Re: American Imperialism?

From: Octavio Rojas Diaz (orojas@data.net.mx)
Date: Mon Mar 20 2000 - 11:28:20 MST


> To the extent that any particular foreign policy "hurts" America's
> relationships with its neighbors, it probably helps some influential
> American special interest, if not the US general populace (which is
less
> likely). And to be bluntly honest, while I whole-heartedly yearn for
> universal prosperity, if my government has a choice between a policy
which
> is going to benefit Mexicans and one which is going to benefit
Americans, I
> want my government to choose the latter.

I agree with that, it is obviously if you have to choose a policy that
benefits
you more than I, I'll probably do the same. However what about
policies that
benefit us both?

Our relations have improved a great deal over the years and that is in
fact
because, your government and ours have noticed that our future is
completely
linked, and that we depend on each other for a successful survival,
however
there is still a lot to do, specially on sore spots, like drug trade
or
the migrants issue, I'd like to see how that changes the moment we end
70 years of tyranny of the party who is currently in the power, and
the
chances are we'll kiss good bye the PRI soon. When that happens
opposition
governments will be more demanding of equal foreign policies, if our
economy
keeps growing at the rate it has been lately, without another sexenal
crisis
we'll be in the position to do it.

> Your question (my opinion of US foreign policy) is almost unmanageably
broad
> since there is no single US foreign policy, but a whole collection of
them
> for different interests and different areas of the world. But
generally I'm
> in favor of the US asserting the role of global cop where no other
nation or
> organization has the resources or political will to do so. I'm also
in
> favor of US attempts to foster democracy and free market capitalism in
the
> world as I personally believe that would be a boon to everyone,
particular
> those freed from the confines of communism and totalitarianism. As to
> specific foreign policy issues such as GATT and NAFTA, I'm really not
well
> versed in them and haven't given them much thought.

> Hope this helps.

Ok, let's accept that, the U.S. Playing the role of global cop has
done good things
too, and I value democracy and free market capitalism as much as you,
however I think
that instead of having a single country playing the role of our global
cop, we should have
to start a global committee, a lot more effective that the current
U.N. That plays
the role of a global cop and helps end oppression, communism and
totalitarism.

Another thing I dislike about the U.S. Foreign policy is that. They
appear to be promoting
free market capitalism and democracy, however we, their closest
neighbors have been ruled
by a bunch of authoritarian tyrants, who've done all sorts of crimes
ranging from mass murder
in the 68, to banning rock concerts or controlling free speech of the
media. Not only that
if we didn't have to survive under it's control our country's economy
would be comparable
to the world's most powerful ones, I'm no economy expert, but it's
easy to see how has this
country grown with the proper administration. However I've never seen
the U.S. government
saying a single thing and they usually express their preference on the
pri candidates, however
they assumed a neutral posture these elections, something I consider a
very positive change
of attitude, specially because the opposition candidate with the
highest probability of winning,
is going to talk with Bill Clinton to tell him how we should end with
the PRI's regime these elections
in the name of democracy, and how the pri's primary elections were a
complete fraud.

If our bilateral relations continue progressing the way there are now,
and we can adequately
solve the sore spots (Drug issues, free trade, etc)
I predict we'll see unprecedented cooperation between the nations of
northamerica
(Canada, USA and Mexico) comparable to what we see in Europe, in the
near future...
and then I'll be the first person in complimenting U.S. Foreign
policy.



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