DATE=3/12/99
TYPE=BACKGROUND REPORT
NUMBER=5-42851
TITLE=U-S GLOBAL POWER
BYLINE= ED WARNER
DATELINE= WASHINGTON
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: WHAT ARE THE U-S GLOBAL RESPONSIBLITIES? HOW FAR DO THEY
REACH AND HOW MUCH MILITARY POWER DO THEY REQUIRE? THESE
QUESTIONS ARE BEING URGENTLY ASKED, NOT ONLY BY AMERICANS BUT BY
MANY ANALYSTS ABROAD, INCLUDING FORMER SOVIET PRESIDENT MIKHAIL
GORBACHEV. THEY WERE ALSO THE FOCUS OF RECENT MEETINGS AT TWO
PROMINENT WASHINGTON RESEARCH ORGANIZATIONS. V-O-A'S ED WARNER
REPORTS THE CONTINUING DEBATE OVER U-S FOREIGN POLICY.
TEXT: IN THE TWENTIETH CENTURY, THE UNITED STATES HAS FACED
THREE THREATS TO ITS EXISTENCE: THE FIRST AND SECOND WORLD WARS
AND THE COLD WAR. THESE WERE MET AND OVERCOME, SAID FORMER U-S
DEFENSE SECRETARY WILLIAM PERRY IN A MEETING AT THE BROOKINGS
INSTITUTION:
// PERRY ACT //
TODAY, THE UNITED STATES IS IN THE HAPPY CIRCUMSTANCE
THAT THERE ARE NO THREATS TO OUR SURVIVAL. NO NATION HAS
CONVENTIONAL MILITARY FORCES THAT CAN CREDIBLY CHALLENGE
U-S MILITARY FORCES. AND NO NATION HAS BOTH THE
CAPABILITY AND THE INTENT TO ATTACK THE UNITED STATES
WITH NUCLEAR FORCES.
// END ACT //
BUT NEW THREATS CAN ARISE, SAID MR. PERRY. THEY SHOULD BE AVERTED
BY WHAT HE CALLS "PREVENTIVE DEFENSE," THE TITLE OF A NEW BOOK HE
HAS WRITTEN WITH ASHTON CARTER, ALSO A FORMER U-S DEFENSE
DEPARTMENT OFFICIAL.
MR. PERRY NOTED SOME OF THE DANGERS AHEAD:
// PERRY ACT //
WHAT IF IN THE NEXT DECADE RUSSIA SHOULD GO THE WAY OF
GERMANY IN THE 1930'S? WHAT IF IN THE NEXT DECADE CHINA
SHOULD GO THE WAY OF JAPAN IN THE 1930'S? AND WHAT IF IN
THE NEXT DECADE ROGUE NATIONS OR TERRORISTS SHOULD
OBTAIN NUCLEAR WEAPONS? BY ASKING THE QUESTIONS THIS
WAY, I AM SUGGESTING A PRIMARY GOAL OF OUR STRATEGY IS
TO KEEP THESE DANGERS FROM EMERGING.
// END ACT //
BUT OTHERS ARGUE U-S POLICY MAY BE CONTRIBUTING TO THESE DANGERS.
IN A RECENT INTERVIEW, FORMER SOVIET PRESIDENT MIKHAIL GORBACHEV
COMPARED THE EXPANSION OF NATO TO THE VERSAILLES TREATY THAT
HUMILIATED GERMANY AFTER WORLD WAR ONE AND PAVED THE WAY FOR
HITLER. MR. GORBACHEV SAYS HE FEELS BETRAYED BECAUSE THE WEST HAD
PROMISED NOT TO TAKE GEOPOLITICAL ADVANTAGE OF THE SOVIET
COLLAPSE.
A SIMILAR COMPLAINT WAS VOICED DURING THE DEBATE IN THE U-S
CONGRESS OVER SENDING AMERICAN TROOPS TO KOSOVO. "THERE IS A
SIX-YEAR TREND TO SEND AMERICAN TROOPS ANYWHERE FOR ANY REASON,"
SAID REPUBLICAN REPRESENTATIVE TOM DELAY. "NATO IS STARTING TO
RESEMBLE A POWER-HUNGRY, IMPERIALIST ARMY."
AS PART OF HIS STRATEGY OF PREVENTIVE DEFENSE, WILLIAM PERRY SAYS
U-S MILITARY POWER IS NEEDED IN THE MIDDLE EAST BECAUSE IT IS IN
THE VITAL INTEREST OF THE UNITED STATES.
TED CARPENTER, DIRECTOR OF FOREIGN POLICY STUDIES AT THE CATO
INSTITUTE, DISAGREES. AT A MEETING OF HIS ORGANIZATION, HE SAID
THE UNITED STATES SHOULD REDUCE ITS MILITARY PRESENCE IN THE
PERSIAN GULF AND RELY ON REGIONAL POWERS TO KEEP THE PEACE:
// CARPENTER ACT //
WE HAVE TO STOP ASSUMING THAT THE UNITED STATES MUST BE
THE POINT MAN IN EVERY CRISIS IN EVERY REGION, THAT ONLY
THE UNITED STATES CAN SOLVE PROBLEMS AND PRESERVE
STABILITY.
// END ACT //
BUT A FAILURE OF U-S POWER IN IRAQ SENDS THE WRONG SIGNAL TO THE
REST OF THE WORLD, SAID JOHN BOLTON, A FORMER U-S STATE
DEPARTMENT OFFICIAL AND SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT OF THE AMERICAN
ENTERPRISE INSTITUTE. HE SAID IT MAY ENCOURAGE AGGRESSORS
ELSEWHERE:
// BOLTON ACT //
IN ADDITION TO THE THREAT HE POSES IN THE PERSIAN GULF
IS THE PERCEPTION OF SADDAM IN OTHER CAPITALS THAT ARE
HOSTILE TO THE UNITED STATES. IN BEIJING, IN BELGRADE,
IN HAVANA, IN PYONGYANG, OUR INABILITY TO DEAL WITH
SADDAM HUSSEIN IS TEACHING ENORMOUS LESSONS.
// END ACT //
EDWARD PECK, A FORMER CHIEF OF MISSION AT THE U-S EMBASSY IN
IRAQ, DRAWS A DIFFERENT LESSON FROM OPINION ABROAD. AT THE CATO
MEETING, HE SAID OTHER NATIONS COMPLAIN THE UNITED STATES IS
ABUSING ITS POWER AGAINST SADDAM HUSSEIN:
// PECK ACT //
NO ONE HAS GIVEN THE UNITED STATES THE RIGHT TO DECIDE
WHO RULES IRAQ. YOU (THE UNITED STATES) DO NOT LIKE HIM.
THAT IS OKAY. BUT IT IS NOT YOUR JOB TO DECIDE. NOBODY
CAN STOP YOU. THAT IS PART OF THE PROBLEM BECAUSE IF
POWER CORRUPTS, GLOBAL POWER CORRUPTS GLOBALLY.
// END ACT //
AMBASSADOR PECK SAID SADDAM HUSSEIN, WHILE EVIL, IS NO THREAT TO
THE UNITED STATES, WHICH OFTEN TALKS TO UNSAVORY LEADERS IN THE
INTEREST OF PEACE. SO WHY NOT TALK TO SADDAM SINCE NOTHING ELSE
HAS WORKED? ASKS MR. PECK.
IN HIS OPINION THIS, TOO, COULD BE A MATTER OF PREVENTIVE
DEFENSE. (SIGNED)
NEB/PT
12-Mar-99 7:06 PM EST (0006 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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