Forming America's Identity . . . One Invasion at a Time

I'm not ambitious enough to venture a comprehensive answer to Michael Scaperlanda's query regarding the pope's vision of national vocation -- i.e., the "unique gifts" the United States can offer the "world community in building a civilization of love." I will say, however, that many of our actions in the war against terrorism seem to be entirely disconnected from such a venture. Instead, we appear willing to bring about considerable suffering outside of our borders in order to decrease the likelihood of suffering within our borders. As President Bush said in justifying the invasion of Iraq, "I'm not willing to stake one American life on trusting Saddam Hussein."
(Read the full speech here.) Nations of course should take actions to defend their borders and maintain their viability -- otherwise they would be unable to participate in the broader task outlined by the pope. But it seems that this task is turned upside down when a nation uses the mere possibility (however remote) of a future terrorist attack as a justification for conduct that knocks out the pillars on which the world community has been formed.

This is not to suggest that the pursuit of democracy is inconsistent with the pope's vision of national purpose; but a self-serving, violent pursuit of democracy in which potential threats to one nation's citizens are used as trumps against the claims to life and dignity voiced by other nations' citizens cannot seriously be considered a sincere effort to build a "civilization of love."

Rob