America Has Prevented More Wars Than Any Other Country in History
UpdatedHuman history can be divided into two time periods. In the time period before the U.S. became a superpower, all the world's nations, kingdoms, dynasties, and tribes continually jockeyed for territory and power. War was a permanent condition all around the planet, and territorial borders were in perpetual flux. Geopolitical maps rarely stayed current for more than a year or two.
There was even a war in Europe during this time period called the Hundred Years' War that lasted over a century! War was the default condition for humanity, but in the 1800s America planted the seeds of change.
The Monroe Doctrine of 1823 outlawed new colonization in the Western Hemisphere. That historic foreign policy statement was the beginning of U.S. influence to compel all countries worldwide to respect sovereignty and end military imperialism.
A New Superpower
At the end of World War II the U.S. became a superpower and immediately the rate of wars began plummeting. Respect of sovereignty quickly became the norm. Today, most borders around the world are stable. Wars are now the exception not the norm.
Promoting freedom, human rights, and democracy is a team effort of many countries, and America is the superpower at the helm. In all of human history, the U.S. is the single greatest factor in reducing the number of wars.
Integrity
It's a myth that money explains everything and countries only act in their own self-interest. The UK set an early example of unselfish actions taken for the well-being of others when it passed the Slave Trade Act of 1807 and then proceeded to fight to end slavery worldwide.
"The unweary, unostentatious, and inglorious crusade of England against slavery may probably be regarded as among the three or four perfectly virtuous pages comprised in the history of nations." William Edward Hartpole Lecky, Irish historian
U.S. foreign policy is often altruistic, and it's safe to say that no other country in history has done more to stand up for human rights, freedom, and sovereignty.
Integrity in Action:
- High Seas — The U.S. Navy conducts Freedom of Navigation Operations to defend the rights of ALL countries to sail in international waters, and we have even conducted such freedom operations against our own allies.
- Anti-Corruption — The U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) makes it illegal for American companies to bribe foreign officials. That puts us at a business disadvantage, but it's the right thing to do and it's enforced.
- Achaemenid Empire — America even protects its enemies from crime. The FBI busted a crime ring trafficking stolen ancient Persian artifacts and shocked Iranian government officials by giving the recovered artifacts to Iran.
Stop Blaming America for the World's Problems
America is by far the world's most powerful and influential country, and it should surprise no one that we are involved in geopolitics around the globe. Leftists blaming the U.S. for the world's problems is like blaming a plumber for water leaks because plumbers sometimes get wet.
Leftists confuse involvement with military expansionism. While U.S. involvement has not been perfect, it's critical to understand that the U.S. has not used military force to expand our territory in over 100 years.
The fact that America is the one and only country that ever gets held up to a standard of perfection is pretty clear evidence that we're not the evil villain that self-hating leftists claim we are.
World Peace
ADs want our great country involved in as few armed conflicts as possible, but we know that allowing the world to be overrun by dictators, warlords, and jihadists is a recipe for dramatically more wars in the future.
In today's dangerous world, peace through strength is the only sensible path for America to take.