Former Indiana congressman and vice chair of the 9/11 Commission Lee Hamilton spoke to students Monday night about American diplomacy and foreign policy.Hamilton is a member of the Homeland Security Advisory Council and is one of the country’s most prominent authorities on foreign affairs. Former Student Association Vice President Lee Weiskopf said Hamilton has also made contributions to the ethical conduct of Congress, and was recently appointed as director of the Woodrow Wilson International Office.
“Lee Hamilton is one of this country’s most celebrated and accomplished public icons who continues to give back and make America a better place,” Weiskopf said.
Hamilton spoke about America’s responsibility and authority as a world power.
“America is the world’s most powerful country,” he told attendees. “We have the strongest military and the largest economy, the most outstanding technological achievements and the most extensive cultural influence around the world.”
Hamilton believes that America’s leaders may have gotten too ambitious shortly after Sept. 11.
“Our power is not infinite. We cannot kill every terrorist. We cannot overthrow every evil regime. We cannot make the world over to our ideal image,” he said. “How do we use all this power for an ideal American foreign policy?”
He said Americans simply can’t do it all, but that there is a silver lining and that the nation can change the future for the better. He proposed that changing the country’s current policy and searching for solutions arising in the future may prevent wars.
“We’re in kind of a mid-course correction to a different kind of American policy,” Hamilton said. “We need multi-national institutions. We need to find ways to deal with assertive and uncompromising countries.”
Hamilton said that in order to live in a more unified world, United States citizens must accept each other despite cultural and religious differences while keeping security at the top of the priority list.
“We need to learn to accept countries as they are and not insist on them becoming as we want, but at the same time, we must protect our national interest and our security,” Hamilton said.
He said America’s policy must change from “savior of the world” to a “big brother” viewpoint.
“Every single politician that I know is asked by a constituent to do something that is utterly impossible to do, but I’ve never known one to say I cannot help you,” Hamilton said. “We can’t say we cannot help you, but we also cannot say we can solve your problems. We need to say we’re on your side, and we want for you a decent life, and we will do everything we know to help, but this is your responsibility first and foremost. We have to be willing to settle for less than perfection in this world.”
Hamilton concluded by saying that America will continue to provide hope to the rest of the world.
“We will continue to be America because we will continue to serve as a beacon of hope to the world,” he said.
Provost for academic affairs Jerry Gilbert said he was pleased to have Hamilton speak on campus.
“We want students to be educated beyond the classroom here at Mississippi State,” Gilbert said. “Someone like Mr. Hamilton can do so on a different level than anyone else on this campus.”
Gilbert said those who heard him speak realized that he is not only an orator, he’s an intellect, and the people that he’s known and interacted with really allowed students to get an inside glimpse into the American history. “He experienced it firsthand,” he said.