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Faith-Based Geopolitics
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freedom grows, America grows. And just as a strong America means a safer world, we have learned that a safer world means a stronger America…/…Well tonight I say to you, join me in our new crusade to reap the rewards of our global victory, to win the peace, so that we may make America safer and stronger for all our people. May God bless you, and may God bless the United States of America.»
In responding to Republican triuphalism concerning the Cold War Bill Clinton, in his
1992 acceptance speech implied that this “global victory” has come at the expense of social
conditions at home.
« We meet at a special moment in history, you and I. The Cold War is over ;
Soviet Union has collapsed, and our values – freedom, democracy, individual rights, free enterprise – they have triumphed all over the world. And yet just as we have won the Cold War abroad, we are losing the battles for economic opportunity and social justice here at home. Now that we have changed the world , it’s time to change America…/…An America with the world’s strongest defense, ready and willing to use force, when necessary. An America at the forefront of the global effort to preserve and protect our common environment, and promoting global growth. An America that will not coddle tyrants, from Baghdad to Beijing. An America that champions the cause of freedom and democracy, from Eastern Europe to Southern Africa, and in our own hemisphere in Haiti and Cuba. The end of the Cold War permits us to reduce military spending while still maintaining the strongest defense in the world. But we must plough back every dollar of defense cuts into building American jobs right here at home. I know well that the world needs a strong America, but we have learned that strength begins at home .»
Both candidates reflected the optimism felt by many after the fall of the Berlin wall.
“Freedom’s fight” had been won in the former Soviet republics. Faith in American ideals was to become universalized, as other countries would embrace their democratic values and
emulate its economic system. In the speeches of both Bush and Clinton, American exceptionalism retained its luster. Bush continued to view the United States as the force
capable of maintaining peace, freedom, and safety throughout the world. Clinton certainly views the U.S. as exceptional by virtue of its military prowess. However, he sees American
exceptionalism in terms of being able to lead the world on confronting a range of issues : freedom, democracy, the environment, and global economic growth. Given the victory of
Clinton over Bush, largely based on the theme of “change”, this argument would seem to have carried the day. Perhaps after the Cold War, many Americans were more disposed to seeing
their country as exceptional more in terms of progressivism rather than in terms of military might.
The speeches of Bush and Clinton do not suggest a Manichean vision as strong as
Reagan showed towards the Soviets during most of his political career. Perhaps that was part
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freedom grows, America grows. And just as a strong America means a safer
world, we have learned that a safer world means a stronger America…/…Well
tonight I say to you, join me in our new crusade to reap the rewards of our global
victory, to win the peace, so that we may make America safer and stronger for all
our people. May God bless you, and may God bless the United States of
America.»
In responding to Republican triuphalism concerning the Cold War Bill Clinton, in his
1992 acceptance speech implied that this “global victory” has come at the expense of social
conditions at home.
« We meet at a special moment in history, you and I. The Cold War is over ;
Soviet Union has collapsed, and our values – freedom, democracy, individual
rights, free enterprise – they have triumphed all over the world. And yet just as we
have won the Cold War abroad, we are losing the battles for economic
opportunity and social justice here at home. Now that we have changed the
world , it’s time to change America…/…An America with the world’s strongest
defense, ready and willing to use force, when necessary. An America at the
forefront of the global effort to preserve and protect our common environment,
and promoting global growth. An America that will not coddle tyrants, from
Baghdad to Beijing. An America that champions the cause of freedom and
democracy, from Eastern Europe to Southern Africa, and in our own hemisphere
in Haiti and Cuba. The end of the Cold War permits us to reduce military
spending while still maintaining the strongest defense in the world. But we must
plough back every dollar of defense cuts into building American jobs right here at
home. I know well that the world needs a strong America, but we have learned
that strength begins at home .»
Both candidates reflected the optimism felt by many after the fall of the Berlin wall.
“Freedom’s fight” had been won in the former Soviet republics. Faith in American ideals was
to become universalized, as other countries would embrace their democratic values and
emulate its economic system. In the speeches of both Bush and Clinton, American
exceptionalism retained its luster. Bush continued to view the United States as the force
capable of maintaining peace, freedom, and safety throughout the world. Clinton certainly
views the U.S. as exceptional by virtue of its military prowess. However, he sees American
exceptionalism in terms of being able to lead the world on confronting a range of issues :
freedom, democracy, the environment, and global economic growth. Given the victory of
Clinton over Bush, largely based on the theme of “change”, this argument would seem to have
carried the day. Perhaps after the Cold War, many Americans were more disposed to seeing
their country as exceptional more in terms of progressivism rather than in terms of military
might.
The speeches of Bush and Clinton do not suggest a Manichean vision as strong as
Reagan showed towards the Soviets during most of his political career. Perhaps that was part
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