American Foreign Policy: Why We Resist and Protect
By JOSEPH KIM ‘26
American foreign policy has been a subject of intense scrutiny and debate throughout its history. The United States, as a global superpower, plays a dominating role on the world stage and its balance of outwards force and inwards defense; thus, the United States’ foreign policy is of imperative concern for Americans and non-Americans alike. Strong and forceful American foreign policy during the Cold War and post-Cold War eras has proved instrumental in maintaining global stability and boosting American interests. In the face of evolving global challenges, the robust use of American power is necessary to protect our national interests, advance American interests, and foster global stability.
National security is the cornerstone of any country’s foreign policy. The United States, with its global reach and influence, must consider the security needs of its allies as much as that of American citizens. Keeping an enemy offshore as far away as possible by limiting their spheres of influence and expanding our own naturally brings security to our nation by ensuring that the battlefields are thousands of miles away rather than at our front door. The United States can effectively expand its sphere of influence and gain reliable allies by developing strong political and economic ties with allies. The United States protects not only American citizens but also the security interests of its allies by maintaining a strong grip on its sphere of influence and projecting its military and economic power abroad.
With the eradication of powerful threats comes global stability and peace. It would be a grave error to believe that appeasement or a peaceful balance of powers will ensure ever-lasting peace and prosperity. We can learn from Britain’s grand mistake in 1939 that appeasing the desires of power-hungry growing powers is a one-way road to either surrender or a painful and dreadful war. If none of these ideas produce international unity and accord, perhaps a world with an unchallenged superpower expanding its influence outwards is the solution. Much like how the uncontested Roman naval hegemony secured the Mediterranean, the best way to secure greater prosperity in the long run is for an unchallenged superpower, the United States, to dominate the world stage.
Having established this philosophy, how can the United States apply this doctrine to real world situations? In fact, we already have. In the Monroe Doctrine written out in 1823, the United States established the Americas as a boundary in which infiltration by outside powers would not be tolerated. However, times have changed since the establishment of the Monroe Doctrine, and we need to firmly dictate where we draw our line. As the global superpower the United States is, we must set our boundary to be any ally of ours, no matter how far away. Needless to say, the United States must honor this creed, or it becomes meaningless. In current day situations, we must not cower away when Taiwan or Ukraine requests support, and we should be boldened to sign agreements guaranteeing allies’ borders. Any country under our protective wing must be guarded from outside threats, and this decree must be understood by every rival power.
The controversy that arises regarding global American hegemony is the seemingly unnecessary war and conflict that results from such an aggressive policy. This is because of our natural immediate negative impulse when hearing the word “war”. Non-interventionist critics may argue that the millions of deaths during the Korean War and Vietnam War may have been prevented with a less threatening and belligerent foreign policy. While this argument has merit, one must also consider the larger consequences of the United States losing its grip on the world at large. Had the United States simply stayed neutral in every Cold War conflict against communism, allowing most of the world to fall under the Soviet sphere of influence, the United States would have been hopeless when Soviet armies eventually rolled into American land. A common problem when people think of foreign wars is that they often compare war to peace. Of course, peace is preferable to war. However, we should always keep in mind the results of giving up. Americans have had the luxury of not seeing their land invaded and occupied and have thus lived with an arrogant mindset, taking American peace for granted. Many Americans consider our country as a haven away from the civilian suffering wrought by war but often forget why that is. We must realize that our sacrifices on foreign soil that push our enemies further away and our staunch support of our allies are what prevent a large war fought on American soil. Regardless of immediate setbacks and clashes caused by aggression, the one and only path to century-long stability in this new global era is acceptance—even acquiescence—of American supremacy on the land, seas, and skies.
A firm American foreign policy is imperative for safeguarding national security, promoting American interests, advancing Western ideals, and maintaining global stability. In a world characterized by evolving threats and geopolitical complexities, the United States must continue to lead with resolve and strength despite the regrettable costs in life and capital to ensure a safer, more prosperous future for itself and the world at large.
