Special Providence_ American Foreign Policy and How It Changed World - Walter Russell Mead

TheSerpentandtheDove 107

Freedomoftheskiessupplementsthisvalueinthetwenty-firstcen-
tury.TheUnitedStatestakestheleadinfightingagainsthijackingand
otherthreatstopeacefullegalcommercialtravelintheskies.Geogra-
phystillmakestheUnitedStatesmoredependentonsafeandquick
intercontinental transportationofgoodsand peoplethan mostother
countriesand,intrueHamiltonianfashion,theUnitedStatesconsiders
interferencewiththisrightofpassage tobea directandimmediate
threattoitsvitalinterests,anditreservestherighttorespondwiththe
mostvigorousdiplomaticmeasures-and,whennecessary, theuse of
force.Nootherprinciplehasplayedsucha majorroleinourdiplomatic
history;infringingonourfreedomtotravelbyseaandairremainsthe
fastest wayforforeign powerstostarta warwiththeUnitedStates.
While the United States welcomesthe cooperation ofinternational
organizationsandothercountriesineffortstocurbinterferencewithfree
trafficbyairandsea,inpracticeitremainspreparedtoactunilaterally
and,ifnecessary,intheteethofinternationalopinion.
Thefreedomoftheseasisrelatedtothesecondgreatnationalinterest
asunderstoodbyHamiltonianopinion.Itisnotenoughforourshipsand
goodstohavefreepassagethroughinternationalwaters;Americancar-
goesmusthavethesamerightsandprivilegesas thecargoesofother
nationsattheharborsforwhichtheyarebound.AnopendoorforAmeri-
cangoodsisasimportantasanopenoceanforAmericanships.
Americandiplomacyhasconsistentlyconcerneditselfwithopening
marketseversincetheRevolutionaryWar.Thefirstofficialforeignmis-
sionofthecolonieswasthemissionofBenjaminFranklintothecourtof
LouisXVI.BritisharmieswereoccupyingAmericancities;Britishfleets
controlledthecoasts;butthefirsttreatythatthenewnationsignedwas
notjustabouta militaryalliance.Itwasalsoa tradetreaty:Franceand
theUnitedStatesgrantedeachother "mostfavorednation"status,and
Americangoodswere to beadmittedtoFrenchmarketswithas few
obstaclesaspossible.
Thequestforanopendoorfor Americangoodsalso broughtthe
UnitedStatesintoconflictwiththeEuropeanpowers'effortstomaintain
exclusive tradeprivilegeswithintheircolonial empires. Formostof
AmericanhistorytheEuropeanpo,werscontrolledlargecolonialempiresin
bothhemispheres.Often,thoughnotalways,theimperialpowerssought
special tradingrightsfor themselves intheircolonies,and restricted
orevenprohibitedforeignersfromtradingorinvestinginthem.The
AmericancolonistshadresentedthissystemwhenGreatBritainimposed
itonthethirteencolonies;theycontinuedtoresenttheattemptsby