Document text
0 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? e-edition | subscribe | newsletter | deals Home News Latest Stories Couple returns to 'post-earthquake' Haiti Central Point candidates have similar goals Emergency Services Medford school officials consider costs of full-day kindergarten Family rallies help for Mexican community Crime, Courts and Emergency Services Couple returns to 'post-earthquake' Haiti Emergency Services Family rallies help for Mexican community Emergency services Iron Mike loses his rifle ... again Politics and Elections Kitzhaber embattled as he seeks fourth term Five compete for three council seats Jville Council Q&A: Brad Bennington Jville Council Q&A: Jim Lewis Jville Council Q&A: Ken Gregg Education Medford school officials consider costs of full-day kindergarten Foundation kicks off ambitious 'Count Me In' fundraising campaign 100 hours and counting SOU students protest university's free-speech zone Boys & Girls Clubs bursting at the seams Environment Work begins on Southern Oregon's first dedicated mountain bike trail Applegate Dam hydroelectric project dead in water Fear of orphaned cubs nixes new spring bear hunt Josephine County ballot measure would ban commercial and government pesticide use Low water exposes Emigrant Lake's past State news Nation - World Obituaries Marylen Agrell Kocks Lillian (Hulinsky) Kamarad Carol Erenst Reynolds Jay P. Greenwade Harriet Sheehan Weather Photo Galleries Since You Asked Videos Web Cams Mail Tribune 100 Sports Latest Stories Manning breaks Favre’s all-time TD record Impact of a Comet Keselowski keeps title hopes alive at Talladega Tim Lincecum waits his turn, still yet to pitch Denkinger’s miss revisited as Series returns to KC Varsity 541 College Sports UO’s Dargan sets the tone for improving defense Mariota keeps touchdown streak alive Royce Rolls SOU shuts down Beacons for weekend sweep Raiders drop wild game to Carroll, 42-40 Pro Sports Manning breaks Favre’s all-time TD record Tim Lincecum waits his turn, still yet to pitch Denkinger’s miss revisited as Series returns to KC Vickers wins pole in strange Talladega qualifying Spurs' Popovich jabs Suns owner Sarver Community Sports LOCAL EVENTS LOCAL RESULTS Business Latest Stories Rogue Credit Union awaits southeast Medford opportunity People in Business Blog: Early Holiday Shopping Hundreds look for work at Harry & David hiring fair Frontier Airlines to end Eugene-Denver service Real Estate News Lithia buys Clovis dealership Rental vacancies increase Jackson County real estate sales, prices continue rebound Pallet Wine Co. expands in downtown Medford People In Business People in Business Transportation Frontier Airlines to end Eugene-Denver service Business Resource Fair has answers Erickson's Navy contract extended Lithia buys Clovis dealership Agriculture Hundreds look for work at Harry & David hiring fair Umpqua Holdings more than doubles net earnings Harry & David will hold hiring fair Thursday Ranchers offer livestock exchange 1-800-Flowers CEO: Labor shortage an issue for Harry & David Opinion Latest Letters to the Editor, Oct. 20 Another view: It's easy: Just stop having sex Letters to the Editor, Oct. 19 Our view: Endorsements include Bates, Talbert, Hoppe Don't overlook importance of Jackson County commissioners race Editorials Our view: Endorsements include Bates, Talbert, Hoppe Reversing course: Hoppe for judge Our view: With respect, our support goes to Bates Our View: Bearnson, Stine, Lane for Medford council Our View: No clear favorite for county commissioner, position 1 Letters to the Editor Letters to the Editor, Oct. 20 Letters to the Editor, Oct. 19 Letters to the Editor, Oct. 18 Letters to the Editor, Oct. 17 Letters to the Editor, Oct. 16 Guest Opinions Don't overlook importance of Jackson County commissioners race Measure 92 misleads rather than enlightens Oregonians have a right to know what's in their food Infill is the answer to growth issues Guest Opinion: Who’s really to blame for 2014 wildfires? Lifestyle Latest stories Scenic byway showcases colors of the Cascades New arrivals Held captive by whimsy How to know when trees and shrubs need to go Community blog: My New Best Selling Book Food Community blog: Southern Oregon Micro and Nano Brewing Scene Fall 2014 Community blog: Eggs make for economical, unconventional curry Mobile meals perfect for autumn forays Community blog: Green beans go global from gleaning garden Kitchen Call: Pumpkin is nothing without the spice Home and Garden How to know when trees and shrubs need to go Dear Monty: Is your real estate agent a secret agent? The best way to store your books A list to help you get ready for winter How to create a fashionable painted floor cloth Health Held captive by whimsy Community blog: My New Best Selling Book Dr. Jeff Hersh: The enterovirus is not new Dr. Murray Feingold: The first successful uterus transplant Health Watch: Skip the energy drink and reenergize naturally Hiking Biking Faith Religion Briefs Religion Briefs Religion Briefs Religion briefs First Church of Nazarene plans cleanup Milestones and Achievements New arrivals Southern Oregon Pride parade celebrates gay marriage ruling New Arrivals Still stifling laughter 40 years after 'Young Frankenstein' New Arrivals Columnist for a Day Rogue Healthy Aging Tempo Latest stories Review: Funny 'Lion in Winter' roars to life at Camelot Theatre Yu's Yummy Yan's offers great take-out A cappella fellas sing for schools Theater's haunted house not for faint of heart Tutunov Piano Series begins at SOU Theater Camelot presents 'The Lion in Winter' 'Carnage' is short, smart, darkly funny Randall Theatre presents 'Blithe Spirit' A tribute to a great lyricist Music A cappella fellas sing for schools The Farr Side: Bryan Adams releases album of influential hits Tutunov Piano Series begins at SOU Benefit for Nita Day at The Wild Goose Cafe in Ashland Call for musicians Community Events Review: Funny 'Lion in Winter' roars to life at Camelot Theatre Theater's haunted house not for faint of heart Third Fridays in downtown Medford Works in progress Southern Oregon Pride Festival celebrates diversity Dining Yu's Yummy Yan's offers great take-out Agave offers tasty tacos Asian cuisine for all seasons at Misoya Bistro Spoons Tempo Videos Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » Obituaries Blogs