"What the left needs to cultivate is an intelligent synthesis, one that recognizes that the United States has a role to play in the world while also warning of the dangers of an imperial foreign policy." At least, Adam Shatz got this one right.
The only problem is that he's asking the left to become more like the right -- i.e., to exercise "intelligent synthesis". But, I'm not at all sure they're up to the job.
Please explain what an "imperial foreign policy" is and how on earth does the USA qualify as imperialist? The British Empire is a model of such a policy (that failed). Where are our colonies as part of our so-called Empire?