International Goals

There are several ‘hot’ spots in the world the USA needs to work on. They are:

1.          Russia

2.          China

3.          North Korea

4.          Middle East

5.          Europe

There are others, but they are not as hot as the ones above. And Europe is not a hot spot with America, it is listed because it is an important ally in working with the rest of the global community.

The secret of positive outcomes in international affairs is to constantly remind ourselves that we are not the focal point; the global community and its welfare is and needs to be the focus. That means we should not be so concerned about what is of special interest to us but rather what is good for the global village.

Peace ought to be number one on that list. Peace comes from being included in decisions, and clearly seeing a benefit from such inclusion. North Korea, for example, has problems that they cannot evidently manage. Instead of doing so, however, they throw threats at everyone. Let them. When they decide that their long-term survival depends on the rest of the world community, then they will be welcomed with open arms. Even then, however, they will need to prove they are doing the right thing for their people and other nations if they desire inclusion. Outcomes derive from acceptable behavior in a larger community. Act as the bully and you will be ostracized. Ask for help and your nation will likely receive it.

Russia is a bully and trying to claw its way back to world acceptability. It will not achieve that by a show of power. That is ignorant and deep down they know that. Putin, however, has a problem with his own people. His strutting the world stage pretending to be a world power is designed to win approval from his own citizens. In doing that, however, he loses acceptance from the global village. Lend a hand with the problems of the world community, and watch acceptance flow your way. When Russia changes her tune, she will feel the positive outcomes. Only then.

China, same thing as Russia. I don’t doubt that China believes she is doing right by her people. After centuries of domination and power culture by the government, freedoms have been expanded in China. Also, a form of economic democracy has been implemented. Wealth formation and individual innovation and invention have soared in China. Their wealth accumulation as a nation has little to do with the government; it has a lot to do with an unleashed citizenry. Get out of their way and watch the standard of living multiply in China! In similar fashion, China needs to get involved with improving the well-being of the global community rather than buying what it needs to succeed in its economic goals. Instead of helping other nations, China is plundering their economies to gain access to raw materials needed in their manufacturing sector. That only creates enemies and more problems. Get with the program, China! You have much to gain just by being a nicer, kinder, gentler nation.

Middle East issues surround two primary issues: economies dominated by the oil industry. The second heavy issue is the domination of religion in the affairs of state. Eliminate the latter, and focus on the former. When done, religion becomes a cultural element the practice of which is personal and family, not government and power. Focusing on oil and the larger energy industry, the Middle East will soon learn that oil will not remain of central value for the long-term. They need to modernize their outlook and adopt a broader approach to participating in the energy needs of the world community. Then they will likely discover that plundering their own oil supply and that of their neighbors gets them nothing in the long run. Cooperation and collaboration will help them adapt to ever changing markets and synergy that will help them survive well. Not doing so condemns them to third world status in a hurry.

Europe is connected to America at the hip. We share common ancestry and cultures. We have been valued allies in many skirmishes, foreign and domestic. We need to clearly tie ourselves to Europe and return as equal players and investors in our combined futures.

Only then will our international relations actually pay off. It begins with the global community and its vital worth in our future.

January 13, 2021