New START And America’s Role In The World

Anna Leutheuser / November 18, 2010

With the nuclear New START Treaty causing waves in Congress, President Obama’s recent overseas trips drawing criticism from both supporters and opponents, and the upcoming NATO heads-of-state summit in Lisbon this month, a fundamental question arises: What is America’s role in the world?

In the newest installment in the Understanding America series, Marion Smith looks to the words and intent of the Founders themselves in order to understand their view of American foreign policy.  Liberty, he argues, is the defining principle of American policy, both domestic and foreign.  As an unalienable right, it must be fostered, advanced, and protected at home and abroad.  After all, the Declaration of Independence proclaims that all men – not just all Americans – are created equal; they therefore are equal in their right to liberty.  This unambiguously illustrates the responsibility of American foreign policy: “The Founders understood that America’s principles must be reflected in its relations with other nations.  For them, diplomacy was not merely a means of negotiating America’s interests.  It was also a tool for advancing liberty.” (more…)