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

34 SPECIALPROVIDENCE

waswronginsomanyincompatiblewaysmightbeas miraculousand
unexpectedasonethatwas,infact,true.
InthecaseofAmericanforeignpolicy,wemustobservethatitisat
leastpossiblethatthereisamethodtoitsmadness.TheriseofAmerican
powerhasbeenconsistent,striking,sustainedoverthelongterm,and
accomplishedatanastonishinglylowcostconsideringthesizeandrange
ofthepowerthecountryhasamassed.Ifwedidnothavethehistorical
recordbeforeus,weshouldno doubtconcludethata nationwithan
approachtoforeignpolicysovociferouslyifinconsistentlyattackedbyso
manycriticscouldnotbea verygreatpowerforverylong.Asitis,we
facethefascinatingparadoxthattheforeignpolicytraditions,practices,
andinstitutionsoftheworld'smostsuccessfulcountryencountera near-
universalyetstrangelyincoherentcontempt.
Letus not submit tothe tyranny offacts. Success alone should
notdriveustoconcludethatAmericanforeignpolicyhasoftenbeen
brilliant-afterall,itcouldbegreatluckor,asourancestorswouldhave
putit,theblessingsofProvidenceorGod'swillthatthecountryhasbeen
sosuccessful.PrinceOttovonBismarckappearstohavethoughtso;near
theendofhislonglifethegreatstatesmanissaidtohavedespairedof
explainingthecountry'ssuccessand,throwinguphishands,pronounced
thefamousobservationattributedtohimconcerningdrunks,children,
andtheUnitedStatesofAmerica. 17 TheUnitedStates,onsucha view,is
theMr.Magoooftheworldcommunity.Butwhatseemsindisputable
isthat,whetherduetoluck,skill,ortheProvidenceofGod,therecordof
Americanforeignpolicyisoveralla successfulone,thatMr.Magoohas
thusfarcomethroughlifeingoodshape.

NotWortha Continental?

OnemajorreasonwhyAmericanforeignpolicygetssolittlerespect
isthatit violatessomanyoftheexpectationsthatvariousanalystsand
observersbringtothesubject.Asurprisingnumberofpeopletodaystill
sharea setofconventionalviewsaboutwhatforeignpolicyshouldbeand
howitshouldworkthathavelittletodowiththecontemporaryworld.
ThisstrangelyfossilizedconventionalwisdomisnotjustEurocentric;it
iswhatcanbecalledContinentalist.Thatis,theconventionalwisdom
doesnotsimplyassumethattheforeignpolicyexperienceandpractices
ofEuropeanstatesintheirheydaydefinewhatinternationallife"really"