Thicket Tundrabog
12-09-2004, 03:16 PM
Here's a quote about the United States.
Quote
In an article, "Canada and the Pax Americana", Holmes writes that the US is "the heart of a neo-imperialist system, involved all over the world through alliances, treaties, and understandings, most of them ambiguous like the Monroe doctrine." (p. 73) He goes on that the "Pax Americana is an effort to maintain or, as some would say, impose, a world order favorable to the interests of the United States, but assumed to be favourable also to the interests of others." (p. 74)
Though fundamentally sympathetic to US policies, Holmes writes that United States policies "are largely unilateral. It [the US] informs its allies but does not consult them. As for international organizations, it will accept their judgements or use their procedures if it wills to do so but not otherwise. It is prepared to make a battleground of other countries to maintain the balance of power in its favour. As its military strength grows, there is a danger of domination by an industrial, military clique with a simplistic view of right and wrong. It has, along with glorious democratic traditions, a tradition of force. Americans can be inebriated by the Battle Hymn of the Republic, a magnificent tune for an iniquitous song. Those who think that their eyes have seen the glory and they have acquired a mandate from heaven to keep the truth marching on need watching."
End Quote
Some will think that this quote is tailored for the current issues in Iraq, relational problems with allies, and balking of international agreements and organizations such as Kyoto accord, the United Nations, and the World Court. It's interesting that this was written in 1969.
Reference [John W. Holms, "Canada and the Pax Americana," in (eds) Harvey L. Dyck and H. Peter Krosby, Empire and Nation, Toronto, University of Toronto Press, 1969, pp. 73-90]
Thicket
Quote
In an article, "Canada and the Pax Americana", Holmes writes that the US is "the heart of a neo-imperialist system, involved all over the world through alliances, treaties, and understandings, most of them ambiguous like the Monroe doctrine." (p. 73) He goes on that the "Pax Americana is an effort to maintain or, as some would say, impose, a world order favorable to the interests of the United States, but assumed to be favourable also to the interests of others." (p. 74)
Though fundamentally sympathetic to US policies, Holmes writes that United States policies "are largely unilateral. It [the US] informs its allies but does not consult them. As for international organizations, it will accept their judgements or use their procedures if it wills to do so but not otherwise. It is prepared to make a battleground of other countries to maintain the balance of power in its favour. As its military strength grows, there is a danger of domination by an industrial, military clique with a simplistic view of right and wrong. It has, along with glorious democratic traditions, a tradition of force. Americans can be inebriated by the Battle Hymn of the Republic, a magnificent tune for an iniquitous song. Those who think that their eyes have seen the glory and they have acquired a mandate from heaven to keep the truth marching on need watching."
End Quote
Some will think that this quote is tailored for the current issues in Iraq, relational problems with allies, and balking of international agreements and organizations such as Kyoto accord, the United Nations, and the World Court. It's interesting that this was written in 1969.
Reference [John W. Holms, "Canada and the Pax Americana," in (eds) Harvey L. Dyck and H. Peter Krosby, Empire and Nation, Toronto, University of Toronto Press, 1969, pp. 73-90]
Thicket