Alright so we all know bad stuff is and has been happening in a lot of countries around the world. In fact it seems most countries in Africa, Asia, and Eastern Europe have major problems. Everything from genocide to meglomanical dictators, can be found there, but what do we do about it? When does the rest of the world have the right to step in? And how do they do it? Alright can any country or the UN or NATO or whoever a.) Morally and b.) Effectively change the regime of another country? At first I said no way we just cant do that. What about Hitler? Alright Alright forget Hitler he was attacking other countries. What about a leader who is killing his own people like the what is happening and was happening in West Africa? The atrocities that have, are and will happen there are outrageous and cannot be allowed to happen. How does the world put a stop it before millions are killed? How does the world preemptively put in end to this kind of slaughter, rape and torture??
There is no easy solution, but I believe that a major difference can be made. I believe that most of it starts with poverty, not ethnic, religious, or historical hatreds. Conflicts stem from the fact that most of the world is desperate, surviving on virtually nothing. Desperate people do desperate things. This is an over simplification, but poverty does play a large part in creating conflict all over the world. As does the fact that most of the world has no say in their government, and that their countries are ruled dictators.
This is something the whole world needs to get behind. As an American I think from the prospective of what America should do.
The US will need to use economic power to substantially reduce poverty through the encouragement of social businesses, micro loans, giving developing countries goods duty-free status, and anything else that can be thought of to help the poor in the poorest of countries to take part in the world marketplace. The violators of human rights need be sanctioned economically no matter who they are and what are trade status is with them is. This includes countries like Israel (I don't care what the Palestinians have done, sanction them too) Saudi Arabia, and China.
Americas foreign policy must change, neutrality must be brought into the picture, we must politically oppose violators where we find them. Also an enormous increase in foreign service officers are needed. America needs people on the ground in those countries who understand the culture, history and language. They will need to understand why the country is doing what it is doing and what the consequences will be from our actions. Right now more people play in the US military bands then working for the foreign service. Also if the US cant find the qualified individuals it needs to train them.
Militarily the US has bases all over the place, lets bring a lot of these troops home and close the bases. I understand the US cant just close them all and bring all US soldiers home immediately. But they can do a lot, this should also give them some money to work with to help create some of the needed programs.
These are some of the rudimentary ideas I currently have. Some may be totally wrong, I have more to add but that will have to wait for later.
Sunday, February 3, 2008
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1 comment:
I like your blog, Brian. Question: Which US presidential candidate would best promote such goodness to the nations?
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