TV Listings Movie Listings Oregon Outdoors Oregon Healthy Living Magazines & Special Sections NEWS NOW Central Point candidates have similar goals ... Family rallies help for Mexican community ... Green Party candidate drops from state Senate race ... Central Point candidates have similar goals ... Family rallies help for Mexican community ... Green Party candidate drops from state Senate race ... ANOTHER VOICE Isolation won't work for U.S. or the world MailTribune.com Writer Posted Oct. 17, 2014 @ 12:01 am Posted Oct. 17, 2014 @ 12:01 am » Social News The value of American foreign policy conducted by majority vote — which might have resulted in a Nazi-occupied London — is once again evident. In 2013, 52 percent of Americans agreed that their country should "mind its own business internationally." (In 1964, the figure was 20 percent.) This robust consensus for disengagement was soon followed by the rapid expansion of the Islamic State in a vacuum left by American inattention. And then by an outbreak of Ebola in West Africa that should have been confronted months earlier with larger resources. In recent years, Americans have generally gotten what they wanted on foreign policy issues -- and now ruthlessly punish those who implemented their will. A recent poll has President Obama's foreign policy approval rating at a sorry 34 percent. Americans may applaud "nation-building at home," but they eventually make judgments based on outcomes in Mosul and Monrovia. And this is fair. A commander in chief does not sign on to reflect public consensus but to defend the country and the Constitution. This interplay between an often-reluctant public and a chief executive energetically pursuing the national interest has generally served the country well. Presidents since World War II have possessed broad powers to exercise American influence on a global stage — declaring strategic doctrines, enforcing red lines, arming proxies, sending emergency assistance, striking enemies with drones — while trying to persuade Congress to fund such efforts and Americans to support them. This is a different role for an American president than in Jefferson's old republic. But it emerged when it did for a reason. German philosopher Karl Jaspers argued that history before World War II had been "a dispersed field of unconnected ventures." With the war, it became "the totality, which has become the problem and the task." The world, for the first time, had a meaningfully unified history. A variety of challenges — nuclear proliferation, environmental degradation, terrorism — eventually became global in nature. And some old problems, including pandemic disease, gained the speed of air travel and the momentum of growing, tightly packed populations. Since World War II, America has been the only nation willing enough, capable enough, and responsible enough to keep a semblance of order. The divided states of Europe will sometimes join a coalition but seldom lead it. Russia and China remain engaged in Great Power games. International institutions are weak at best. America has consistently undertaken to encourage the capabilities of other responsible actors. But it is still the U.S. 7th Fleet that deploys near Japan; the Second Infantry Division that stands guard at the Korean Demilitarized Zone; the U.S. Central Command that conducts most of the airstrikes in Iraq and Syria. Some naturally complain about these burdens. But without America bearing them, the horrors of the 20th century would have been infinitely more horrible. The death camps emptied only by ruthless efficiency. Or Europe unified under Soviet rule, with gulags outside Berlin and Paris. Threats to America have shifted, or perhaps diversified. The 9/11 attacks originated in the failed and distant state of Afghanistan. Afterward, some academics argued that this case was unique and that the "problem of failed states" was exaggerated. Now the Islamic State feeds off governing failure across two countries. And Ebola spreads in the absence of effective health care structures across three countries. So America has no real interest in the problem of failed states — except when it results in al-Qaeda, the Islamic State and Ebola. President Obama's embrace of these duties has been double-minded. He is, intellectually, an internationalist who speaks of the dangers of globalized threats. But he ran for office promising national retrenchment in order to focus on domestic concerns, and has cited the polls (on Syria in particular) as confirmation of his own instinct for inaction. His prosecution of war against the Islamic State seems (so far) constrained and half-hearted. Some conservatives are no better — imagining that global problems can be contained by the isolation of Syrian chaos ("baddies versus baddies" anyway), or by the effective quarantine of Liberia. But 200,000 dead in Syria, along with 9 million displaced, proved to be an uncontainable regional catastrophe. And the isolation of Ebola-affected nations could accelerate economic and political collapse, increase suffering and death, and result in further spread of the disease. It will not work — and it cannot be right — to allow these countries to die behind a curtain. America has problems that can't be isolated, only confronted. And the longer it takes to realize it, the harder our tasks become. Michael Gerson's email address is [email protected]. MailTribune.com Writer Posted Oct. 17, 2014 @ 12:01 am » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. calendar Connect with MailTribune.com Facebook Twitter RSS Back to top Reader Services Reader Services Home Subscriptions Subscriber controls Contact us Submissions Photos Events Letters to the editor Corrections Announcements Obituaries Story ideas Since you asked Alerts Email Alerts RSS Feeds Text Alerts Advertise Media Kit Home Products and services Ad rates Advertising contacts Mail Tribune Daily Tidings The Nickel Shop Our Valley Blogs Stay Informed Email newsletter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Your privacy is important, read our privacy policy. © Copyright 2014 Local Media Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms of Service | Local Media Group Publications Original content available for non-commercial use under a Creative Commons license, except where noted. MailTribune.com | P.O. Box 1108, Medford, OR 97501