U.S. Global Policy: Where’s the Vision?

The terrorist attack on 9/11 certainly got our attention, as has the War in Iraq. It’s not the first such attack on Americans or in America, in New York City or even on the World Trade Center. As a Marine vet, I clearly remember the Beirut truck bombings. No doubt these attacks have made us aware there are some really pissed off and organized people who are directing their fanatical rage at principally innocent American citizens.

These attacks are often the product of our government and business leaders’ global views and policies. Many great minds argue our foreign and oil policies in the Middle East and elsewhere have been inconsistent over the past decades. Both Iran (Persia) and Iraq have been our allies. Like them, we seem to maintain a love-hate relationship with Saudi Arabia because our government and oil industry refuse to “just say no”. While terror attacks can never be justified, to adequately defend America we need to understand the why and the long-term implications of our response(s).

Katrina shows us how desperate people can become after several days of extreme hardship. Imagine what people are capable of after being ignored or deceived by their countries’ governments or ours after months or years. Human nature is to thrive and seek dignity. We want fairness and hate broken promises. Entire nation-states are made up of and governed by people wanting the same. Ignoring this fact is at our own peril.

We’ll have to address Syria and Iran after Iraq. We have to contend with North Korea. We can’t ignore China’s and India’s energy needs and their global influence. More of the same will lead us to military options over nuclear might or access to foreign oil. There is no sense fighting a war that cultivates the next one. This is not a vision for victory. It’s a manmade buzz saw of humanity in need of human solutions.

Our call to action needs to begin now. As Katrina and our American deficit show us, our existing global policies and lying to Americans comes with a cost. It’s the hollowing of our democratic principles. It’s our most vulnerable without adequate healthcare. It’s the hardship on American lives and breaking of our promise for the future. Like most other countries, our public wants schools that give our kids skills. We want security in our later years, not just hope for it.

If we want increased security, then let’s bolster our military and first responders (fire, police and rescue); however, let’s not cut taxes for our most wealthy, those who also benefit from these protections. Let’s decouple our oil dependence. Let’s develop a meaningful alternative energy plan with a real timeline that involves other than the oil industry.

We can’t afford to do more of the same. We need to be good local and good global neighbors. The power of the people comes from doing together, what neither you nor I can do alone. Be a stakeholder by holding our governments and citizens accountable.