After eight years of "bring it on" foreign policy, forgiveness for the U.S. around the world is perilously low. Data published in the spring showed that roughly one-half of people from the 17 foreign countries surveyed view our global influence as "mainly negative," and a 2005 survey of 16 nations (the most recent data we have) found that most people perceive us as "greedy" and "violent." Clearly, U.S. demand for forgiveness has outstripped supply.
These depressing survey statistics aren't just about our place in a global popularity contest -- they're a real problem with real consequences for American influence in the world. Our next president, whoever that turns out to be, should put some effort into rebuilding our strategic forgiveness reserve. So as we enter the heat of the campaign season, I'd like to offer a little tutorial about forgiveness and its relevance to public life and foreign affairs -- call it "Forgiveness 101" -- to the two men who'd like to be our next president.
We Need to Clean Up Our Messes. Fair compensation and reparations are vital for repairing relationships after we make innocent people suffer. Such reparations can be politically and financially costly, but they extinguish the desire for revenge and they promote reconciliation and forgiveness, which can prevent more expensive problems later. To see how patriotic this idea really is, read up on the Foreign Claims Act that Congress established on the eve of our entry into World War II for compensating the inevitable innocent victims of our wartime actions.
Mind the "Magnitude Gap." Humans are naturally inclined to experience the harm they suffer as more painful and more egregious than their perpetrators do. Likewise, perpetrators are motivated to down-play how badly their victims have suffered (look at how hard it is to discuss, or for that matter, even agree upon a label for, the Armenian genocide). Understanding and anticipating this "magnitude gap" will lead to more productive conversations after other nations take actions (violent or otherwise) that harm our interests, and vice versa.
Strong Governments Control Revenge Like No Other Institutions Can. From Rwanda to Iraq to Darfur to Kenya's post-election violence earlier this year, revenge thrives where governments are weak, mistrusted, and ineffective at enforcing the rule of law. We should try hard to support stable governments that are relatively corruption-free and effective at protecting individual rights -- even if we don't agree with everything they stand for. When good governments collapse, people turn to revenge to protect themselves, their loved ones, and their political interests.
Freer Trade, For All of Its Drawbacks, Will Make the World a More Forgiving, Less Vengeful Place. Free trade is a political hot potato because it means short-term pain for American workers and the prices that American goods can fetch. However, one beneficial side effect of freer trade is that our interdependence with other nations will increase as we increasingly rely on their workers and their markets, and they on ours. Nations typically try to avoid escalating conflicts with their valued trading partners, so freer trade will likely make the world not only wealthier in the long run, but safer too.
Don't Be So Paranoid About Apologizing. Finally, here's some advice that will help American foreign policy and your own political hide. American public life is littered with the ruined careers of people who refused to apologize properly after their misdeeds and public gaffes. Although it's normal to want to hide your mistakes, you need to apologize quickly and forthrightly after the truth comes out. Politicians who know how to eat a little crow can usually win back our respect.
In the modern geopolitical environment, the concepts of revenge, forgiveness, and reconciliation are moving out of the pulpit and the pages of literature and into the realms of public policy and foreign affairs. Forgiveness is, as Archbishop Desmund Tutu said, "realpolitik." The ability to control revenge and broker forgiveness among groups in conflict is a crucial, though underappreciated, element of statecraft.
Electing a president who can rebuild our domestic reserves of this precious resource is a matter of national interest and global security. As we come to grips with worldwide shortages in food and energy, we need to realize that forgiveness is another vital resource that's currently in short supply. Fortunately, it's a renewable one. And the sooner we resume our status as a net exporter, the better.
Michael E. McCullough is a professor of psychology at the University of Miami, where he directs the Laboratory for Social and Clinical psychology. His new book is Beyond Revenge: The Evolution of the Forgiveness Instinct (Jossey-Bass, 2008). Visit him at www.beyondrevengebook.com.
Iran:
Sen. Barack Obama said the use of military force should not be taken off the table when dealing with Iran, which he called "a threat to all of us."
Obama said global leaders must do whatever it takes to stop Iran from enriching uranium and acquiring nuclear weapons. He called Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad "reckless, irresponsible and inattentive" to the day-to-day needs of the Iranian people.
Pakistan:
“Let me make this clear,” Obama said. “There are terrorists holed up in those mountains who murdered 3,000 Americans. They are plotting to strike again. It was a terrible mistake to fail to act when we had a chance to take out an al-Qaida leadership meeting in 2005. If we have actionable intelligence about high-value terrorist targets and President Musharraf won’t act, we will.”
Israeli/Palestinian conflict:
"We should all be concerned about the agreement negotiated among Palestinians in Mecca..."
"Let me be clear," Obama said, "Israel's security is sacrosanct. It is non-negotiable. The Palestinians need a state that is contiguous and cohesive and that allows them to prosper. But any agreement with the Palestinian people must preserve Israel's identity as a Jewish state, with secure, recognized and defensible borders. Jerusalem will remain the capital of Israel, and it must remain undivided.
