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, someonelike Franklin Roosevelt and Ronald Reaganwho 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 realitys 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 ...
This coming from the people who think the sea and air will obey their every command?
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 -—>
“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.”
those who beat their swords into plowshares—wil plow for those who didn’t.
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.