American Colonialism
When one hears the term "colonialism," thoughts turn back to the 1800s whenEuropean nations divided up countries such as Africa and imperialismreigned. However, the term is coming back into conversations during thepast several years as people in the United States either fear or supportthe country's interventions in other countries. Depending on who isdescribing America's recent actions, this move toward so-called colonialismcan be quite necessary and an answer to the future or one of the worst Lance Selfa in "A New Colonial Age of Empire," recaps this risingmove toward colonialism over the past several years, especially after theSeptember 11 tragedy. He stresses the increased support seen from a host ofindividuals as proof. For example, Max Boot, editorial features editor forthe Wall Street Journal, wrote in the Weekly Standard a week afterPresident's Bush's war in Afghanistan "Afghanistan and other troubled landstoday cry out for the sort of enlightened foreign administration onceprovided by self-confident Englishmen in jodhpurs and pith helmets."National Review editor Richard Lowry added his support with a desire toestablish a U.S.-sponsored "protectorate" over Iraq after
It iscertainly a better international arrangement than all realisticalternatives. In fact, Selfa adds, all this colonialism talk is justa continuation of what has occurred for centuries. The resentment of power, even when it is in the hands of one's friends, isa normal, indeed, timeless human emotion - no less so than the arrogance ofpower. The question is not whether the United States will seek tofill the void created by the demise of European empires but whether it willacknowledge that this is what it is doing. Colonialism and imperialism have been condemned by most in thiscentury for imposing their values and robbing the resources of other lands. So why should anyone besurprised' Colonialism, he reminds the reader, started out as early as the Romanand Chinese Empires and continued in the 16th and 17th centuries withSpain, Portugal and England. They need to remember "just how importantcontinued American dominance is to the preservation of a reasonable levelof international security and prosperity. The British political class was not so sure it wanted to rule India, but commercial interests dragged it there anyway. It just moved into the guise of free trade,which spelled the depletion of resources worldwide. Selfa stands firmly behind the camp that negates such colonial views,even if it is couched as discreet global "hot spots" where interventionistsmade the case on "humanitarian" grounds. Kagan responds that "it is sufficient to note that during the supposedheyday of multipolarity - the-6-eighteenth century, when the first 'Concert of Europe' operated - war amongthe great powers was a regular feature, with major and minor, and globaland local, conflicts erupting throughout almost every decade. "The commingled feelings of reliance on and resentment towardAmerica's international dominance these days are neither strange nor new. Carefuluse of power is reasonable and controlled, concerned of the ultimateconsequences for all nations impacted and to used to support not todestroy. " However, there are those-and many of them-who support colonialism fora variety reasons.
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Acceptance Essays