"This statement is totally rejected," Abbas tsaid
Calling a leader of another country names... check.
Threatening to invade another country... check.
Pissing off the Palestinians... check.
This has been the policy for the entirety of both our current wars. It’s common practice. Are you saying we should do more or are you not aware it was already policy?
Just one example:
http://www.boston.com/news/nation/washington/articles/2006/06/08/condolence_payments_to_iraqis_soar/
If you go here there is a link to a GAO report about payments made in Iraq and Afghanistan:
http://council.smallwarsjournal.com/showthread.php?t=3066
It appears we are really generous.
I imagine a quick survey of the 10 million illegal aliens might alter one's perspective.
"The main thing that Free Trade gives us is more profits for the Corporations that can Act Globally. This has nothing to helping the people overseas, or making goods more affordable here at home, this is about greed by the super rich and a government that allows it and even helps."
Maybe we should look at a China's recent growth in wealth. In the 80's they started implementing some free market changes and guess what happened. Their people got wealthier.
I think if we look at free trade from a historical perspective one can easily link a nations wealth with the amount of free trade. Were we look at economies that don't participate in free trade we see poverty.
{“Maybe we should look at a China's recent growth in wealth. In the 80's they started implementing some free market changes and guess what happened. Their people got wealthier.”}
I would also argue that ‘Free Trade’ is one of those misleading terms, like Death Tax. There have been tariffs and taxes on Global goods for years. But what does it do to our businesses when we allow goods to be brought in that are much cheaper than we can produce them when paying a living wage with safe conditions?
And I don’t think China is the best example of the benefits of Free Trade. The Chinese also devalue their money, and they tightly regulate what products they will allow in and the quantities of those products. So explain what that does for them. Now explain what that does TO us?
I don't know anyone that thinks free trade means no rules at all.
"There have been tariffs and taxes on Global goods for years. But what does it do to our businesses when we allow goods to be brought in that are much cheaper than we can produce them when paying a living wage with safe conditions?"
We get to buy the goods for a cheaper price and can spend our time creating new opportunities for wealth.
Do you believe a person living in poverty 50 years ago had a higher quality of life than someone living in poverty today?
Our economy has enabled better access to medical care, food, a/c and such.
"And I don"t think China is the best example of the benefits of Free Trade. The Chinese also devalue their money, and they tightly regulate what products they will allow in and the quantities of those products. So explain what that does for them. Now explain what that does TO us?"
They had none and they were impoverished. They implemented some and they became much wealthier. Seems a good example to me. You have 250 million people in the middle class in China were none existed before.
What it does to us? You can live in poverty in the US and still be as well off as the middle class in China. Not a bad deal if you ask me.
Obama and the Democrats consistently claim that Iraq was/is a distraction and that we need more troops in Afghanistan. How would you describe Barrack Obama’s prescription for Afghanistan? Just more “bring it on” foreign policy?
Do other countries share any of the blame for this lack of goodwill? What is the responsibility of the countries like France and Germany that illegally sold weapons and equipment to Iraq in violation of international law? Could that not have caused some lack of goodwill between the two governments? Knowing that someone who supported terrorist causes was also being supplied weapons by your so called allies has to be taken into account. What is the responsibility of the U.N. and the billions of illegal money transferred through its food for oil program? How can we create goodwill with people when they are breaking international law for their own personal gain?
And the improvements around the world that workers in other countries enjoy are optimistic at best. Sure these people now have a manufacturing job where they used to be farmers but they still live in slums and barely eat, it is just now they do it in a stinky, polluted city. And these workers have no rights to organize or anyone watching out for their safety and what do you say we talk about child labor?
The main thing that Free Trade gives us is more profits for the Corporations that can Act Globally. This has nothing to helping the people overseas, or making goods more affordable here at home, this is about greed by the super rich and a government that allows it and even helps.
I think I am ok with the rest of the article but my blood pressure shot up so much that I couldn’t see until I typed a response.
I won't argue the statistics to backup your opinion. But, I would argue they are surely outdated by Russia’s recent actions. Surprising how quickly the world’s perception of the U.S. changes when faced with a real threat. Notice how quickly the French jumped on board. Who did the Georgians call for help? How quick was Poland to sign a new treaty. Why do most of the former Eastern Bloc countries want to join NATO? From tsunami troubled Indonesia and earthquake struck Pakistan the US rushed with aide. Yes, there is a lack of forgiveness around the world. But we can’t make people more forgiving. I would argue that the U.S. leads by example in that department. We know much of the world hates us, but we still risk life and limb to help them.
I would also suggest that you are confusing polls with what people really think and feel. Don’t you find it telling that the two most vocal allies in opposition to the Iraq war, France and Germany, are now led by conservative governments?