This matter of morality is important because presidents have used their assumed war power mainly against small, weak countries incapable of fending off American might. Executives have been much more cautious in dealing with major foes, such as the Soviet Union or China. In other words, they followed the hardly moral principle of bashing the weak and accommodating the strong.
In their teaching, books, and articles historians have long stressed the moral ingredient in American democracy, depicting it as exceptional for its openness to all peoples, its acceptance of conflicting ideas, and its commitment to right over wrong. In biblical terms, historians have referred often to this democracy as the light of the world, a city set on a hill. They told students it did not embark on preemptive wars, did not punish people collectively for the transgressions of one or of a minority, and did not resort to hostilities when diplomacy could preserve peace.
The Bush administration has mocked these principles, using an ill-defined umbrella conception of terrorism as the pretext to abuse civil liberties as well as the war power. It has demonstrated once again why the founders had reason to distrust uncontrollable executive power. So far, impelled by the macho impulse, backed by hawkish advisers, encouraged by high ratings in polls, and undeterred by a supine congress that questions the timing but not the unilateral war-making itself, the president appears well on his way to launching another needless bloodletting.
Alexander DeConde, emeritus professor of history, University of California at Santa Barbara
Mr. DeConde is the auhtor of "Presidential Machismo: Executive Authority, Military Intervention, and Foreign Relations" (Northeastern University Press, 2000). http://www.nupress.neu.edu
Illustration and article reprinted courtesy of the History News Network
at George Mason University http://HNN.us
Please also read "King George II: A Shakespearean Drama", by Shepherd Bliss,
currently in our Health section.
In their teaching, books, and articles historians have long stressed the moral ingredient in American democracy, depicting it as exceptional for its openness to all peoples, its acceptance of conflicting ideas, and its commitment to right over wrong. In biblical terms, historians have referred often to this democracy as the light of the world, a city set on a hill. They told students it did not embark on preemptive wars, did not punish people collectively for the transgressions of one or of a minority, and did not resort to hostilities when diplomacy could preserve peace.
The Bush administration has mocked these principles, using an ill-defined umbrella conception of terrorism as the pretext to abuse civil liberties as well as the war power. It has demonstrated once again why the founders had reason to distrust uncontrollable executive power. So far, impelled by the macho impulse, backed by hawkish advisers, encouraged by high ratings in polls, and undeterred by a supine congress that questions the timing but not the unilateral war-making itself, the president appears well on his way to launching another needless bloodletting.
Alexander DeConde, emeritus professor of history, University of California at Santa Barbara
Mr. DeConde is the auhtor of "Presidential Machismo: Executive Authority, Military Intervention, and Foreign Relations" (Northeastern University Press, 2000). http://www.nupress.neu.edu
Illustration and article reprinted courtesy of the History News Network
at George Mason University http://HNN.us
Please also read "King George II: A Shakespearean Drama", by Shepherd Bliss,
currently in our Health section.