistan, India and the PRC, to disarm. Sadly, a U.S. president has very little influence over these nations.
Why so pessimistic? We won’t know until we try.
We can all imagine a scenario in which a Bernie Sanders-type gets elected, and, with the help of a more progressive Congress, forges a new set of policies, the broad strokes of which are:
• No more support of oppressive regimes simply because they happen to serve American interests
• No more aggressive wars, e.g., Iraq
• An active plan to phase out fossil fuels and other forces that damage the environment
• Reduction in military budget and a concomitant increase in humanitarian aid
• Incentives for other countries to do the same
Now, of course the war hawks will say that this would weaken the country and make it more susceptible to attack from its enemies. These people, however, should consider that such a change in international relations will greatly, if not completely, reduce the number of enemies. No one wants to attack a country that is busily providing healthcare, building schools, feeding the people of the world, and waging peace around the globe.
From the original post:
“• No more aggressive wars, e.g., Iraq”
It would be a good idea to remember that there were TWO wars with Iraq, a fact which seems to have been forgotten. The first one was under president George I and was named Desert Storm. The second one, under George II, was quite different.
Many of us who see the second war as an extremely serious mistake believe that the first war was justified.
Both wars were started under false pretenses.
Incubator babies being thrown on the floor makes a compelling image in the days before the internet, but it was all a lie, not an “honest mistake.”
There are people today who still believe we went into Iraq (2ed war) to punish them for the WTC or to destroy the WMD there.
Craig the Vision you stated is a worth while goal – the advanced Nations of the World should lead this effort and set the example.
The World’s resources could be marshaled and channeled to solving the real problems and stop playing caveman sticks and stones games there are no winners .
that is why it was sad to see our in effective corrupt and for sale congress rush through a $35 billion military 10 year Aid package for little Sparta Israel – they have no Incentive to be Balanced in their dealings with their neighbors . The US under writes the Middle East dysfunctions and then we squirt more gasoline unto the eternal fire we have started.
Makes no Sense at all. Self defeating.
Frank Bush 1 instructed their Ambassador to Iraq Dissney G something to send mixed messages to Iraq re the dispute with Kuwait over Kuwait’s horizontal drilling that was poaching Iraq’s oil reserves. S Hussein was suckered into over playing his hand. He thought we did not care! talk about a set up . Classic One!
Then once the war was over we abandoned the Noble and real allies the Kurds , just like we are still playing them off against the other players in the ISIS war. Kurds got murdered due to post war incompetency and dis honor on our part. My two cents.
Disney forget her name was sent off into retirement and lives under a GAG order with Government. etc. Once the MIC military industrial complex has a new business model in play all Truth goes out the window and the Policy cover up and scapegoating to hood wink the public goes into full operational mode.
Craig perhaps the American Public has not tired of the Sorrows of Empire yet , they want more! Most likely because their attention span and caring level is deficient!
Your concept is Worthy of serious considerations and air time thanks
Silent,
You attitude towards Israel is similar to mine. Basically, we are paying for past sins that go back to the settlement of World War One and even before. The impoverishment of Germany led to the rise of Hitler, the Nazis, and their attempts to exterminate the Jews. Also, that probably would not have occurred if certain elements of churches had not encouraged prejudice against Jews. All that resulted in strong sentiment to re-establish Israel as a country following WWII, and that has resulted in endless conflict.
Of course Israel has a right to continue to exist, especially since many of the people living there were born there and had noting to do with its re-creation. But it seems that the current political leaders in Israel have no commitment to work towards establishing peace. In addition, the theology of some Christians here in the U.S. is that Israel can do no wrong and should be supported regardless of what it does. These people have considerable influence (undo influence in my opinion) and will support Israel no matter how it behaves.
If the political situation in the U.S. were different, it is possible (but not assured) that appropriate pressure could be applied to both Israel and Palestine to work towards achieving a lasting peace.
Oil is a complicating factor. So is the scarcity of water. And, the U.S. president, even though many people consider him to be the world’s most powerful person, does not have unlimited power.
This whole situation is very messy. It is likely that it will not be solved during my lifetime.
Brother Frank well said. You covered it. I support Israel but they need to be reined in and realize they are very dependent on US tax payer and they have too much control over our Policy.
Our political system does not allow for long range policy that would lead to a balanced relationships over there.
