3
In recent years a number of scholars and commentators have advocated a unilateral, “go
it alone” foreign policy for the United States. And U.S. policy makers, at least as much
of the world sees it, have in fact often decided to go it alone. They have spurned and
derided international institutions, rejected diplomacy in favor of military force, and
opposed international treaties and agreements concerning arms control, the environment,
and human rights.
1
Most ordinary American citizens, however, are neither neo-conservative
unilateralists nor old fashioned “realists.” In effect (though probably not in abstract
theory) they believe in what can be called “global governance:” webs of international
laws and institutions that serve broad U.S. interests while also furthering the interests of
people worldwide and, in some cases, constraining the United States.
2
Most Americans
prefer cooperative, multilateral, and diplomatic methods as the chief means to pursue
their foreign policy goals.
In Chapter 4 we saw that the U.S. public puts a high value on multilateralism in
cases of military action and the use of force. Support from allies and the United Nations
is considered very important before entering into major military engagements. In this
chapter we will see that the public also seeks international cooperation when it comes to
political relations. Large majorities of Americans favor having diplomatic relations with
countries that are potential foes. They favor a variety of diplomatic and multilateral
measures to combat terrorism; express a high level of esteem for the United Nations;
support various concrete measures to increase the UN’s capability and effectiveness; and
Convention