Ex.8. Work in small groups. Read and discuss the criticisms of US foreign policy. Formulate your own opinion on the issues mentioned.

Date: 2015-10-07; view: 532.

(A) Some critics of American foreign policy argue that the policy of promoting democracy may be ineffective and even counterproductive. Amy Chua, professor at Yale, writes in his book that such policy in developing countries is not always a good idea since it may lead to growing ethnichatred and global instability. Imposing democracy “from scratch” is unwise, and often doesn't work.

(B) American politicians have often been criticized for their hypocrisy. On the one hand, they often make statements supporting peace and respecting national sovereignty, but in reality there is military action such as in Grenada. The US has advocated concern for human rights but refused to ratify the Convention on the Rights of the Child. In sum, the US has been criticized for not maintaining a consistent policy.

(C) There are many concerns about the so-called American exceptionalism. There is a sense in which America sometimes sees itself as qualitatively different from other countries and therefore cannot be judged by the same standard as other countries. American exceptionalism is sometimes linked with hypocrisy. For example, the US keeps a huge stockpile of nuclear weapons and justifies that it can make an exception to a policy of non-proliferation.

(D) It has been noted more than once that American foreign policy is based on militarism. There are more than 350 major US military bases around the world. Today out-of-control military spending continues. Expenditures to fight the War on Terror are vast and seem limitless. The Iraq war was expensive and continues to be a severe drain on U.S. finances. This war is viewed by many as a mistake, since there were no weapons of mass destruction found, and the war continues today.

(E) There are also critics of the institution of presidency. Since the constitution requires no experience in diplomacy, government, or military service, it is possible to elect presidents with no foreign policy experience. In recent years, presidents were good at peanut farming, acting and state governing rather than at international affairs. The presidency of George W. Bush was attacked by numerous critics as being particularly incompetent, short-sighted, and unthinking – especially the decision to launch the second Iraq War.