Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Let's End American Dominance (unbelievable)
The Daily Beast ^ | 06/06/10 | Peter Beinart

Posted on 06/05/2010 9:16:49 PM PDT by OldDeckHand

Many Americans are anxious about the U.S. losing its supreme-superpower status. But in an excerpt from his forthcoming book, Peter Beinart says we need not dominate the world to enjoy it.

An excerpt from the conclusion of The Icarus Syndrome: A History of American Hubris, forthcoming by Peter Beinart, about learning from American history that America can live safely and profitably in the world without dominating it.

What America needs today is a jubilant undertaker, someone—like Franklin Roosevelt and Ronald Reagan—who can bury the hubris of the past while convincing Americans that we are witnessing a wedding, not a funeral. The hubris of dominance, like the hubris of reason and the hubris of toughness before it, has crashed against reality’s shoals. Woodrow Wilson could not make politics between nations resemble politics between Americans. Lyndon Johnson could not halt every communist advance. And we cannot make ourselves master of every important region on earth. We have learned that there are prices we cannot pay and burdens we cannot bear, and our adversaries have learned it too. We must ruthlessly accommodate ourselves to a world that has shown, once again, that it is not putty in our hands.

(Excerpt) Read more at thedailybeast.com ...


TOPICS: Constitution/Conservatism; Foreign Affairs; Government; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: liberals; obama; policy
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-24 last
To: OldDeckHand

This coming from the people who think the sea and air will obey their every command?


21 posted on 06/06/2010 1:18:33 AM PDT by eclecticEel (Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness: 7/4/1776 - 3/21/2010)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: OldDeckHand

i believe he is trying to say that America needs to be like europe. aloof, uncaring... standing above, yet apart and disinterested in the struggles of the lower classes... i mean, third world countries whose people are struggling for freedom.

last i checked, that kind of stance is that of a coward. someone too afraid to get their hands dirty to do what’s right. someone that would continue walking if they saw a mugging, because they didn’t want to get involved. i know this type of person. the author is the kind of guy that went to college never having a real job. pampered their whole life and truly believes he is above those less fortunate. a person of privilege but no real life experience or wisdom.

sorry peter... i WANT my country to stand up for those that cannot stand up for themselves.

i WANT America to be the bastion of hope for all people around the world.

i WANT America to put down dictators and thugs. to stand between the light and the dark and make a difference.

and if it’s tough... if we lose people defending those less fortunate... so be it. would you put yourself in harms way to save another? of course you wouldn’t, peter... it’s not in you. thankfully, Americans are made of much sterner stuff and believe in integrity and honor. that’s what we did during WW2, and that’s what we’ll continue doing.

otherwise, we might as well be france.

oh yea... and peter... go pound sand, you fruit.

france is that way -—>


22 posted on 06/06/2010 1:18:54 AM PDT by sten
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: OldDeckHand

“Peter Beinart says we need not dominate the world to enjoy it.”

Lib talk for “I want my communist/racist friends to rule the world.”


23 posted on 06/06/2010 4:37:51 AM PDT by sergeantdave
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: This Just In

those who beat their swords into plowshares—wil plow for those who didn’t.


24 posted on 06/06/2010 4:55:26 AM PDT by maine yankee
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 14 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-24 last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson