American Democracy in the 21st Century: A Look into the Effects and Val

I. Introduction to Global Leadership â€Å"The one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked† (Luke 12:48). â€Å"It is now a clichà © that America is the world’s only superpower†¦[n]ever before, however, has America been so alone at the pinnacle of global leadership.† It is this belief, that the U.S. has assumed the role of â€Å"global leadership, which caused American foreign policy to shift from being more isolationistic in the mid 20th Century to becoming infamously characterized by imperialism. Unfortunately, the modern interpretation of American â€Å"leadership† has been â€Å"taken to an extreme, [where] global leadership implies U.S. interest in and responsibility for virtually everything, anywhere.† It is because America clings so tightly onto this role as the world’s â€Å"police† that its foreign policy has made it become involved in the affairs of other countries, even when matters of national security or others are not at stake. The price of â€Å"global leadership† costs the U.S in excess of a $600 billion â€Å"defense budget spent to support U.S. aspirations to lead the world, not to defend the United States.† As American involvement in other nations increases, so declines international support and the legitimacy of the U.S.’s policy involving itself in serious international affairs. Recently, the United States became involved in yet another conflict which has no direct affect upon its economy or security. As of March, 2011 the U.S. started yet another bombing campaign against a third Muslim nation, Libya, on the basis that its leader Prime Minister, and Colonel, Muammar el-Qaddafi was committing â€Å"human rights violations† by attacking his own citizens, who were notably attempting to oust him from his role as Libya’s president. The Unit... ... 2011. . Ryan, Julia L, and Kevin J Wu. "Profs React to U.S. Involvement in Libya." The Harvard Crimson. Harvard University, 29 Mar. 2011. Web. 3 Apr. 2011. history-military-granara-libya/>. WPO. "World Publics Reject US Role as the World Leader." World Public Opinion. N.p., 17 Apr. 2007. Web. 3 Apr. 2011. pipa/articles/views_on_countriesregions_bt/ 345.php?nid=&id=&pnt=345&lb=btvoc>. Zunes, Stephen. "History of US-Libya Relations Indicates US Must Tread Carefully as Uprising Continues." Truthout. N.p., 24 Feb. 2011. Web. 3 Apr. 2011. history-us-libya-relations-indicates-us-must-tread-carefully-uprising-continues68 033>. American Democracy in the 21st Century: A Look into the Effects and Val I. Introduction to Global Leadership â€Å"The one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked† (Luke 12:48). â€Å"It is now a clichà © that America is the world’s only superpower†¦[n]ever before, however, has America been so alone at the pinnacle of global leadership.† It is this belief, that the U.S. has assumed the role of â€Å"global leadership, which caused American foreign policy to shift from being more isolationistic in the mid 20th Century to becoming infamously characterized by imperialism. Unfortunately, the modern interpretation of American â€Å"leadership† has been â€Å"taken to an extreme, [where] global leadership implies U.S. interest in and responsibility for virtually everything, anywhere.† It is because America clings so tightly onto this role as the world’s â€Å"police† that its foreign policy has made it become involved in the affairs of other countries, even when matters of national security or others are not at stake. The price of â€Å"global leadership† costs the U.S in excess of a $600 billion â€Å"defense budget spent to support U.S. aspirations to lead the world, not to defend the United States.† As American involvement in other nations increases, so declines international support and the legitimacy of the U.S.’s policy involving itself in serious international affairs. Recently, the United States became involved in yet another conflict which has no direct affect upon its economy or security. As of March, 2011 the U.S. started yet another bombing campaign against a third Muslim nation, Libya, on the basis that its leader Prime Minister, and Colonel, Muammar el-Qaddafi was committing â€Å"human rights violations† by attacking his own citizens, who were notably attempting to oust him from his role as Libya’s president. The Unit... ... 2011. . Ryan, Julia L, and Kevin J Wu. "Profs React to U.S. Involvement in Libya." The Harvard Crimson. Harvard University, 29 Mar. 2011. Web. 3 Apr. 2011. history-military-granara-libya/>. WPO. "World Publics Reject US Role as the World Leader." World Public Opinion. N.p., 17 Apr. 2007. Web. 3 Apr. 2011. pipa/articles/views_on_countriesregions_bt/ 345.php?nid=&id=&pnt=345&lb=btvoc>. Zunes, Stephen. "History of US-Libya Relations Indicates US Must Tread Carefully as Uprising Continues." Truthout. N.p., 24 Feb. 2011. Web. 3 Apr. 2011. history-us-libya-relations-indicates-us-must-tread-carefully-uprising-continues68 033>.