15 Cases: Constructive vs Destructive U.S. Foreign Policies
FEATURED RESEARCH PAPER, 12 Feb 2018
Johan Galtung – TRANSCEND Media Service
12 Feb 2018
The right column is sadly familiar; add more recent cases.
The left column also carries an element of sadness but nothing really radical; more like common sense that could easily be translated into political practice.
And yet it does not happen, to the detriment of the parties concerned: the USA and its relations to the world. USA wants to be feared but reaps hatred with right column politics. Does it want to be loved?
A theory is something tested along its edges (Quine); what you deduce from the theory–and to me the key “edge”–is its action-consequences.
| CONFLICTS | CONSTRUCTIVE, POSITIVE | DESTRUCTIVE, NEGATIVE |
| FINANCIAL F
REAL R ECONOMY CRISIS |
Encourage local saving banks
Publish M2 Check Fed Reserve Tax speculation Drop bonuses Outlaw basic needs speculation Democratic control of central banks, state or private Mixed world currency |
More F than Real growth
More money than value Serving loans not people Countries in debt bondage Globalization through privatized central banks US$ world reserve currency |
| TERRORISM | Identify their just goals
Publish Atta Who did 9/11? |
Extra-judicial execution
SOCO-Drones Covert war |
| US-ISRAEL vs ARAB-MUSLIM
STATES |
Palestine recognized; and
A two states solution; and A Middle East Community MEC Israel and 5 Arab neighbors 1967 borders with revisions; and Org for Sec Coop West Asia |
Tail wagging dog:
Israel wagging USA; AIPAC wagging Congress Judeo-Christianity is anti-Islam. Danger: Extreme US anti-semitism |
| LIBYA | Self-determination for parts, Federalism with democracy | Continued anarchy
Unitary state illusion |
| SYRIA | Self-determination for parts,
Federalism with democracy |
Attack; SCO response?
split Syria, rule parts |
| IRAQ | Self-determination for parts,
(Con)federalism with democracy Kurdish autonomous communities |
Withdrawal only:
no rebuilding, no compensation |
| IRAN | Conciliation for 1953,
Middle East nuclear free zone Cooperation on non-fossil energy |
Attack, SCO response?
No Iran nuclear arms Controlling Iran oil? |
| PAKISTAN | Pashtun autonomy, drop Durand Self-determination in Kashmir
Indian-Pakistani-Kashmiri parts |
Building a Durand fence
Extrajudicial execution SOCO-Drones Covert war |
| AFGHANISTAN | A Central Asian Community
Federation Local autonomies OIC-UNSC joint peacekeeping Nonaligned, no bases |
Withdrawal only;
no rebuilding, no compensation keeping troops, bases |
| KOREA | Peace Treaty with N Korea
Normalization USA-N Korea Korea as nuclear free zone |
Marginalizing N Korea
US-SK military exercises Breaking agreements |
| CHINA | Open high level dialogue,
Mutual learning in economics Civil and economic rights |
Encircling, sub-sat-navy
“Reform”=neoliberalism civil rights only |
| JAPAN | Japan in NE Asian Community
Good relations to USA, APEC+ USA pulls out of Okinawa |
Impeding conciliation
Keeping Japan as client Subverting A9 |
| AFRICA | Welcome African Unity
Build with China E-W highway |
AFRICOM
Military intervention |
| LATIN AMERICA | Welcome CELAC integration
Equity Latin/Anglo-America Normalization USA-Cuba |
Military intervention
Supporting coups CIA micro-management |
| WORLD | All human rights conventions,
across state borders National self-determination Dialogue of civilizations Stronger UN, with parliament |
Civil-political only,
within state borders Unitary state models Western universalism US exceptionalism |
______________________________________________
Johan Galtung, a professor of peace studies, dr hc mult, is founder of TRANSCEND International and rector of TRANSCEND Peace University. Prof. Galtung has published more than 1500 articles and book chapters, over 500 Editorials for TRANSCEND Media Service, and more than 170 books on peace and related issues, of which more than 40 have been translated to other languages, including 50 Years-100 Peace and Conflict Perspectives published by TRANSCEND University Press. More information about Prof. Galtung and all of his publications can be found at transcend.org/galtung.
This article originally appeared on Transcend Media Service (TMS) on 12 Feb 2018.
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3 Responses to “15 Cases: Constructive vs Destructive U.S. Foreign Policies”
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Extremely interesting but the tables seem more like a kind of brainstorming session written down than a research paper? What is meant by “Publish Atta Who did 9/11”? And what does “Publish M2” mean.
The left collum reads like common sense, the right like stereotypical modern american behaviour (started with JFK), although it started somewhat in 56-60 with Eisenhower too, and its stereotypically poor outcomes for all involved, including the USA!
Ok but why stop at the US? Why not make similar columns for Putin’s Russia and for China?
Obviously all major powers in the world have comperable dichtomies.
Jon/Göteborg
Ha, good idea.