International Monetary Fund
From the SelectedWorks of Warren Coats
Winter 2016
American Exceptionalism ala the Cheneys and
Charles Murray
Warren Coats
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons CC_BY International License.
Available at: http://works.bepress.com/warren_coats/35/
AmericanExceptionalism
ReviewsbyWarrenCoats1
AmericanExceptionalismhasbeendefinedinvariouswaysbysocialobservers
fromAlexisdeTocquevilleinthe19thcentury,toSeymourMartinLipset,Daniel
Boorstin,RichardHofstadter,andbeyond.Atitscoreareanindividualism,selfreliance,workethic(theProtestantEthic)andrepublicanism(i.e.absenceoffeudal
traditions)thatwerereflectedintheAmericanConstitution.
TheEuropean,liberal,intellectualtraditionsoftheEnlightenment(JohnLocke,
DavidHume,AdamSmith,etc.)profoundlyinformedthethinkingofAmerica’s
foundingfathers,butwithimportantpracticaldifferences.Themostsignificantin
myviewarethatunliketheMagnaCarta,whichwrestedmoreautonomyforthe
peoplefromtheKing,thefreemenandwomenofrevolutionaryAmericagaveupa
limitedamountoftheirautonomytoanewstateinordertobetterprotecttheir
propertyandindividualrights.Thedirectionofdelegationwastheexactoppositeof
whattheworldhadeverseenbefore.Itisnotwithoutprofoundsignificancethat
ourConstitutionbeginswith“Wethepeople.”Secondly,thevastresourcesand
opportunitiesofthisnewworldaffordedbyAmerica’sgeographyandsuchaliberal
regimeattractedthebestandthebrightestfromaroundtheworld.Itattracted
peoplemostdeterminedtotakeadvantageoftheopportunitiesopentothemin
America.ThispopulatedAmerica2withaself-selected,entrepreneurial,andhard
workingcitizenrytobuildthisnewnation,unlikeanyotherthathadprecededit,
andwithastronginterestinpreservingthelimitedroleofgovernmentthathelped
makeitpossible.ItwasacountryoffreeandvirtuouspeopleandasThomas
Jeffersonsaidattheendofhispresidencyin1809:“thesoledepositoryofthesacred
fireoffreedomandself-government.”3ThesefactorsmakeAmericansandtheir
institutionsofgovernmentexceptionalindeed.
AfterdeTocqueville’sextensiveexplorationofAmerica’suniqueness,othershave
addedinterestingcharacterizations.SeymourMartinLipsetinthemiddleofthe
1990susedtheconceptofexceptionalismtoexplain“whytheUnitedStatesisthe
onlyindustrializedcountrywhichdoesnothaveasignificantsocialistmovementor
Laborparty.…”Asanaside,andasanexampleofpeoplewithquitedifferent
politicalandreligiousviewsspontaneouslycollaboratingtodefendsharedvaluesof
1WarrenCoatsretiredfromtheInternationalMonetaryFundin2003whereheled
technicalassistancemissionstomorethantwentycountries(includingAfghanistan,
Bosnia,Egypt,Iraq,Kenya,Serbia,Turkey,andZimbabwe).HewastheU.S.
Treasury’sSeniorEconomicAdvisortotheCentralBankofIraqin2003-4.Hehasa
BAinEconomicsfromtheUCBerkeleyandaPhDinEconomicsfromtheUniversity
ofChicago.
2Withapologiestoitsnativeinhabitantsandthosebroughthereasslaves.
3QuotedinTuckerandHendrickson,EmpireofLibertyp7;seeJohnP.Foley,ed.The
Jeffersoniancyclopedia(1900).
1
freedom,duringtheFreeSpeechMovementof1964attheUniversityofCaliforniaat
Berkeley,Imetmanytimeswithfourotheruniversityclubpresidents(the
presidentsoftheYoungPeoplesSocialistLeague,YoungRepublicans,University
conservatives—mygroup,YoungDemocrats,andanothersocialistgroupIcan’t
remember)inProfessorLipset’sofficelateatnightinanefforttobringmorereason
totheFSM,whichwasbeingtakenoverbyMarxistradicals.TheYPSLpresident
wasProfLipset’sresearchassistantandthushadakeytohisoffice.
