Opening the Garden Gate

by Rachel Stockman

Is America really the most economically, financially and socially secure country in the world? Or, is America’s pro-claimed dominance, by some, really our own arrogance? "Some of our perceived arrogance is really arrogance," said David Rothkopf, former Under Secretary of Commerce. Learning how to "balance appropriate humility with necessary strength is crucial." Mr. Rothkopf admitted, "We have done a lot of good... but the United States has the tendency to lecture and bully."

What creates peace on earth and good will towards men in an ever-shrinking world is the recognition that every other country around the world is now in our figurative backyard. "We are seen as the big house up on the hill. We are the rich family, and we have to decide when there is fighting down in the streets in the bad part of town, whether we let it go on, or wait for it to spread until it hits our garden wall?" To think that trouble on the other side of the world won’t affect us is sheer ignorance. It behooves us to know and care about what is happening in our next door neighbor’s lawn, because it can cause devastating results in this country.

The nature of the balance of power throughout the world has changed dramatically since the Cold War. "We have moved into a world now where the US has a disproportionate power - nobody can threaten us directly - but in which smaller players, such as terrorists can, through technology, have access to weapons of mass destruction," Mr. Rothkopf stated. This concerns many people, especially since many terrorists place little value on their own lives, and many terrorists are willing to assume extreme measures, perhaps utilizing weapons of mass destruction, to get their message across. How do we prevent such concerning acts of terrorist disaster? "Well, we take a position of zero tolerance with regard to nations or actors who make that threat worse. We need to track the tools and elements of weapons of mass destruction. We need to be able to have the cooperation of our allies to be able to do that, too. And, having said all of that, we need to recognize that, thanks to the internet, advanced telecommunications and travel technology, it is really hard to do. We need to be prepared for the inevitable attacks and be able to deal with their consequences," Mr. Rothkopf explained.

In order to bring greater security to our people, we, as Americans, need to come to grips with the conflicts and tensions in other countries. China, Taiwan, the Middle East and Korea are places where domestic tensions might cause the US to get involved. "Certainly, any instability that might draw Russia into a conflict, particularly if the Russian government becomes more nationalistic, poses a threat to the United States," Mr. Rothkopf added.

"Every trade channel is not just about the exchange of goods, it's also about the exchange of ideas and ideals which get exposed to new areas of the world and provide a new sense of opportunity. I think that advances our own interest much more compellingly than government could do."