US Imperialism in the garb of ‘Freedom of the World’

United States was formed on the principle of liberty and self-determination of the fate of the people of the American continent. American Revolution is considered to be an epic struggle for the rights of man. It was a struggle of the people of thirteen colonies against a world power i.e. the British Empire to free itself from the clutches of subjugation. The Revolution not only freed the people but also bonded them into a stronger bond of a united nation. The gifted leadership and its commitment to their founding principles made America a country which challenged the might of the world powers of the time in due course of time.

The first President of the United States, George Washington led America on a path that was free from any alignments. He gave the concept of neutrality in England’s war with France. Thomas Jefferson also advocated limited role for United States in world affairs. This policy was in consonance with the needs of the people as they needed to develop a strong and united nation. The continuous westward movement and the issue of slavery kept Americans busy at home. Even though they fought a war with England in 1812 but they refrained from any expansionism or exploration on other continents. This policy was given a more tangible shape when President Monroe presented his famous Monroe Doctrine in 1823 in his address to the Congress. Monroe Doctrine aimed at keeping European nations out of the affairs of the American continent in return for America’s avoidance of indulgence in European affairs. This did not restrain several American Presidents from interfering in the affairs of Latin American countries on different counts.

South’s greed for land in order to give strength to their advocacy for slavery in new states plunged America into a war with Mexico which later on led to annexation of Texas in 1840s. The Civil War fought between the North and South finally settled the question of slavery and United States was on the path for glory.

After the end of Civil War, production and growth rates were unprecedented and immigration also increased. Increased growth rates were evident from the fact that America surpassed all nations in production of different crops and its industrial output also multiplied. This called for new markets for American products as it was ready to supply its surplus to other countries. The reasons presented for the Spanish-American War in 1898 might have been different but this can be considered the start of American imperialism.US got Philippines and their presence there was applauded in the start but later on as a burden.

In the start of the 20^th century, President Roosevelt presented his Roosevelt Corollary to the Monroe Doctrine. It asked the Latin American countries to keep their finances in order so that Europeans can be kept at bay failing which US considered it as its right to intervene. US used it to intervene in different countries at different times. The rest of the time in the first half of the 20^th century, US were occupied with world wars.

After the end of the WWII, US entered into an ideological struggle with the Soviet Union called as the Cold War. This was the time when both countries fought proxy wars in different regions. This called for US political control of third world countries. US entered into alliances with different countries by offering aid or any other help to third world countries and stop the spread of communism. The Cold War ended with the collapse of the Soviet Union in the early 1990s.

The emergence of the United States as the sole power did not augur well for the rest of the countries especially the poorer parts of the world. A uni-polar world allowed US to maintain hundreds of bases to this day in different parts of the world. This was a form of neo-imperialism where the host countries like Saudi Arabia and Japan resented the presence of US forces on their soil. In Saudi Arabia, a bomb attack on the US forces in the city of Al-Khobar clearly demonstrated the resentment of the Saudi public to the continued presence of US armed forces. In Japan, charges of sexual harassment have been brought against US military men. This purpose of this continued US presence in different regions of the world is claimed to make the world secure and for the freedom of the people. The realist school of political thought preached by Hans Morgenthau disagrees with the incorporation of any ethical principles in political decision making.

United States has also faced strong criticism for its invasion of Iraq to free the Iraqi people from the cruelty of Saddam Hussein. This freedom came at a huge price which the Iraqi people continue to pay in the form of about half a million lives. Why are so many people getting killed years after the death of Saddam Hussein if the purpose of the US invasion was to free Iraqi people and the only threat to their freedom was Saddam Hussein. Saddam was ruthless and exterminated his opponents but he did not kill even fraction of that many men in his perennial rule as many US killed in a short period of time.

The rise of China and to some extent of Russia and the forming of Shanghai Corporation Organization clearly shows that US poses a threat to the security of the East. China has clearly said that ‘concrete models of political institutions should not be exported’ in response to US efforts of imposing democracy on people living in different demographics. This is a form of imperialism to facilitate US hold on world affairs and enlarge their strategic net. US reputation and as a result of the financial crisis its power has suffered a huge blow. It continues to be the world power but now others are catching up too while US power is on the decline due to it’s over involvement in world affairs.

United States has to change its attitude if it wants to retain its superpower status and play a constructive role in world affairs. They have to stop acting like the self-appointed saviors of the backward nations as they are not looked as that. American leadership might convince their own public by their rhetoric of saving the world and keeping their people under fear. The media plays a huge role in manipulating the minds of the people and showing some nations as evil. They release projected maps of the world showing secret US plans of changing the geo-political map of the world for its own interests. The reasons assigned for invasion of any country are unconvincing and the practice itself is against the Charter of the UN. US finds it easy to get the required resolutions passed from the Security Council which itself is based upon an unjust and discriminatory principle. Who gave US the right to be the judge of the right and wrong? What purpose UN has played in reining in the world power? US foreign policy is provocative as manifested by Bush era policies and does not serve the purpose of peace. North Korean leader Kim Il-Sung says, “The most important thing in our war preparations is to teach all our people to hate U.S.imperialism.”

President Obama seems to be following a more balanced approach by resurrecting disparaged US image in the world by sending peaceful messages by his speeches on the burning issues like Palestine and Nuclear Disarmament. He wants to discuss matters with the regional stakeholders before taking any steps which is a good omen for US and the rest of the world which has suffered due to US policies. Karl Liebknecht warns about the effects of imperialism in following words, “Like a cyclone, imperialism spins across the globe; militarism crushes peoples and sucks their blood like a vampire.”