Now its a knee jerk reaction to even just discuss it. My friends and I all started thinking this way 30 years ago and our Co dependency and Un even handed treatment for Israel and all the negative consequences that it has brought is beyond the Pale.
We need to change that. Solar with Osmosis for water would do more for Peace than more Weapons.
But voices like ours are drowned out by Hubris Fear and Ignorance as well as disdain for arabs . Disdain for Real Diplomatic solutions. When ever a good Israeli or Arab leader rises above petty fighting and tries to do the right thing they get Killed or Marginalized by the Invisible Hands of Darkness. Sad but true
When NM and the Feds cant pay for our Interstates or our schools thank Israel as they got our TAX money much much more than they need or deserve. period. the should be put on a aid diet!
thanks for sharing
Craig,
It’s very refreshing and nostalgic to read an old style “peacenik” dissertation, straight out of the late ’60’s, or from the pages of any one of the following organizations;
Christian Peace Conference
International Institute for Peace
International Organization of Democratic Lawyers
International Organization of Journalists
International Union of Students
International Federation of Resistance Fighters
World Federation of Democratic Youth
World Federation of Scientific Workers
World Federation of Trade Unions
Women’s International Democratic Federation
World Peace Esperanto Movement
Now I say “nostalgic”, because these “independent” organizations all withered and dissolved once funding and covert support from the old USSR disappeared (along with the USSR and it’s subject states in Eastern Europe).
After the Second World War, the world badly needed the assistance of the USA to rebuild shattered economies and confront Soviet/ Communist aggression.
The US enjoyed some success in establishing, and largely funding the UN and NATO, rebuilding Japan and other western alliances.
The failures in US policies largely arose from a lack of understanding of the social dynamics and cultural values of other nations. US politicians, foreign policy advisors and diplomats truly believed in exporting the ‘American Dream ‘.
Judging others cultures by American concepts of prosperity and cultural aspirations, has lead the US to make massive mistakes in foreign policy.
Perhaps only two American leader understood this, RFK and Ronald Reagan. Reagan saw America’s role in foreign policy in much the same way as Lord Palmerston in the “Great Game “. RFK, saw America’s role differently, but understood that the US was exporting it’s worst values and the most objectionable aspects of it’s culture. Unfortunately he never got the opportunity to put his evolving. and pragmatic ideas into practice.
Today, strong rivals have emerged to the US as the worlds pre-eminent economic power. The PRC, India, Pakistan, Russia and many other nations no longer need to accept US interference.
As the US stumbles from disaster to disaster in foreign policy, (Syria is just the latest failure of US policy), US prestige has fallen to an all time low.
Iraq/Syria have displayed to the world how little the US understands the dynamics of these conflicts, and how confusing and irresolute are the terms of engagement of US interests. Worse it displayed the US has no clear vision of what it want’s to achieve, and lacks the resolution to achieve any lasting solution.
We may condemn Putin’s objectives and methods, but to those in the conflict at least his motives, methods and objectives are clear and understood.
Craig, any US President who suggested to Israel, India, Pakistan, Russia, or the PRC to disarm would be considered either laughably naive or deceitfully disingenuous by the leadership of those nations.
Nations will only disarm when they can see a real benefit in disarmament. Of course, every nations leaders (except for N. Korea)will tut-tut, and praise the virtues of nuclear disarmament, but they won’t actually do it because it would be political suicide. Where is the incentive for Beijing to disarm ?
These nations believe in the doctrine policies of mutual deterrence. (I’m afraid they don’t know the words to ‘Kumbaya “).
Marco there are many truthful realities which you point out.
And the World and times have changed from the period following W War 2 that is for sure.
The US has continued to stumble and bumble and over react to emerging Nations, we have militarily over engaged, with weak results blown Trillions in Treasure and significant loses of Blood as well. Divided our people into Disunited camps!
Worse yet we supported repressive regimes in an attempt at Balancing out all our different Political relationships, ally’s in name or convenience mainly and then those of our Corporate Powers. The influence on policy to protect the $$$interests of corporations has further compromised our so called High Mindedness; if we really ever really had any.?? Our packaged Idealism to get the public to go along is compromised by the real goals of the profit seekers.