Morerecently,in2009,PresidentObamasummarizedourexceptionalismcloserto
myownformulation:"Wehaveacoresetofvaluesthatareenshrinedinour
Constitution,inourbodyoflaw,inourdemocraticpractices,inourbeliefinfree
speechandequality,that,thoughimperfect,areexceptional....”
Andstillmorerecently,formerWorldBankPresidentRobertZoellickcharacterized
itasfollows:"Intheneweraof1776,individuallibertyandinitiativewouldbethe
sparkofAmerica’senergy,athomeandabroad.TheExceptionalismofAmericahas
beenthatAmerica’sessentialpowerisfoundinthedynamismofitscitizens—notin
monarchs,aristocraticnobles,priestsorclergy,officerswithgoldbraids,oreven
ranksofgovernmentofficials.Americanshavebeenexplorers,engineers,and
entrepreneurs—alsomerchants,missionaries,mechanics,andmariners."4
Inthepostcoldwarerawenowoccupy,neoconshaveattemptedtoredefineour
Exceptionalismtomeananevangelisticobligationtocarryourinstitutionstothe
restoftheworld.TheywentquitebeyondPresidentReagan’svisionofAmericaas
theshiningcityonthehill—"Youarethelightoftheworld.Acitythatissetonahill
cannotbehidden."Matthew5:14.InhisfarewellspeechtotheNationin1988
Reagansaidofthiscityonthehill:“Inmyminditwasatall,proudcitybuiltonrocks
strongerthanoceans,windswept,God-blessed,andteemingwithpeopleofallkinds
livinginharmonyandpeace;acitywithfreeportsthathummedwithcommerceand
creativity.Andiftherehadtobecitywalls,thewallshaddoorsandthedoorswere
opentoanyonewiththewillandthehearttogethere.That'showIsawit,andseeit
still.”ForReagan,Americaprovidesanexamplethattherestoftheworldwould
wanttofollow.Fortheneocons,wehadanobligationto“give”ourinstitutionsto
theworldandtoprotectothersfromthosewhowouldpreventthemfromadopting
them.
Thenewbookbyfather-daughterDickandLizCheney,“Exceptional:WhytheWorld
NeedsaPowerfulAmerica,”5isnotaboutthequalitiesoftheAmericanpeopleand
thestructuresofitsgovernmentthatmakeAmericaexceptional,butratherabout
“theoneessentialcountry”andtheobligations,particularlymilitaryobligations,of
itsempire.ThebookbeginswiththerunuptoWorldWarIIandthecritical
importanceofRoosevelt’sconvincingtheAmericanpublictosupportGreatBritain
4RobertZoellick:“ForeignPolicy:TheCurrencyofPower”CouncilonForeign
Relations,Oct12,2012.
5Simon&Schuster,NewYork,NY,2015
2
withthearmamentsofwartostaveoffGermany.Assuch,itisawellwrittenand
readableaccountofthevitalroleofAmericaanditsrisetothemostpowerfulnation
inhistory(leavingasidetheAchaemenidPersianEmpire,550–330BC;theRoman
Empire,202BC–1452AD;theArabEmpireorCaliphate,642-1258AD;Mongol
Empire,1206–1707AD;OttomanEmpire,1396-1878ADandtheBritishEmpire,
1607-1949,etc.).Itisastoryofwar,thenecessityofwar,andthegloryofwar.
Theirfirstchapter,whichtakesusfromthebeginningofWWIItoitstheend,
crescendoswiththegloriouswords:“Weliberatedmillionsandachievedthe
greatestvictoryinthehistoryofmankind,forthegoodofallmankind.America—
theexceptionalnation—hadbecomefreedom’sdefender.”
