| I am certain that humanitarian concerns are often, if not always, paramount. We get involved in conflicts primarily as a reflection of our values as a nation. Yes, survival and national well- being are factored in, but it is mainly a matter of honor. We could have kept strictly neutral in the run up to our participation in WWII, or even made a deal with Hitler for world domination. We didn't approve of Hitler, and admired the British, and therefore tilted towards the British, and even helped the Soviets when they were attacked by Hitler. Similarly, we tilted towards the Allies in Asia because of our horror at Japanese atrocities in China, which had been a particular "protege" of the United States through organizations like the YMCA for many years. Our oil embargo practically invited war with the Japanese. The same thing with WWI: we tilted towards the democracies, despite official neutrality, because we found the autocratic states distasteful, and therefore took sides with the democracies. When Wilson said we were making the world safe for democracy, he was expressing a general sentiment, not a personal point of view. |
