Reading the news today I was struck by a BBC report concerning the UN Food conference currently going on in Rome. Robert Mugabe, in a speech to the council, apparently attacked US President Bush and UK Prime Minister Blair concerning farm price subsidies and nation building, to name just a couple of things. What struck me most, however, was a quote from Mugabe concerning “nation building”:

“The voice of Mr Bush and the voice of Mr Blair can’t decide who shall rule in Zimbabwe, who shall rule in Africa, who shall rule in Asia, who shall rule in Venezuela, who shall rule in Iran, who shall rule in Iraq.”

This is a most interesting quote considering the current US policy. If the Downing Street memos are true, then Bush didn’t make the decision to go into Iraq because of WMDs, but perhaps for more “selfish” reasons (and by selfish, I mean something like securing the US against terrorist attacks sponsored by the Iraqi government). The same sort of policy was fostered towards Afghanistan. We continue to levy heavy embargos against North Korea and Iran because they do not accede to our demands. Is this diplomacy? Or is this economic imperialism?

I haven’t made up my mind about it. I see the pros and cons on both sides. If the US is committed to justice, then it would seem that we want to promote that justice all over the world. But is that our right? The Roosevelt Corollary to the Monroe doctrine comes to mind; but are we going to limit ourselves to the Americas anymore? Are we looking at the Bush Corollary to the Roosevelt Doctrine now?

And even if that is our right, are our intentions really that pure? I hate to bring the Rumsfeld “coincidence” into play here, but Halliburton has made a lot of money through uncontested government contracts in Iraq and Afghanistan rebuilding (or just building) infrastructure. Are we still out for “filthy lucre” under the guise of “spreading democracy”? I hate to think that our foreign policy is really so twisted, but what of it?

But now I need to hear the conversation. Comments are highly coveted.