If so, America's power to stand for freedom in the world – as it has since
its founding – will not only be greatly diminished but may lead to the nation's
demise.
Various Trump administration adherents have suggested that US activities
around the world have ill-served our national interests and are misplaced. Examples. Publicly singled out have been the Agency for
International Development and Ukraine as unimportant for America. There are
very strong arguments to the contrary, but the White House seems unimpressed.
Rather, the sentiment that seems persuasive is that America is not what it
used to be in its capacity to sit alone on the top of the world. It has no
alternative but to acknowledge its diminished power and influence on the world
stage.
Trump gives credence to this view by his scarcely concealed affection for
Putin's Russia and sympathy for China's claim to Taiwan and sovereignty over
the regrettably named China Sea.
What this means, probably, is that the US should concede, at least, two
spheres of influence on the globe which would recognize nations with huge land
masses dominating those states nearby. Thus,
Russia would assert its control over Eastern Europe and southward while China
gets Asia with presumably an exception for India which would unavoidably be
isolated (without American naval presence in the China Sea). America gets the North and South under its
sway with the Monroe doctrine reinvigorated
The result of such divisions will be fatal for the cause of freedom within
the jurisdictions of the tyrannical regimes of Russia and China. The City of Light
on the American Hill will not only be hard to see but its intensity will dim.
The US will no longer come to the aid of the world's Ukraines and Taiwans.
They will be in areas off-limits to outsiders and there will be no rescue of
such entities by outside friends of liberty, namely us.
What’s wrong with that? What concern of ours are the freedom and
democratic rights of others?
Simple. America was founded on the ideas of freedom and human rights. We
still have these values and most of us are willing to fight for them. That
commitment and follow through is part of what makes us exceptional.
Are we willing to concede our at least partial abandonment of our historic
identity? And do we realize that leaders of other spheres – given the
perspective opposed to ours – may long to invade and conquer ours?
Trump may be tempted by isolationist urges to think he can duplicate the
19th century's balance of power in Europe which is heralded as having prevented
major wars for 100 years. Powers today,
of course, are global in potential reach.
Thus new spheres are contemplated.
But America is not ready to be limited. That's not us, Trump and his
legions notwithstanding. Nonetheless,
what if their hopes come to pass and the
U.S. has only a “sphere” in the world?
Will we have any allies? From where? Will they be precluded from coming
to our aid if we are attacked because of the domination of Russia, or China or
some other power? Will fortress America be strong enough to fend off the new
alignment of interests arrayed against us?
Is Trump that much of a fool to start America's descent into oblivion?
