Security First: For a Muscular, Moral Foreign Policy

by Amitai Etzioni

“Rarely have more profound changes in American foreign policy been called for than today,” begins Amitai Etzioni in the preface to this book. Yet Etzioni’s concern is not to lay blame for past mistakes but to address the future: What can now be done to improve U.S. relations with the rest of the world?
What should American policies be toward recently liberated countries such as Iraq and Afghanistan, or rogue states like North Korea and Iran? When should the United States undertake humanitarian intervention abroad? What must be done to protect America from nuclear terrorism? The author asserts that providing basic security must be the first priority in all foreign policy considerations, even ahead of efforts to democratize. He sets out essential guidelines for a foreign policy that makes sense in the real world, builds on moral principles, and creates the possibility of establishing positive relationships with Muslim nations and all others.
Etzioni has considered the issues deeply and for many years. His conclusions fall into no neat categories—neither “liberal” nor “conservative”—for he is guided not by ideology but by empirical evidence and moral deliberation. His proposal rings with the sound of reason, and this important book belongs on the reading list of every concerned leader, policy maker, and voter in America.

Genres: Nonfiction, Politics

308 pages, Hardcover

First published July 1, 2007

Reviews

[Avesta · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is seriously thought-provoking stuff.

I had no idea who Amitai Etzioni was - I was mainly looking for a good book on foreign policy that simultaneously advocates for a powerful/moral one - and that ticked all the boxes initially. But what I read was so much more than just a book on how to develop a strong and moral foreign policy.

Etzioni provides incredible and thorough analyses addressing pressing foreign policy issues of both today and historic ones such as on the Iraq War. But he also addresses how domestic policy influences foreign policy and attitudes toward international relations.

I did have two issues with this though - this is heavily oriented towards US foreign policy, which should have been clearer from the title; and his thoughts on tackling religious extremism I found to be too lax.

His analysis of Bush's war against terror as opposed to war against Islam (which he claims is understandable) was quite interesting though - Etzioni suggests Bush should have had a war against certain parts of Islam, whilst actively supporting moderate Islam.

I'm biased, naturally. I want to agree with that analysis, but so long as organised religion exists to the influence it has today - I feel we will never be able to comfortably quell extremism. Establishing laïcité is my personal solution - keeping religion a private matter, removing it from all places of influence: governments; schools; etc.

[Ryan Lyppens · Rating 4 out of 5]

The title of this book is very misleading. Since I knew nothing about Etzioni before I first picked up this book, I thought that he would be advocating some form of neoconservatism. His actual views are far from that, and he regularly criticized the neoconservatives for advocating use of force without a clear strategy or end goal in mind. I agree with the basic premise of this book. A state must achieve a reasonable degree of stability before undergoing projects such as democratization and building infrastructure. What is the point of holding elections if voters do not feel safe casting their ballots? What is the point of building bridges if terrorists will blow it up two weeks later? The West has been extremely naive in this sense. Writing a national constitution does not automatically lead to pluralism and trillions in foreign aid does not automatically lead to economic success. Developed countries should help other countries by working within the framework of their existing institutions and culture rather than trying to uproot everything and create carbon-copy liberal democracies.

[Nanto]

Buku ini didiskusikan dalam Jurnal American Behavioral Scientist Volume 51 Number 9 Mei 2008.

Baru mulai baca beberapa artikel, saya senyum-senyum sendiri dengan komentar Vincent A. Mahler dari Loyola University Chicago. Pada halaman awal artikelnya yang berjudul "On Providing and Enforcing Basic Security", Mahler menulis, "in a long career that has combined academic scholarship, public service, and policy advocacy, Amitai Etzioni (2007) has never been easy to place ideologically." Kenapa saya senyum? karena paling tidak saya tidak sendirian yang pernah bingung dengan posisi ideologis Etzioni dalam tulisan-tulisan dia yang saya ikuti.

Mari bingung dan senyum-senyum sendiri!

[Burt Harris · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Whitehouse insiders account of methods and means that need to be adapted in order to secure our freedoms.

[Raully · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm not a fan of the genre, but Ezioni's exposure of American assumptions about democratization and world order are sage indeed.