TheCheneysprovideaninterestingandreadable,high-levelsummaryoftheCold
War.Theyinclude—quotingNYTreporterScottyReston—suchinterestingtidbits
asKhrushchev’sassessmentofaninexperiencedJohnFKennedyemboldeningthe
SovietleadertobuildtheBerlinWall.WithregardtoAmerica’swarinVietnamthey
notethat,“thewaythewarendedwastragic….Perhapsthemostsignificant
obstacletooursuccesswasthatourpolicywasneveraimedatdefeatingthe
enemy.”WearealsotreatedtoinsidestoriessuchaswhenCheney,asPresident
Ford’sWhiteHouseChiefofStaff,advisedthePresidenttomeetwithAleksandr
Solzhenitsyn,whohadbeenstrippedofhisSovietcitizenshipbecauseofthe
publicationof“TheGulagArchipelago”.ThemeetingwasturneddownbytheWhite
HousefearingthatitwouldbeanaffronttotheSoviets.
FollowingthesignificantimprovementinrelationswiththeSovietUnionofMikhail
GorbachevduringtheadministrationsofRonaldReaganandGeorgeH.W.Bush
(underwhomDickCheneyservedastheSecretaryofDefense),theactivitiesofAl
Qaeda,whobeganasAmericansupportedfightersduringtheSovietwarin
Afghanistaninthe1980s,climaxedwiththe9/11attacksontheU.S.DickCheney’s
perspectiveisclearlycapturedbyBinLaden’s“1996declarationofwaronthe
UnitedStates”inwhichhereferstoPresidentClinton’swithdrawalofAmerican
forcesfromSomaliafollowingtheeventsdepictedinthemovieBlackHawkDown:
YourmostdisgracefulcasewasSomalia,whereaftervigorouspropaganda
aboutthepoweroftheUSAanditspostColdWarleadershipofthenewworldorder
youmoved[Americansoldersin.]Howeverwhentensofyoursolderswerekilledin
battle…youlefttheareacarryingdisappointment,humiliation,defeat,andyourdead
withyou.Clintonappearedinfrontofthewholeworldthreateningandpromising
revenge,butthesethreatsweremerelyapreparationforwithdrawal.Youwere
disgracedbyAllahandyouwithdrew;theextentofyourimpotenceandweakness
becameveryclear.
InreviewingthecontroversyoverwhetherOperationDesertStorm,whichdrove
theIraqiarmyfromKuwait,shouldhavegoneontotoppleSaddamHussein,the
Cheneyssay,correctlybutsurprisinglyinmyopinion,“thatourmissionin1991was
toliberateKuwait.Wehadbuiltanextensivecoalition,includingwithotherArab
3
states,todothat.Thecoalitionwouldnothaveheldtogetherhadwepushedonto
Baghdad.”
Thecoverageofthewaronterror,duringwhichDickCheneywasVicePresident,is
moreselectiveanddefensive.Thereaderistreatedtosuchpronouncementsas:
“ThefacilityatGuantanamowasandremainssafe,secure,humane,andnecessary.”
Withregardtotorture,theCheneyssaythat:“TheNationalSecurityCouncil
approvedtheprogram.Anditworked.”Whilethatissueremainscontroversial,
thereisasubstantialliteraturetothecontrary.6DirectorofNationalIntelligence(at
thetime)AdmiralDennisBlairstated:“I like to think I would not have approved
those methods in the past, but I do not fault those who made the decisions at that
time,… The information gained from these techniques was valuable in some
instances, but there is no way of knowing whether the same information could
have been obtained through other means…. The bottom line is these techniques
have hurt our image around the world, the damage they have done to our
interests far outweighed whatever benefit they gave us and they are not essential
to our national security.”7
IfyouwerehopingthattheCheney’swouldclearuporevenshedlightonthegreat
mysteryofwhatmotivatedour2003invasionofIraq,whichevenJebBushnow
admitswasamistake,youwillbedisappointed.“Theneedformilitaryactionto
defeatSaddamwasverydifferentin2003thanitwasin1991.Wedidtheright
thingin1991andin2003.”Somepageslater,perhapsconcludingthattheyhadnot
sufficientlyjustifiedour2003war,theyadd:
LeavingSaddamHusseininpowerinIraqafter9/11,inlightofthethreathe
posed,wouldhavebeen,asformerBritishPrimeMinisterTonyBlairhasnoted,anact
ofpoliticalcowardice.ThisisnottosaythatSaddamwasresponsiblefor9/11.Itisto
observethatintheaftermathof9/11,whenthousandsofAmericanshadbeen
slaughteredbyterroristsarmedwithairlineticketsandboxcutters,wehadan
obligationtodoeverythingpossibletopreventterroristsfromgainingaccesstomuch
worseweapons.Saddam’sIraqwasthemostlikelyplaceforterroriststogainaccess
toandknowledgeofsuchweapons.
