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Introduction: The U.S. and the New Third World
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20481 |
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CURRENT ISSUES
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5 / 1992 |
782 Words |
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Although isolationists of the Right and the Left may protest loudly, global reality requires that the United States remain a major player in international affairs, particularly in what used to be called the Third World.
Consider: The most recent military conflict in which America was deeply involved occurred between a Third World aggressor, Iraq, and Third World victim, Kuwait. Consider: The proliferation of nuclear weapons in Third World countries like North Korea, Iran, Pakistan, and India has become a major concern. Consider: About 40 percent of total U.S. exports now goes to the Third World--more than all our exports to Western Europe.
Paradoxically, the collapse of communism in Eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union has increased rather than decreased American responsibilities in the field of global affairs. Only the United States has the necessary military and economic strength--and firm commitment to democratic values and institutions--to preserve and extend freedom around the world.
In 1946, when Great Britain withdrew its historic support of Greece and Turkey, the United States immediately stepped forward with the Truman Doctrine to prevent those nations, and perhaps all of Western Europe, from falling to communism. Today, if the United States were to retreat into isolationism, no other nation is capable of filling the gap; the world inevitably would face a period of great instability and even chaos.
Given the alternatives, and even amid the heated rhetoric of an election year, a solid majority of Americans have heeded President Bush's words: "We invested so much to win the Cold War. We must invest what is necessary to win the peace." If America fails to make such an investment, the president added, "we will create new and profound problems for our security" and that of the entire world.
For this month's Special Report, THE WORLD & I asked a group of distinguished experts to consider U.S. policy in and for the "new" Third World.
Looking at the changed international security environment, Douglas Johnston, executive vice president of the Center for Strategic and International Studies, suggests a four-pronged defense strategy: (1) intensification of research and development of high-technology weapons; (2) mobile, flexible forces; (3) multilateralism ("the days of the United States going it alone in future major
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