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"The idea [that the US has a mission to bring 'freedom' to the world] sounds nice. To the extent that it improves the general human condition I'm for it. I just don't think America will be very good at it. We'll stumble around, make messes, and eventually piss it all away. We lack the propriety of the British, or the fatalism of the Russians so when the American Empire goes down it will go down twisted and ugly." -- wayward_va, in a post to a mailing list (quoted with permission):

I keep thinking about the idea of 'Manifest Destiny' from the 19th century. I'd love to learn more about that period because I think we're seeing strong parallels in the current administration and it's supporters. The idea that we have a mission, a destiny if you will, to use our unrivaled military and economic power at this time in history to smite the wicked, lay our enemies low, and bring "freedom" to the world.

The idea sounds nice. To the extent that it improves the general human condition I'm for it. I just don't think America will be very good at it. We'll stumble around, make messes, and eventually piss it all away. We lack the propriety of the British, or the fatalism of the Russians so when the American Empire goes down it will go down twisted and ugly. I hesitate to even imagine what it will be like because I don't know enough about history to capture it properly. Think of the last couple of years in Argentina and you get the idea of what it could be like.

I honestly think our nation's interests are better served by using our power to create strong international institutions that support our values. Empires come and go; Greece, Rome, France, Britain, all had their day and passed. The more violent the empire the deeper their fall. To me it would seem prudent to use our power to create a world that shares our values no matter who is on top. Values like human rights, individual sovereignty, transparency, equal justice under law, and government accountable to it's citizens.

By doing this we won't have complete control over the world or godlike powers to shape it any way we choose. There will be no "thousand year reich", no "empire of liberty." But we will, I believe, have a world in which we can be free both now and long after our time of preeminence has passed. It is in my opinion the best way to preserve the blessings of liberty for ourselves and our posterity.

(Hey wayward_va; thanks for permission to quote you, friend, but you know you should really get around to putting it in your own journal and starting a discussion there -- betcha' get more followups to this than to the sales tax entry.)