Incasewehadnotbeenconvinced,theyaddfurtheronthat:“America’sliberationof
Iraqalsosentaclearmessagetoothersintheregionthatwewouldtakemilitary
actionifnecessary.”SowhydidwegiveupthesearchforBinLadentoattackIraq,
somethinginexplicabletomostofusatthetime?BecauseIraqwasalikelyplacefor
terroriststofindweaponsofmassdestructionandtodemonstrateourtoughness!!
Really!Itdetractedusfromfightingal-Qaedaanddemonstratedourstupidity
6See,forexample,myblogofFebruary26,2010:
https://wcoats.wordpress.com/2010/02/26/torture-is-immoral-and-doesn’twork/andthisvideooftheNewAmericanFoundationseminaronMarch10,2010:
http://www.newamerica.net/events/2010/effective_interrogation_techniques
7New York Times, April 21, 2009
4
instead.AndwenowonceagainfaceSaddam’smilitaryofficersleadingISIS,after
wefiredthemin2003,sendingthemhometotemporaryunemployment.
TheCheneysopentheirChapterThree:“DawnoftheAgeofTerror”witha
statementbyVicePresidentCheneymadealmosthalfayearaftertheAmerican
invasionofIraq:“JustassurelyastheNazisduringWorldWarII,andtheSoviets
duringtheColdWar,theenemywefacetodayisbentonourdestruction.Asin
othertimes,weareinawarwedidnotstartandhavenochoicebuttowin.”AWAR
WEDIDNOTSTART!!!
PartIIofthebook:“TheEraofObama”islargelyanattackPresidentObama’s
foreignpolicies.Muchoftheirattackreflectsthefundamentaldifferencesbetween
theCheneys’Americanexceptionalism“thatseesAmericaasuniquelyqualifiedto
leadtheworld”“unmatchedinthehistoryoftheworldinourgoodnessandour
greatness,inourcontributionstoglobalfreedom,justice,andpeace,[whereas]
BarackObamaseesanationwithatbesta‘mixed’record.”TheCheney’sapparently
don’tseeourrecordasmixedbytheinternmentofAmericansofJapaneseancestry
inconcentrationcampsduringWWII,thefirebombingofDresdenandmanyother
Germancivilianpopulationcenters,thefirebombingofTokyokilling100,000to
200,000civilians,nottomentiontheonlyatomicbombseverdroppedonpeople,
killinganestimated200,000-240,000civiliansinHiroshimaandNagasakiorthe
virtuallevelingofmostofNorthKoreaduringtheKorean“policeaction”,whichhas
morethanalittletodowiththedeephatredoftheU.S.byNorthKoreans.“Overa
periodofthreeyearsorso,wekilledoff—what—20percentofthepopulation,”
AirForceGen.CurtisLeMay,headoftheStrategicAirCommandduringtheKorean
War,toldtheOfficeofAirForceHistoryin1984.“Althoughtheferocityofthe
bombingwascriticizedasracistandunjustifiedelsewhereintheworld,itwasnever
abigstorybackhome.”https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/the-us-warcrime-north-korea-wont-forget/2015/03/20/fb525694-ce80-11e4-8c54ffb5ba6f2f69_story.html
OurnukingofJapan,whichsurelyfitsthedefinitionofaseriouswarcrime,remains
verycontroversial.Trumandidnotapprovedroppingthesebombsoncivilian
targetslightly,theissuebeinghowmuchitwouldshortenthewarandthus,onnet,
savelives.The1946reportrequestedbyTruman,TheUnitedStatesStrategic
BombingSurvey,statedthat:“Basedonadetailedinvestigationofallofthefacts,…it
istheSurvey’sopinionthat…Japanwouldhavesurrenderedeveniftheatomic
bombhadnotbeendropped.”ButtheCheney’swanttobesurethatAmerican
schoolchildrenaretaught“whyAmericawasrighttoendthewarbydroppingthe
atomicbombsonHiroshimaandNagasaki….”EdwardTeller,“thefatheroftheHbomb”,toldmeinhishomeinBerkeleyin1965thathethoughtitwasamistake.
