Fundamentally, there is no justification for ideals beyond the ideals themselves. The calculation and pursuit of national self-interest without regard for universal ideals is not only immoral but self-defeating.
If one thinks that the enrichment of the individual's life, and not the aggrandizement of the State, is the ultimate goal of politics, if one thinks that the object of survival is not mere breathing but the fulfillment of the liberal and humane values of Western civilization, then the preservation and the promotion of American power and interests cannot be an end in itself; it is but a means to an end. And I'm not just talking theoretically here.
If American power becomes an end in itself, American society, no less than international society, will suffer; for unless American security is measured by ideal standards transcending the national interest, it will likely take forms that undermine the moral basis of all social relations. If the humanitarian and democratic values, which are the basis of America's social and political institutions, are valid at all, they are as valid outside American borders as within. Consequently, if they cease to compel respect in America's foreign relations, they will, ultimately, become ineffective in her domestic affairs. Open Your Eyes! This is beginning to happen right now. The resulting destruction of America's moral fiber through the loss of national integrity and the disintegration of ethical standards would be almost as great a blow to the nation as an armed attack on her territory. |
