Democracy Arsenal

« Curbing “Unwarranted Influence” | Main | Still Confused About Afghanistan »

June 17, 2011

The Debate on American Infallibility, Not Exceptionalism
Posted by David Shorr

Hanskung

Glad to see Roger Cohen's critique of the emerging 2012 foreign policy debate in this morning's International Herald Tribune. As Cohen points out, the Republican candidates are all peddling the same caricature:

They're trying to cast Barack Obama as a president who has sold America short, an impostor who has ditched the mystical belief in the unique calling of the United States that is American exceptionalism.

The real problem is the mislabeling of this debate. It's the idea of American infallibility, not exceptionalism, that divides the president and his critics. The Republican party line is that America knows best, and the only thing our foreign policy needs is to be firmer, more resolute, uncompromising, unwavering, resolute, and insistent. More like we really mean it. To my ears, the GOP leaders all sound like they're flattering themselves with the fantasy of being the Winston Churchills of our time -- courageously resisting evil forces.

American exceptionalism is the proposition that the United States is more than just another nation among 192, that we have constructive or even crucial leadership to offer. President Obama and his challengers are on the same side of that issue. American infallibility, on the other hand, rests on a moral clarity that sweeps aside any need to solicit others' support, understand other perspectives, or reach compromises.

As it's so often the case, you only need Stephen Colbert's brilliant satire to know how disconnected this is from reality. When Donald Trump withdrew from the 2012 race, Colbert fretted over the loss for foreign policy: "Who's gonna tell OPEC the fun is over? Who's gonna tell China to go f*** themselves?"

As I argued before Trump's withdrawal, he was merely voicing a cruder version of the same superficial, self-righteous, out-of-touch foreign policy approach as the others. Roger Cohen quoted Bruce Jentleson in his column and so will I, the following passage from Bruce and Steve Weber's excellent End of Arrogance book:

In a complex and rapidly changing environment it does not work well to repeatedly reinforce who we are and what we stand for. We know those things, and we know how they shape what we do, how we act, how we respond. Strategy is ultimately about how we influence what others do.

This is my test of seriousness for those who aspire to be commander in chief. And I'm still waiting to hear a candidate take the challenge of real-world effectiveness any more seriously than Donald Trump.

 

TrackBack

TrackBack URL for this entry:
http://www.typepad.com/services/trackback/6a00d83451c04d69e201543313db69970c

Listed below are links to weblogs that reference The Debate on American Infallibility, Not Exceptionalism:

Comments

your site was very beautiful site function

your site was very beautiful site function

your site was very beautiful site function

thank you very much admin

Look at the evidence. Recent military gains notwithstanding, we know that the current strategy is failing badly.

Look at the evidence. Recent military gains notwithstanding, we know that the current strategy is failing badly.Look at the evidence. Recent military gains notwithstanding, we know that the current strategy is failing badly.

Such a good writing, or by I saw for the first time. I'm quite happy, you are a good writer.

I Agreed with what you have said and this blog has helped me a lot to better understand about American Infallibility. you have given Information is beneficial for me also for others who wants to know this.

I will never hear "Drill, baby, Drill!" in quite the same way.

Pretty interesting site you’ve got here. Thanks for it. I like such topics and anything that is connected to them.


I hope that you are going to come up with the complete information soon. Highly appreciated. Thanks.

well, as this problem, i guess what we can do is wait and see.

Its one of the great debate about the infallibility and exceptionalism.It's the idea of American infallibility, not exceptionalism, that divides the president and his critics.I can get so many best things from your note.

Peace and development are the two themes of the today's world. National security is the premise and foundation of nation development. The Middle East is the most turbulent region today's world. I hope Middle East will be more peaceful.

Such a great Debate you have mentioned over here.Well the American Infallibility and the Exeptionalism divides presidents and his critics.This Discussion is really very interesting.

Your blog is great. Your thoughts are also very good and i am very inspired from your post. That is why I visit this blog again and again and will come back in future too. Thanks

Nothing beats finding some useful information, for my research, keep em coming.

Orem Employment Agency
Car Insurance Richmond

I have met some really neat people through the comments, I certainly want to encourage more me to comment. Thanks for the tips!
Office Cleaning Essex
Kinky

This is very straight forward,why not everyone like this.
Thanks for sharing.

How many people are going to have their past on display forever in 1s and 0s from now on, and will it change the way society views youthful foolishness?
In the future, people will submit a copy of their best sex tape with their resume.

great! I like it!