EvenmanywhogenerallyshareObama’smorerestrainedapproachtoforeign
policywillagreewiththeCheney’scriticismsoftheweaknessesandinconsistencies
inPresidentObama’simplementationofhisdesiretoapplymorediplomacy,deploy
fewerAmericansoldiers,andengagemorealliedcooperation.Theytakeusthrough
5
Obama’streatmentofIraq,Afghanistan,ISIS,Iran,RussiaandultimatelyChina.
TheyscoremanyhitsonObama’spassivityevenwiththeapplicationofthe
diplomacyheprefers,hisignoredredlines,andsilenceswhenwordsmighthave
helped.ButastheycriticizetheObama/ClintonresetwithRussiaforundercutting
ouralliesandmisreadingPutin’sintentions,theyfailtomentionPresidentGeorge
WBush’smisreadingofPutin’ssoulashelookedintohiseyes,orthemessObama
inheritedinIraqandAfghanistanfromBush/Cheney,andtheydamntheU.S.
agreementwithIranasifitisanAmericanagreementratherthanaP5+1agreement
withIran.TheirentirediscussionofIranfailstorecognizethattheU.S.isbutoneof
manyplayers.TheCheneysbelievethatObama’shastetobringtheboyshomeand
slashthedefensebudgetisneithersimpleincompetencenorjustpoorexecutionofa
morepacifistforeignpolicybutthatitismotivatedbyhisdesiretoincrease
spendingonapopulistdomesticagenda.
ThefinalpartoftheCheney’sbooksetsouttheirviewson“WhatMustBeDone”to
restoreAmericanleadershipoftheworld.“Therewillbenomoreimportantor
urgenttaskforournextcommanderinchiefthanrepairingthedamagedonebythe
Obama-eradefensebudgetcuts,”ignoringthatthesharper,lessrationallyfocused
cutswereenactedbytheRepublican-ledCongressaspartofthesequester.
Moreover,thenextadministrationshould:“RestoreauthoritytotheNSAto
effectivelytrackandmonitorterroristcommunications….Reinstitutetheenhanced
interrogationprogram…RecognizethatIranisAmerica’senemy…Rejectthe
agreement[withIran]enteredintobytheObamaadministration…andimmediately
re-imposeallU.S.sanctions….America’ssecuritydemandsthatwedeny,not
promote,Iran’sdreamofregionaldomination.”Yougettheidea.Thereisno
mentionthattheagreementwithIranwaswiththeP5+1northatre-imposing
sanctionsbytheU.S.withoutthecooperationoftheP5+1andotherswouldlack
effectiveness,northatadurablepeaceintheMiddleEastwillrequireacceptanceby
IranandSaudiArabiaofdominancebyeachintheirrespectiveregions.
