Reasoning Reason

A friend sent me a few articles today in response to a debate we had on McCain's proposed League of Democracies and I have published links to these articles followed by my response:

Article 1:
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/01/opinion/01brooks.html?_r=1&ref=opinion&oref=slogin

Article 2:
http://www.policyinnovations.org/ideas/innovations/data/000035

I read this and the other article and they both make valid points, although none of them are new points. Namely, the UN is failing and cannot pass anything significant. McCain sees the commonality of ideals amongst democracies and strives to create an organization of these states (although on April 11th he changed his stance and said the League "would not be a formal organization" which makes this debate less relevant) and believes that American needs an organization that can, frankly, get stuff done. And we do need an organization that can do just that. Yet, providing McCain does still want to create a League of Democracies despite his statement that probably had campaign manager written all over it, here is why the League is a bad idea:

Take your statement the other day that the Democrats in Congress won't pass anything because they are waiting for the next administration and Congressional elections. Now say that these Democrats represent Russia, China, and other countries that do not cooperate with U.S. efforts in international institutions. The League of Democracies are those fed up with the Democrats, and is an organization proposed to group countries by ideological differences, so the League of Democracies would then become the Republicans in Congress (and probably Joe Lieberman...although this analogy in no way intends to suggest that the League is a Republican idea since for the most part only McCain and a few Democrats support the League) who separate themselves from Congress and form their "New Congress." This New Congress of Republicans imposes its ideologies on America. Therefore, they ban abortion and gay unions around the country. Guns are legal, taxes are low, government is small, etc...a major generalization but you get my fundamental point.

What does this mean? Instantly there is polarization in the United States. Every form of bipartisanship is abolished. The Democrats (representing Russia, China, etc) are beyond pissed off--the checks are balances system has been compromised and to regain their rightful place in society the Democrats wage war with the Republicans. Cold War #2? It's a stretch, but not an impracticality, especially considering the threats Russia is making over the United States's attempt to put anti-ballistic missiles in Poland as well as over Bush's continuing violation of the SALT treaties.

Now what happens to the current Congress in that scenario? It crumbles. Similarly, if McCain forms the League of Democracies, the United Nations is entirely undermined and will too crumble. Additionally, given the United States's current reputation around the world and the strong desire by our allies for the United Nations to work, I doubt many countries would want to join the League of Democracies. The leaders of America, England, France, Italy, and Germany, have nearly, if not the worst, approval ratings in history. If McCain created the League of Democracies and Iran stood a day from obtaining nuclear weapons, how many of those countries would support a U.S. plan to invade Iran? Israel, maybe England...beyond that obtaining Ferris Bueller's support would be a stretch. Who exactly wants to join the unpopular leaders and re-divide the world between East and West and further provoke Russia and China? Certainly not the citizens of America and the EU countries that would be in the League--that's why McCain had to retract his statement and say it wouldn't be a formal organization.

McCain is being naive in his argument for the League of Democracies. He underestimates the power of Russia, China, Venezuela, Brazil, Iran, etc; he oversimplifies the relationships between democracies as well as between democratic countries' ties with non-democracies; and he supports separating the world based on ideology as opposed to interests, making his plan impractical and feeding the negative criticism of America as a country that believes its way is right and everyone elses is wrong. Furthermore, the League of Democracies concept exemplifies McCain's neoconservative tendencies.

The worst thing the United States can do is create its own organization of allies. The League of Democracies would not become an equivalent to the prospering European Union, especially if member country voting does not occur in a democratic fashion--something McCain has not proposed. Instead, the United States needs to reengage with the United Nations and NATO because both organizations have been most successful when the United States plays a large role. I do not assume that the United Nations will significantly improve when the United States reengages, but I strongly believe, the reasons for which I have just outlined, that a group of idealists organized as McCain has proposed will not provoke significant tangible results and will instead cause intangible global setbacks.