Blowback And American Foreign Policy Essay Research

Blowback, And American Foreign Policy Essay, Research Paper

BLOWBACK, AND AMERICAN FOREIGN POLICY

America prides itself on being the universe & # 8217 ; s largest world power, and the American public seldom hears about errors made by the American authorities. On the occasional happening when the media has delivered such controversial intelligence, it is gone before the populace truly has a opportunity to absorb all the information. American foreign policy is frequently times perchance making more harm than good to foreign states and the manner in which certain affairs are handled reflects on the American state as a whole. In Chalmers Johnson & # 8217 ; s book, BLOWBACK, he criticizes the American authorities for non taking full duty for its actions, and disregarding major jobs that we create.

One major unfavorable judgment of American foreign policy is the manner we handle certain events that affect our dealingss with foreign states. A reasonably recent happening at Okinawa, an island located at the southernmost tip of Japan, reflects a bad illustration of American military forces.

In September of 1995, two Mariness, Pfc. Rodrico Harp and Pfc. Kendric Ledet, along with Seamen Marcus Gill, raped a twelve-year-old miss at random. Apparently this is non uncommon, and the penalties for offenses like these are frequently delayed and indulgent. High-level military functionaries seem to understate the effects and earnestness of these offenses if non excuse them. Another major concern sing this incident is the sum of military bases in Japan, and their intent. At the clip of the colza, there were 42 American military bases on Okinawa. The cold war had been over for about ten old ages, and dealingss were assumed peaceable. Are all of these bases necessary? The United States authorities believes that American military presence in Okinawa is profiting the Japanese more than Americans. Other incidents affecting military forces and Nipponese civilians include, many car accidents, rummy drive, hit and tallies, and the usage of chemical arms proving on neighbouring islands. & # 8220 ; Each mini-crisis like this is in itself a mini-example of blowback. & # 8221 ; ( BLOWBACK, p50 ) The manner in which these events are handled reflects upon the American Government and it & # 8217 ; s policies. This besides affects the attitude of the Nipponese towards Americans.

In acknowledgment to the old statements that America needs to & # 8220 ; determine up & # 8221 ; its foreign policies, I somewhat agree with Chalmers Johnson. I believe that we do non needfully necessitate as many military bases on foreign dirt, and I believe that we should take more duty for our actions when carelessness is to fault. Johnson persuaded me to hold with him

, when he discusses offenses such as colza, and hit and run accidents due to drunkenness. I believe that our authorities should penalize anyone who is convicted of colza, military forces or civilian, consequently. I feel that the military should take more action in patroling its ain people, and modulate substance induced condemnable behaviour. I believe that it is in our states best involvement to procure peace with friendly states and addition regard from them non based on fright, but based on the fact that we are merely and reliable, every bit good as sensible. Our military should penalize those responsible for offenses on and off the bases, and we should stand behind our word. When a Marine killed three adult females who were walking on the pavement, with her auto, the United States agreed to pay a solatium to the household for their loss. The military paid a sum of 40 per centum of what they said they would, and made the sorrowing household mark a papers giving up all claims against the United States. This affects our relation with Japan since paying a solatium is a Nipponese usage and the authorities of Japan ended up paying the difference to the household. This is non good foreign policy. ( BLOWBACK, p45 )

On the other manus, I agree with the current state of affairs where neither Nipponese tribunals nor constabularies have legal power over our bases on their dirt. I do experience that we are Helping to maintain the Nipponese safe with our presence in Okinawa and other countries. I have ne’er enlisted in the military so I do non experience that I can project judgement towards military bases and their processs. I feel that we should regulate our bases, while still upholding American values and Torahs, nevertheless I do non experience that other authoritiess should be excluded from deriving information about peculiar processs, since they should be carried out rightly.

Our state is at hazard of losing foreign peaceable dealingss with certain states if we do non alter some of our processs. We are at a clip of demand when Alliess are looked upon for support against terrorist act. We need to stay on good footings with our Alliess to forestall these Acts of the Apostless from go oning once more and to do certain that we are given support to penalize responsible parties. However I think that we have adequate fiscal agencies to manage things on our ain, but holding support from our Alliess merely helps. This universe revolves around money. That & # 8217 ; s the bottom line. In the yesteryear, America has made some hapless determinations sing foreign dealingss, but most of the clip it is protecting our fiscal securities. Certain things should be changed to upgrade our popularity position with foreign states, and to guarantee that good moral values are incorporated with our policies.