But it is the Cheney’s proposals with regard to China that most fully reveals the
shallowness and aggressiveness of their views. They acknowledge that China is
“simultaneously a significant strategic threat and a major economic partner [and that] the
relationship between the United States and China requires consistent, serious diplomatic
engagement at the highest levels.” Starting with “Expand our military presence in Asia to
counter China’s efforts at regional domination” all of their proposals are basically
military strategies and reflect the goal of maintaining U.S. dominance in every corner of
the globe, noting only that we should “Reassess economic cooperation policies.” What
happened to the America that believes in and promotes the rule of law as the basis of
relations between countries and global free trade? Rather than pushing China into its
own set of rules and international institutions (see my "U.S. leadership and the Asian
Infrastructure Investment Bank" Cayman Financial Review, July 2015) by, among other
things, refusing to approve governance reforms of the International Monetary Fund that
would increase China’s vote more in line with its economic size, the interests of the U.S.
and the principles it espouses would be better served by embracing China’s aspirations to
6
develop economically and pulling it in and binding it to global rules of fair competition.8
The Cheneys don’t even acknowledge the issue, focusing instead on increasing our naval
presence in the China Sea.
TheCheney’sEpiloguesummarizedtheirviewofAmericanexceptionalism:“Since
WorldWarII,wehavebeen‘thelast,besthopeofearth’becausewearefreedom’s
defender,notjustforourselves,butalsoformillionsaroundtheworld….Wehave
beenessentialtothepreservationandprogressoffreedom,andthosewholeadus
intheyearsaheadmustremindus,asRoosevelt,Kennedy,andReagandid,ofthe
specialroleweplay.Neithertheynorweshouldeverforgetthatweare,infact,
exceptional.”Theyareawarethatthesizeandstrengthofourmilitaryrestsonthe
sizeandefficiencyofoureconomy,butseemunawarethatdivertingmoreofour
resourcesintothemilitarydiminishesthesizeofourproductiveeconomy.Andnot
onewordwasmentionedaboutthegrowingdangertoourlibertiesandsystemof
limitedgovernmentposedbycronycapitalism,driveninitiallybythemilitary
industrialcomplex.
Howrefreshingitwas,then,toreadCharlesMurray’stiny,fiftypagebook
“AmericanExceptionalism:AnExperimentinHistory.”9Murrayrefocusesour
exceptionalismonthecharacterofthosewhocamehereandtheinstitutionsthey
built.“TheFounderswereunanimouslyoftheopinionthattheircreationcould
workinpracticeonlybecauseofthequalitiesthatalreadyexistedintheAmerican
people….Foronething,thewaytoAmericalayacrosstheNorthAtlantic.What
kindofpeoplewerelikelytoacceptthehazardsandhardshipsofthatcrossing?...
Theansweristhatsuchpeopletendedtobecourageous,honest,incredibly
hardworking,andtobelongtoclose-knitfamilies.”
HowthendoweexplainHiroshimaandNagasaki,ourfirebombingsofcities,our
internmentofJapaneseAmericansguiltyofnocrimeotherthanbeingJapanese,etc.
(forexamplethepopularity,limitedthoughitis,ofDonaldTrump)?Murray
explainsthat:“AmericanExceptionalismdoesnotimplyAmericanexcellenceor
superiority.”Hecontinuesthat:“Asfactionscannotbeprevented,theonlything
thatgovernmentcandoislimittheirevileffects.‘Ifmenwereangles,’Madison
wroteinoneofthemostfamouspassagesfromTheFederalist,‘nogovernment
wouldbenecessary….Inframingagovernmentwhichistobeadministeredbymen
overmen,thegreatdifficultyliesinthis:youmustfirstenablethegovernmentto
controlthegoverned;andinthenextplaceobligeittocontrolitself.’”Adeeplyheld
beliefguidingthechecksandbalancesandotherlimitsongovernmentpowerput
intotheAmericanconstitutionwasthat“humanbeingsactingintheirprivate
capacitytendtoberesourcefulandbenign.Humanbeingsactinginthepolitical
realmtendtoberesourcefulanddangerous.”
8AfterafiveyeardelaytheUnitedStatesfinallyapprovedjustbeforeChristmasthe
amendmentstotheIMF’sArticlesofAgreementreformingitsgovernanceand
membersquotas.
