William Hague has given an interview for today's Telegraph and has called for a restoration of America's moral authority. The call is enthusiastically endorsed by The Telegraph's leader-writers.
His remarks come at the end of a week in which Britain's view of America has taken another battering. Foreign Secretary David Miliband had to apologise to the House of Commons after US authorities revealed that British sovereign territory had facilitated extraordinary rendition.
Okay then: What should America do to restore its standing in the world?
Should it be more generous to the poorest people of the world? Yes, but will anyone notice? George W Bush has been in Africa this week to highlight the fact that the USA is now spending more money in that continent than ever before (He's also enjoyed a little dancing). Bob Geldof has noticed the US investment and has praised President Bush. BBC's two flagship Q&A programmes - BBC1's Question Time and Radio 4's Any Questions? have found no time to mention the visit, however. Both found time to discuss the extraordinary rendition admission.
Should it be more multilateralist? That's what the world's foreign policy elites want. But on many of the biggest global challenges President Bush has already obliged. On Darfur Bush has waited and waited and waited on the UN for action but the tragedy of Darfur has continued. On Iran Bush has allowed the EU to take the lead but Tehran has simply used the time to take further steps toward fulfilling its nuclear ambitions.
Should it be more 'European' with a greater emphasis on soft power? We've seen EU 'power' on show again in Chad in recent weeks. The Economist recently noted the EU's lack of progress: "It is eight months since France's foreign minister, Bernard Kouchner, said there was an urgent need to stabilise Chad's border with Sudan, and to protect refugees from Darfur. Since then EU members have squabbled over who should provide troops, kit and helicopters—and who should pay the bills... This week deployment of the 3,700-strong EUFOR was postponed yet again, because of rebel attacks on Chad's capital. Proof that Europe is a “paper tiger”, jeered one blogger with a Eurosceptic following: not so much a soft power as a “gone-soft power”."
William Hague hopes that the McCain-Obama era offers America the chance of starting over. That's surely true and the election of a President Obama is likely to have the biggest effects in the short-run. His commitment to the UN, his support for Kyoto-friendly policies and his rock star appeal as America's first black president will all have dramatic effects. But the Obama effect may quickly unwind. David Brooks has highlighted the real dangers of Senator Obama's preferred policy of withdrawing from Iraq. If America leaves Iraq in chaos and in the hands of a resurgent al-Qaeda a President Obama may become very unpopular. Democrat tendencies to protectionism may also be a new source of anti-Americanism.
Getting a majority of the world to love America may be too much to achieve. Getting the majority to give America grudging respect may be more possible. That is what John McCain seems to understand. His opposition to waterboarding and his support for greener policies both suggest that he will address some of the policies that cause most discomfort to America's friends. But John McCain brings something extra to the task of restoring America's standing. He understands that America will never be loved by everyone but it can be respected if it delivers the goods. Image advisers to other difficult-to-sell projects have made similar conclusions over the years. We think of Margaret Thatcher and capitalism.
McCain wants America to be ethical but also effective. He understands that success in Iraq is a prerequisite for rebuilding America's reputation. He knows that defeat in America will have a generational impact on America's willingness to undertake any other great enterprise outside of its borders. The whole world will suffer if America becomes isolationist. A world that waits on the UN or the EU or China or Russia to tackle great problems will be disappointed. So much, therefore, hangs on the success of the Bush-Petraeus troops surge. If William Hague wants to help America he could start by arguing for that surge to continue.
Related link: Nile Gardiner warns that Hague's remarks may reignite tensions with the White House.
Good speech from Hague.He articulates exactly what people like me are thinking. Both MCain and Obama are articulate and will be able to explain American policy far far better than Bush.
We don't know yet but I would also hope that a McCain or Obama presidency would not indulge in the childish behaviour Bush did with Howard and Cameron by refusing to meet them. This stupid action destroyed his credibility with people like me.
A lot will obviously depend on the quality of people that surround them and I don't know yet how good these people are but America used to have some very skilful diplomats so if either McCain or Obama surround themselves with people of the calibre of Kissinger, Haig or Weinberger they should be OK. At least we will soon see the back of John Bolton.
Posted by: Malcolm Dunn | February 23, 2008 at 18:32
Malcolm, yes, hopefully the next administration will listen to its critics. The art of politics involves listening to every shade of opinion and making a judgment based on what one feels to be the right course of action. Any president who believes he is always right, all of the time, becomes an accident waiting to happen. Even the greatest thinkers and political stategists need imput from others, and political imput is the most helpful in looking at any given situation. The next American persident has a hard task in convincing the world that America wants to build bridges rather than burn them.
Posted by: Tony Makara | February 23, 2008 at 21:45
More than anything else, the thing that has destroyed America's moral authority, perhaps even beyond the unbridled chaos of the Iraq escapade, is Guantanamo Bay.
The first action of the incoming president should be to close it down, and apologise for it, making it clear it was a grotesque violation of American value by a grotesque President, and take steps to ensure that things like it cannot happen again.
Has McCain said anything about Guantanamo?
My feeling is that McCain is too tainted by the foul stench of Iraq to be able to restore people's respect for America. In any case, his belligerence over Iran suggests that if he is elected, the American people will have learned nothing from the disastrous Bush years.
Posted by: Martin Coxall | February 25, 2008 at 10:55