posted March 16, 2003 at 3:17 p.m. MDTListening to CBC Radio's weekly national forum March 16, 2003 - The end of diplomacy? (other forums) and came up with the following for the web-based message board (I can't afford to have long distance phone connected)
Greed beyond Need
The world situation is a pretty good reflection of our personal relations: we have to conquer to avoid being conquered, and the US position is nothing more than a representative of that view.
"It's a long road and we're not done with it yet" says Gwynn Dyer, and that's so. What has to be recognized is that those who have been operating under the guise of liberalism and "the rule of law" have to show their true colours now. Citiznes have trusted too much for too long (corporations have more power and political clout than any true democrat can feel comfortable), and governments have signed away their powers for the sake of re-election on platforms of balanced budget. In short, the only thing we can count on is dedication to the historic project of emancipation (call it "enlightened self-interest" if you will), and that means relying on the integrity and vision and strength of the individual ... along side the likes of Martin Luther King Jr. and Mahattma Gandhi.
As is spelled out in a document from the US Naval Academy (The Pentagon's New Map) the American's view of empire makes it seems necessary, and what they say is necessary carries a lout of clout: might has never made right, but it has always been a compelling argument.
We didn't build for a peaceful world, we don't have a peaceful world, and so when push comes to shove we get pushed and shoved around.
Our mistake was thinking we could sit back and let the experts run things (with all respect due Gwynn and his peers).
Note: this morning I read through the World Federation of United Nation Associations to see how UN activities could be brought into the community ... what did you do today?