9AEIPress,WashingtonDC,2013.
7
ThoughAmericansrankedfirstintheworldfor“helpingastranger,”10likehuman
beingseverywhere,theybecomefiercelyself-protectivewhenfrightened.This
instinctgenerallyservedhunter-gathererswell,butisoftendestructiveofthevalues
thatmakelivingincivilizedsocietiesproductiveorevenpossible.Inthepast,afree
pressandself-criticalpublicexaminationsoftheseperiodsofshamefulviolationsof
ourfundamentalvalueshaveproducedcorrectionstosuchextremes.Iamconfident
thattheseforceswilldosoagain.
Whilefearforphysicalsafetycanbebroadlyfelt,thefearoflosingone’sjobor
specialprivilegesismorespecific.Itisnaturalforindividuals,firms,and
professionstowanttoprotectthemselvesfromcompetition.Mostfirmswouldlike
tobemonopolistsiftheycouldgetawaywithit.Inthesecasesastrongpublic
interestinbetterandcheapergoodsandserviceshasgenerallyovercomeorlimited
therestrictiveaspirationsofprofessionallicensingbodies,unions,andofindustrial
tradeandtariffprotections.Trump’scallforhighborderwallsanddenyingvisasto
allMuslims,asidefromtheirimpracticability,appealstobothkindsoffears.Like
thosefreedomseekingimmigrantswhodraftedourconstitutionwithits
governmentoflimitedpowersandbuiltthiscountryforthecommongoodaswellas
theirown,IremainconfidentthatupongreaterreflectionthemajorityofAmerican’s
willchosepoliciesthatalsoservethegeneralgood,ratherthanindividualspecial
interests.
TheExceptionalismoftheCheneysreflectstheunparalleledpowerdominancethat
theUnitedStatesachievedaftertheendofthecoldwar,thewidespreadacceptance
ofitsgloballeadershipasaresultofthegeneralperceptionoftheUnitedStates’
commitmenttotheruleoflaw,anditsobligationclaimedbyneoconstobring
democracytoallcornersoftheglobe.Thepossibilityofthisrole,thatisof
America’sroleastheindispensiblenation,derivesfromMurray’s(andmy)concept
ofAmericanExceptionalism.ItisthecharacterofthepeopleattractedtoAmerica
(industrious,selfreliant,andmorallygovernedintheirrelationswithothers)and
theinstitutions(publicandprivate)thattheybuiltthatMADEAMERICAGREAT(ifI
myborrowthatphrase),andthusmadeittheeconomicandmilitarypowerthatit
is.Inmyview,thegoaloftheCheneysandotherneoconstooverseeademocratic
worldandtoguaranteeitssafetyreflectsaradicalandunconservativeviewofthe
evolutionofsocietiesthatwillultimatelyunderminetheeconomicsourcesof
America’scurrentstrength.
TheproperfirstpriorityoftheUnitedStatesshouldbetopreservewhatmadeit
great.Domesticallythismeansmaintaining(orreestablishing)thedelicatebalance
betweenthepowerofthestateandthefreedomofitscitizenstoperusetheirown
10http://nonprofitquarterly.org/2014/11/19/2014-world-giving-index-)findingsranks-us-in-9th-place-for-donations/?gclid=CPbA35DT1skCFcwYHwodj1sFrwand
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/12/19/world-giving-index-usran_n_1159562.html,
8
interestsproperlyunderstoodsoastomaximizethepotentialforhuman
flourishing.Internationallyitmeansdiligentlyprotectingitsbordersfromdangers
ofallkindswhileengagingwiththerestoftheworldcommercially,culturally,and
diplomaticallytoextendtheruleoflawunderwhichwecanallbestflourish.We
shouldrememberwhyourforefatherschoosetheBaldEaglefortheGreatSealof
theUnitedStates.Itis“sharp-eyed,watchful,rapaciouswhennecessary,butnotout
lookingforafight.”11
11SuggestedbyLenoreEaly
9