I’ve studied post-war foreign policy pretty extensively (or, at least, I’ve read a lot of books on the subject) and I really do believe that America erred in seeing every problem in the world through the prism of how it benefited or hurt world communism. But we can take that criticism too far. And I think the left generally does take that criticism too far. The reasons are obvious. The U.S. committed a series of overreactions and blunders during the Cold War. But one thing we generally got right (or, at least, were prudent to pursue) was molding our Middle Eastern policy around undermining Soviet influence in the region.
I can’t really do a whole essay on the subject right now, because it is too broad and covers too many regions and conflicts to allow a quick overview. But in the immediate post-war environment, we were right to see the Persian Gulf as a vital national security area whose energy was key to any global struggle against the USSR. And, obviously, the USSR borders the region, while we are half a world away. So, it was critical that we maintain a world class navy, and that we establish some friendly ports and strategic airbases.
When John McCain (and the Washington Establishment, more generally) talks about spending 100 years in Iraq, he is thinking about these types of strategic interests. I don’t think the view that radical Islam is the new Soviet totalitarianism is a valid one. But that doesn’t mean we don’t have some legitimate concerns about the world’s energy supplies falling out of our control. And I don’t mean concerns about profits for western energy companies. I mean getting into a situation where energy can be withheld to blackmail or coerce us into taking actions we do not feel are in our national interests, or in the interests of our allies.
The Establishment never likes to talk in there terms. They like to pretend we are interested in combating Soviet expansionism, or Islamic terrorism, or in promoting freedom and democracy. But we are not going to change our policies until we deal with reality as our policy makers see it.
Right now, the policy makers are concerned that the Iraq War has empowered Russia, China, and Iran. And that’s true…that is exactly what the war and high gas prices have done. And, on balance, Russia, China, and Iran are on the undemocratic side of the world power equation.
What I think this means is that we have to face up to two tough realities. First, we need to stop doing what we’re doing in Iraq because it is hurting us and empowering undemocratic powers and undemocratic instincts within those powers. But, second, we do have an interest in maintaining our power in the Middle East. I hate to say that, because I’d like to pull everything out of the Middle East and let them focus their frustrations on solving their own problems rather than on hurting us.
I don’t think that is prudent at the moment, but it is so desirable that we should put all our energies into finding ways to make it so that we do not have a strategic interest in maintaining secure access to the Middle East’s energy supplies. And that means we should use everything that is in the toolbox, including off-shore drilling, nuclear, new refineries, solar, wind, conservation…whatever. All of it should be on the table.
I am pretty sure that we can’t fix our foreign policy and energy problems unless we are willing to both stay with more of a presence in the Middle East than I would like, and become much more aggressive about creating our own energy (including things most liberals vigorously oppose).
Thoughts?
