Policeman Of The World Research Paper Example

The democracy and human rights policy was and is currently in use in many of the United States international events participation. The Libyan and Syrian civil unrests are two of the most notable events that the US participated in its endeavor to safeguard democracy and human rights. In the Libyan case, the US participated with the intent of freeing the Libyan masses from Muammar Gaddafi’s tyrannical rule. The rule was characterized with oppression, disregard of human rights and limited political space. The US had also the intent of safeguarding the innocent lives of the Libyans that were at the mercy of terrorist networks that were affiliated to the Gaddafi regime (Cox & Stokes, 2012). The next case, Syria saw the Americans and allied forces drawn from within Syria try to subdue Bashar Assad’s regime. The invasion was characterized by the Syrian government’s use of chemical weapons that led to many civilian deaths. Despite these valid reasons for invasion, pundits argue that America had also vested interests in both Libya and Syria. The Libyan case for instance was more about crushing the terrorist networks as well as installing a West sympathetic government. The Syrian case on the other hand was mainly motivated by America’s need to contain chemical weapons and stamp its authority in the Middle East geopolitics (Cox & Stokes, 2012).
The United States’ policing role can ultimately be observed in three international incidents since the Second World War. The 1955 Vietnam Civil War is one case scenario. The war that pitted the pro-US South Vietnam and the Communist North Vietnam was greatly fought on ideological basis. The war was primarily supported by the Americans due to its core aim of containing socialism globally. The war was not about the Vietnamese people but rather the contest between the two powers, the Soviet Union and America. The Somali invasion was the second incident that saw America plays its policing role. In 1991, the US invaded the war-torn Somalia to restore stability and peace (Kaufman, 2010). The country then was grappling with the effects of the overthrowing of the Siad Barre regime. The invasion, however, cost many American lives that made the then Clinton government to opt for a non-interventionist policy for other subsequent global conflicts. The third case was the Iraqi invasion. America invaded Iraq after credible information linked the Saddam regime to weapons of mass destruction. The US also pursued the invasion keenly due to reports regarding dictatorship and torturing of Iraqi opposition groups (Kaufman, 2010).
In conclusion, the US foreign policy has evolved over the years due to its strategic interests. It is these policies that have enabled America to fairly cement its place as a key player in geopolitical matters. This evolution from expansionist, isolationism to democracy and human rights protection policy in its foreign affairs mandate has significantly determined the nation’s engagements since its independence. The three policies were anchored firmly on the varied American needs over time (Gellert, 2002). Other historical aspects such as spread of morality and religion, acquisition of new territories and the rise of the industrial age were behind America’s shifting foreign affairs focus. The “world policeman” role was also highly influenced by these foreign policies translating to America’s participation in many global conflicts as aforementioned. The notable conflicts being Vietnam, Somali, and Iraqi wars have seen America both achieve and fail in equal measure in their endeavors. It has endured successes which have had their fair share of backlash and American casualties. As critically observed in all its participation on the international front, its safe to say much of the American foreign policies are anchored on self-interest.

References

Cox, M., & Stokes, D. (2012). US foreign policy. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Gellert, M. (2002). The fate of America: An inquiry into national character. Washington, DC: Potomac Books, Inc.
Kaufman, J. P. (2010). A concise history of U.S. foreign policy. Lanham, MD: Rowman & Littlefield.