Our nations culture is too impatient for Real Nation building and they cant see the long timeline required. The never ending election cycle short circuits any sense of needed policy continuity for real nation building to take hold and bear positive Fruit! The pressing need to get any results in short term is Real Limitation.
The collateral damage with the greatest potential to harm us and other nations is the alienation of the youth in so many lands where the conflicts rage. Sanitized war like Drone strikes that go awry and kill innocents and maim others leave a lasting negative stain on our Image and results in BLOWBACK and RADICALISM …. Ditto profit seeking military contractors that murder and harm the populations we are supposedly trying to assist subvert what ever good we were trying to do!
The real Rub or bottom line is that close to $ 700 Billion a year on the military etc and all the latest and greatest Toys of Destruction can’t effectively resolve the conflicts. We don’t really win and even the positive results are fluid and transitory. Our ROI is weak.
So perhaps we have reached the limits of Power Projection and should now turn more inward and invest in our own Nations Challenges more equitably.
Yes we should remain on the world stage but Much more Selectively.
Yes make more countries PONY UP and pay their share for defense like France, Netherlands, Italy, Germany and Japan and start backing off some. S Korea has the 7 th largest Economy in the World and they design, build and finance your Beloved Nuclear Power Plants so it goes without saying they can afford to DEFEND their Economy and not the under paid american worker whose economics has been under severe attack and erosion by the Neo Liberal Cabal of Globalists etc for 35 years.
I am dismissive of the Trumperian approach to things but Trumper as you have stated has tapped into a real dissatisfaction that is growing in our country. I see it in my regional travels and dealings. People on both political sides are un happy with the status quo.
We missed our moment in Syria if ever there was a Moment !?!? ; but that partially was due to all our entangled & compromised series of corrupt and unholy relations (we pretend they are Alliances) We could not go public and state the obvious that Saudi Arabia was funding the ISIS group at the onset. That Turkey’s political leaders were buying ISIS Oil giving them the revenues they needed. The dastard deeds of the Shiite led government of Iraq that brutalized the Sunni’s and drove them into a ISIS group to begin with.
And the Revisionist Neo Cons upon which Great Blame and Much Shame should be directed deflect the conversation and lay blame on our President Obama. Media enables this dysfunction as He has a sober view of these things and did his best to extract us from the quagmire of destruction and prevent and minimize more casualties of our service members. So the Beat goes On.
These plain and direct examples are never spoken on the debate stages during the election….supposedly the best and the brightest cant bear to Speak to the Truth to the American Public. Is the price of success Lost Integrity?
All the while our corporate corrupted profit driven media dares not touch any of these Inconvenient Truths. The gig must continue on; as there are too many future revenues on the line in the pending Crisis Pipeline!
Our President cant calm down his wrong headed critics by stating the Truth that on Syria he was trying to get real support and commitment from UK. But the UK still has some sense of democracy and their Parliament VOTED NO To sending any ground forces to Syria. Voted no. They learned their lessons in Iraq and want No more. They Sobered Up maybe its High Time America Sobers Up!
Does this fact get spoken on the media? No
I think the emerging countries you mentioned are going to be independent and we should strive to have good commercial relations with them and see where that leads. Collaborate but not over Engage …
Some say the ballyhooed TPP is a new sort of defense pact in disguise. Australia will base Marines now. Hem in China!
The threats from Global Warming may lead the Nations of the World to come together peacefully and that is all we may may be able to Hope for.
Then again Global Warming may create much greater instability and lead to more conflicts etc. Most likely will.
We definitely need to deconstruct our concepts of foreign policy and engagement. Our over involvement cant be afforded much longer. Its counter productive when Objectively analyzed and measured over 50 years.
Last but not Least the Mythical concepts of American Exceptionalism has lead to self affirmation and hubris , arrogance and Failure as there are Natural Limits to POWER – the myth prevents us from recognizing it and we always look for a Scapegoat or a new administration that promises better results but just repeats the mistakes of the past. Stuck in a Rut!
Marco thanks for the History recollection makes good sense.
Look at the Phillipines a basket WARD Case of the US since the 1800’s when we started that War w Spain so we could steal it. After all the Flag waving, the aid, the military extravagance s etc. Well they still are a dependent state but their new President just tells our President to Go to Hell ! Another example of the Sorrows of Empire at work!
Pretending to the End