A philosophical debate at the highest international level
Obama's defense of American exceptionalism goes down badly.
Global Call to Arms Against 'American Exceptionalism' (Izvestia,
Russia)
"Only
Russia is standing up to America and its president. The rest of the world,
including Europe, has kept quiet. Europeans are happy and satisfied enough that
Obama isn't Bush, not realizing that with his arguments on exceptionalism,
Obama is preparing the ground for a new Bush, who is undoubtedly on the way,
and we will all end up paying for it. ... In no case should Russians stand
against this alone. They should be joined by the best of the world's
philosophers, the heads of traditional churches and representatives of all the
world’s religions, and, finally, the leaders of other countries. ... Russia has
a lot to take on, and God willing, it will succeed in this task, which is vital
to all of humanity."
The oral
and written discussion between the presidents of Russia and the United States
over the exceptionalism of America as a nation is in itself unprecedented. Not
for many years have superpower leaders discussed abstract, almost metaphysical
issues. And by all appearances, judging by Obama’s speech to the U.N. General
Assembly, in which the U.S. president reaffirmed his belief in a special role
for his nation, the argument has the potential to drag on. His Russian
colleague, or perhaps other Russian officials, will have to make a worthy rejoinder,
but under no circumstances should Obama be allowed to have the last word on the
subject.
[Editor's
Note: President Obama, in his speech to the 68th opening iof
the U.N. General Assembly, made the following remark about American
exceptionalism: "I believe America must remain engaged for our own
security. But I also believe the world is better for it. Some may disagree, but
I believe America is exceptional - in part because we have shown a willingness
through the sacrifice of blood and treasure to stand up not only for our own
narrow self-interests, but for the interests of all."]
Let
us draw our attention to two important points that often elude observers when
analyzing this debate taking place at the highest level.
First,
the debate shouldn't be treated as a mere exercise in political rhetoric among
statesmen. The subject is far from being as innocuous as it first appears.
Already, political commentator Robert Kagan, unlucky mastermind
behind the “League
of Democracies,” has on the basis of Obama’s reasoning asserted that
disarmament - either chemical, nuclear or other - should in no way concern the
United States, as it is a supposedly exceptional country, populated by an
exceptional people. If the world keeps silent as Obama speaks, then one imagines
that the same will be said of global initiatives on any subject unpleasant to the
United States, which, according to its president, has been placed by God himself
as “first among equals.”
Second,
note that today only Russia is standing up to America and its president. The
rest of the world, including Europe, has kept quiet. Europeans are happy and
satisfied enough that Obama isn't Bush, not realizing that with his arguments
on exceptionalism, Obama is preparing the ground for a new Bush, who is undoubtedly
on the way, and we will all end up paying for it. Yet the rest of the world
goes quietly about its affairs, failing to grasp the meaning of this skirmish
among titans.
There
is much at stake. The most obvious is the fate of international institutions.
If all countries swallow the idea of “American exceptionalism,” then the U.N.
(or at least the Security Council) can be discarded as unnecessary, as we would
have one country with the right to decide what to do, with the opinions of
other countries merely a consideration.
But
that's only half the trouble. In his article, President
Putin points out that for the sake of this “exceptionalism,” which is
expressed in a right to decide who lives and dies, other values will have to be
sacrificed.
Christianity,
for example. Aside from the Book of Mormon, recognized
only by fellows of Mitt Romney, there is no other holy text that speaks to us
about how the United States was chosen by God - or that its president has been
chosen to become emperor of the world. By the will of history, America has
turned out to be the most powerful nation in the world militarily. Christianity,
however, doesn't tell us that where there is power, there is truth. In fact, it
seems to support the opposite view.
Of
course, we can agree America has good state institutions, but they are in no case
ideal. We'll see how "God's chosen country" extricates itself from
yet another conflict between branches of power over the forthcoming vote on the
budget [on the debt ceiling]. To be sure, it has not arrived at such a state of
affairs since 1996, but the archaic condition of some government institutions
is recognized by many American political commentators.
What’s
more, Americans' belief in their “exceptionalism” is not an exclusive
phenomenon. Many of our fellow citizens believe that Russia was chosen by God,
and that laws to ensure world order don't concern us. I believe followers of
the late Osama bin Laden felt the same. Somewhere in the vastness of Asia,
there are still followers of Chairman Mao, unhappy that the celestial authorities
prematurely abandoned the worldwide export of revolution. They warned that flirting
with imperialism wouldn't end well. Should we now accept now that they were
right?
There
has been one immutable law throughout human history: movement in the direction
of equality for all people. The struggle for extending the vote and civil
rights has resulted in the empowerment of the poor, women, and finally people
of all bloods and races. History is now faced with international inequality:
the fact that some nations are indisputably stronger, and others, weaker. The
strong want to make this temporary inequality a permanent fixture so as to
strengthen their position through the stratification of society on the
international level.
Such an
attempt has already occurred in history. In the 1920s and 1930s, many Germans
believed that only their nation and race were exceptional, in the sense that
only they were capable of ruling the world, despite the protestations of other
peoples for equality and fairness. Re-read Nietzche
or Spengler from that point of view and a lot will become clearer. There was
even a certain logic in this: The Germans believed that neither the English,
with their narrow mercantilist view of history, nor the Russians, with their notions
of egalitarian justice [communism], were prepared to take responsibility for preserving
for the ages the colonial world order - a world order in which the White race
would retain its exceptional position. We well know where all these ideas brought
us: to a catastrophe on a planetary scale.
Posted By Worldmeets.US
In
destroying European colonialism, it seemed that the USSR and USA were together trying
to build a more just world. Russians so believed in the idea of establishing a
new world that they gave up their empire and their own ideology of
“exceptionalism.” Are Americans really so short-sighted as to destroy with
their own hands what just recently they, along with our country, gave humanity:
a belief in a just world order?
In no
case should Russians stand against this alone. They should be joined by the
best of the world's philosophers, the heads of traditional churches and
representatives of all the world’s religions, and, finally, the leaders of
other countries. It would nice if this focus on “exceptionalism” was condemned
as heretical, and Protestant theologians - those who are not in thrall of this heretical
doctrine, would put a spotlight on America today. Russia has a lot to take on in
international terms, and God willing, it will succeed in this task, which is
vital to all of humanity.