TMD, wo fa tiao pinglun rongyi me?


This appears positively perfect.I like it a lot, All these tinny particulars are created with whole lot of history knowledge.

i am very interest in your opinion, it is very good.

How many people are going to have their past on display forever in 1s and 0s from now on, and will it change the way society views youthful foolishness?
In the future, people will submit a copy of their best sex tape with their resume.

This is not necessarily an ideal solution, but it's certainly a more realistic one. Adopting such an approach, might also pay dividends for the U.S. in getting Islamabad to devote resources to taking on jihadist groups like Lashkar-e-Taiba, the Haqqani network and, of course, remnants of al-Qaida. Continuing the current strategy will only ensure that U.S. and Pakistani policymakers will remain at loggerheads, and that progress in Afghanistan will remain uncertain.


Thank you for this article. That's all I can say. You organize the article very well and your writing ability is really wonderful.As an English learner, this post is a little too difficult for me to understand. I hope one day I could write such good articles. I hope my English will be better and better.

How many people are going to have their past on display forever in 1s and 0s from now on, and will it change the way society views youthful foolishness?
In the future, people will submit a copy of their best sex tape with their resume.

Goldyangtze will have all you require additionally, by using air jordan shoes here, it will help you to get the most benefit out of it, with Goldyangtze coupon, you can get that low price each and every time, great savings upon all best selling name brand like:including Designer handbags, designer clothing, discount clothing and so on. Goldyangtze can enable you to have all these brand name shoes without having to becoming completely broke. There are Air Jordan shoes for sale online now. We are a large B2C'2 mall,the mail wholesale shoes,wholesale handbags,air jordan shoes,cheap clothes,and all the goods are high quality.Please be assured that purchase!We commitment every customer will place one good mood come to our Cheap Jordan shoes shop shopping.Offer the high quality wholesale shoes ,wholesale handbags ,Air jordan shoes, clothes and the lowest price. Shoes and handbags quality is guaranteed and We will send goods tracking service.

Dreaming is the design stage of wealth creation. By dreaming
therefore we make the mental picture of that wealth a reality. The size of your success in wealth creation ultimately depends on the size of your dreams. If you do not dream about wealth creation therefore you cannot create wealth.

I hope that you are going to come up with the complete information soon. Highly appreciated. Thanks.

Your site is very good. There are useful information and most importantly, for sharing great. Thank you.

This is one of the best post I found so far. The contents are very good and very informative.I subscribed to your RSS feed by the way!

Thanks, this is really cool!

It's funny how we adopt words and adapt our lexicon to the times

It's always nice when you can not only be informed, but also entertained! I'm sure you had fun writing this article.

Such a good writing, or by I saw for the first time. I'm quite happy, you are a good writer.


Well Bob, unlike these other sneaker fiends or you perhaps I don’t have 250 pairs stashed in my closet. I come from a family that believes if you want, you earn it. Much like the Americans dream. So for that reason the only pair of sneaks is the ones that I have earned. So since I started making money I have copped every pair of Jordan

man if think u shod take me because if no a lot about af1 high tops and low tops i grow up in the streets of Brooklyn and as kids we all had nukes init and if got some sick Nike af1 bob marled ones and blood trainers so hit me up if wont me to come

This is not, by all means, the only way to approach Web copywriting and site architecture, but it may be a method well worth trying if your team adapts and feels comfortable with it.

On that issue, we have a problem of how we look at / talk about foreign aid, and Brooks' wide-roaming critique is symptomatic. Just look at the different rubrics he mentions in his assessment of Afghanistan: health, education, economic growth, stability, violence, employment of the most highly educated, and corruption / governance. Apart from any assumptions about links between quality of life and instability -- Brooks' main line of criticism -- to judge aid effectiveness fairly we need to distinguish among the varied objectives of different aid efforts, and overcome our tendency to lump them together.

This is not, by all means, the only way to approach Web copywriting and site architecture, but it may be a method well worth trying if your team adapts and feels comfortable with it.

I’ll be really curious about what you think of the pizzas then! Enjoy and keep me posted.

Thanks admin Yangın dolabı yangınshop yangın sondurme sistemleri yangın ekipmanları itfaye bağlantı elemanları en kaliteli yangın hortumları yangın tüpü dolum satış Yangın dolabı

Thanks admin Yangın dolabı yangınshop yangın sondurme sistemleri yangın ekipmanları itfaye bağlantı elemanları en kaliteli yangın hortumları yangın tüpü dolum satış Yangın dolabı

Love them I went with my regular size and they fit perfect. They are so comfortable and they look great. Everyone should own a pair.

