The following are quotes from our commander-in-chief and secretary of defense that reflect their philosophies of exercising force and their views of America’s role as the international strength.
Donald Rumsfeld:
“History teaches us that weakness is provocative. Those of us from Chicago recall Al Capone’s remark that ‘You get more with a kind word and a gun than you do with a kind word alone.'”
“A lot of people in the world had come to conclude that the United States was gun-shy, that we were risk averse,” Rumsfeld told Time Magazine. “The President and I concluded that whenever it occurred down the road that the United States was under some sort of threat or attack, the United States would be leaning forward, not back.”
George W. Bush:
“Some governments will be timid in the face of terror. And make no mistake about it: If they do not act, America will.”
“At some point, we may be the only ones left. That’s okay with me. We are America.”
Is such strong rhetoric really needed? Should we ignore the fact that such language might foster the view that many of our enemies hold-that the United States is no more than a group of arrogant bullies? Should we disregard that our allies might accuse us of holding our country in higher regard than theirs? Yes, yes and yes.
America’s existence as the world’s only superpower and willingness to use that power are our greatest protectors. Consider what happens when terrorists think otherwise.
In an interview with ABC’s John Miller in 1998, Osama bin Laden said that victory over the Russians in Afghanistan “cleared from Muslim minds the myth of superpowers. The youth ceased from seeing America as a superpower.” Bin Laden later characterized American troops fighting in Somalia as “paper tigers” who ran in “shameful defeat and stopped using such titles.” The tile he refers to is “superpower.”
The terrorist attacks of 2001 are a reflection of bin Laden’s stated views on American will and power. Bin Laden made the mistake of equating our military with a lesser force. However, bin Laden’s denial of an American superpower was only echoing the voice of one whose job it was to represent America abroad.
Former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright made it clear: “We very much don’t want to be out there by ourselves as … the only superpower. People don’t believe that. They think we just want to be king of hill, but we do not.” The Secretary’s comments were in April of 1998. Bin Laden’s comments came in May.
Now bin Laden and others like him are hearing a conflicting voice-the voice of this non-risk averse administration. And if he does not hear our voice, he hears the sound of gunfire (a language he better understands) echoing through his cave.
We are the world’s superpower. Those in charge are responsible for reflecting that in their words and actions. America needs leaders who believe that we are the benevolent king of the hill. Weakness is provocative. Strength is deterring. We now lean forward so that those like bin Laden cower in our shadow. We are say kind words to those needing to hear kind words. We are also carry guns to remind the evildoers that we are America and we will we will act.
Michael Stewart is a junior philosophy and religion major.