What’s the smartest foreign policy choice for the U.S. now? Remember that good strategy is inevitably about saying yes and no to the right issues. That being the case, how should U.S. politicians be answering this question? Richard Haass, the well-known diplomat, policy author and former President of the Council on Foreign Relations, flips the switch and pushes the reset button to answer this question in his latest book. In fact, he’s playing with heresy.
Set aside your doubts. Haass has not been inspired by Wile E. Coyote.
The political system makes it difficult to be much of an optimist. And the hawks and defense industries along with retiree and public service unions don’t help at all. The emphasis upon involvement in Syria drives me nuts after our involvements in Iraq and Afghanistan. What most frustrates me as a historian with background in intellectual history and rhetoric is the seeming ignorance of politicians who believe that cultures can be changed readily. So Haas book is indeed welcome.
My standard response to cultural ignorance and American involvement is a business story about Mercedes-Benz merger with Chrysler in 1998. The German CEO, I believe it was Helmut Werner, indicated it would be a true merger. I laughed out loud at such American stupidity and Detroit’s phenomenal ignorance of the German culture. The Germans will run Chrysler and that will be that, I argued. My auto friends didn’t believe me, but soon the “merger” became German hell. The Germans took Chrysler for a ride. And eventually, after the shake-out, the German CEO had the guts to admit that he lied. That was the only surprise in the fiasco. Culture, especially Middle Eastern cultures, change very slowly, making our involvements largely a sad waste of time, treasury and our brightest young people.
Like Haass, I have no confidence that lessons have been learned from our war involvements. But I also believe that Haas has the correct strategy for our future. Like any effective strategist, he tells us what to do and what not to do. Here’s his summary:
DO:
Create a national infrastructure bank to rebuild the U.S.
Double visas and increase green cards for the highly skilled.
Reduce entitlements through means testing.
DON’T:
Try to remake the middle East in our image.
Ask our military to solve every foreign policy problem.
Expect the “international community” to act.
Haass makes his point clear: Don't get me wrong. I have not become another declinist. This country enjoys great strengths and potential alike. But no American ought to be sanguine about where this country is or is heading; it is clear that the U.S. is underperforming. Nor am I an isolationist. It would be folly in an era in which borders are not barriers. But only by getting its own house in order will the U.S. be in a position to set an example other societies will want to emulate. And only by fixing itself will the U.S. possess the resources necessary to discourage the emergence of a serious political and military competitor--or deal with it should one emerge.
It's time to level with ourselves: we have been overreaching abroad and underachieving at home. Winston Churchill is often quoted as saying, "You can always count on Americans to do the right thing--after they've tried everything else." All I can say is that I hope he is right, because we clearly seem to be intent on trying just about everything else.
Richard Haass: Foreign Policy Begins at Home: The Case for Putting America's House in Order.
Flickr photo: lionhead2