Love them I went with my regular size and they fit perfect. They are so comfortable and they look great. Everyone should own a pair.


I was in low spirits before,but now i read your writting,i feel a little better!

From Sunrise and sunset,permanence is the river of time. Back in the million years ago, humans have learned to observe and control the time of the operation of the law. From the corona to the atomic clock, the human mastery of time and measurement methods had changed more and more science, sophisticated. watches replica real development is from the beginning of the 16th century and spread knowledge of science and technology. With the timer design, improvement, manufacture and spread, the clock have being started around our side and along with the progress of human society have being progressed. It not only improve our way of life, but aosl their own is fine art and Priceless. As watch enthusiasts should know that clock follow the time's the tracesin in the footsteps.

love you not because of who you are,but because of who I am when I am with you.

Looks great feeling.

Thanks for all of the hard work on this web site. I admit, I have not been on this website in a long time, however it was joy to find it again. It is such an important topic and ignored by so many, even professionals! I do enjoy writing but it just seems like the first 10 to 15 minutes are lost simply just trying to figure out how to begin.

Great article.

There really needs to be a law that forbides retired military officers from lobbying for defense industries.Prohibitions on lobbying for retired military personnel would also prevent current officers from vouching for useless weapons programs since there would be no career prospects for them.

Thank YOU for sharing your comments and insights. I really appreciate it! Amazing art on your site!

Keep up the great work, its hard to find good ones. I have added to my favorites. Thank You. This article gives the light in which we can observe the reality. This is very nice one and gives in depth information.

Nice post! I have read it carefully and I'm like it very much. Thank you for your post it out for us!

This was an informative post. America is indeed in trouble.

We have gotten many great comments from our customers and earn a good reputation in foreign makerts, more than 90% customers are satisfied with our products and service, till now our online members are beyond 80,000. As of right now, we Replica Handbags currently serve customers from over 18 countries, and we are still growing. We really hope to expand our business through cooperation with individuals and companies from around the world.

She said the show will also star a chorus of singing TV actors who will introduce the award categories. They might melodically move the show along, too."If any of our winners go long, they'll be gently singing them off," promised Lynch.Inside the Nokia Theatre, the sweeping set was coming together. On one side of the stage, an enormous Emmy statue was showered in glittering charms. On the other side, a raised platform was surrounded by multiple screens. At the center was a voluminous circular screen doubling as an entryway.

I support your opinion entirely,and will follow the further post,thks anyway

but I want to tell you there is a execting website dollar stores ,everything just be sold a dollar.yes ,it is true,my friend

ort your opinion entirely,and will follow

No one can succeed without any hard work. Karl Max was successful, because he spent more than 30 years writing the book "Communist Manifesto"; Tomas Edison succeeded, because he had experimented thousands of times to find the best material for lights. Every success calls for hard work. If you want to suc-ceed, work hard first.zhongchengmaoyi110post

Thanks for this post. I definitely agree with what you are saying. I

have been talking about this subject a lot lately with my mother so

hopefully this will get him to see my point of view.

Thanks for the insight. You are absolutely right.

Democracy is the best revenge.

Thanks for the insight. You are absolutely right.

I Agreed with what you have said and this blog has helped me a lot to better understand about American Infallibility. you have given Information is beneficial for me also for others who wants to know this.

Thanks for this post. I definitely agree with what you are saying.


A real lot of useful info here!These are all great comments here. Very cool article.

I want to discuss that when you will make a genius product or site ,that will defiantly accepted by every one and positive commenting will also your right.i m also in a list of your well wishers!!!!!!!

Although there is no doubt for greatness you site.so i think some twist on it like:
HAPPY NEW YEAR

HAPPY NEW YAER TO EVERY ONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!

A man can fail many times, but he isn't a failure until he begins to blame somebody else.

Post a comment

Comments are moderated, and will not appear on this weblog until the author has approved them.

This weblog only allows comments from registered users. To comment, please Sign In.

Subscribe
Sign-up to receive a weekly digest of the latest posts from Democracy Arsenal.
Email: 
Powered by TypePad

Disclaimer

The opinions voiced on Democracy Arsenal are those of the individual authors and do not represent the views of any other organization or institution with which any author may be affiliated.
Read Terms of Use