Comments on: Obama’s Vision: Hegemony, Minus Torture http://larison.org/2007/04/24/obamas-vision-hegemony-minus-torture/ n. the principle of good order "Observe the strange inversion of all order and sense! Dignity debased; how vilely is the function of a consul prostituted!" ~The Craftsman Fri, 19 Mar 2010 11:24:13 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.0.4 by: Grumpy Old Man http://larison.org/2007/04/24/obamas-vision-hegemony-minus-torture/#comment-6304 Wed, 25 Apr 2007 15:15:39 +0000 http://larison.org/2007/04/24/obamas-vision-hegemony-minus-torture/#comment-6304 There's "UNICEF card" internationalism and "shock and awe" internationalism, but the twain do meet. Ask any Serb. There’s “UNICEF card” internationalism and “shock and awe” internationalism, but the twain do meet.

Ask any Serb.

]]> by: awyarbr http://larison.org/2007/04/24/obamas-vision-hegemony-minus-torture/#comment-6303 Wed, 25 Apr 2007 15:06:58 +0000 http://larison.org/2007/04/24/obamas-vision-hegemony-minus-torture/#comment-6303 he-gem-o-ny: [n] 1. leadership or predominant influence exercised by one nation over others. While I would agree that military operations conducted to bring "democracy" to the savages of the world are unlikely to be successful, and therefore not a wise deployment of American military force, it does not follow that "the work of a hegemon is itself detrimental to America". This might be true, but it is counterintuitive, and you have not made the case. I'm not sure what Obama's "subtle hegemony" would look like. It strikes me as more liberal universalism, but without the muscle, which probably has <i>less</i> chance of enduring even than Bush's liberal universalism <i>cum</i> military interventionism. he-gem-o-ny: [n] 1. leadership or predominant influence exercised by one nation over others.

While I would agree that military operations conducted to bring “democracy” to the savages of the world are unlikely to be successful, and therefore not a wise deployment of American military force, it does not follow that “the work of a hegemon is itself detrimental to America”. This might be true, but it is counterintuitive, and you have not made the case.

I’m not sure what Obama’s “subtle hegemony” would look like. It strikes me as more liberal universalism, but without the muscle, which probably has less chance of enduring even than Bush’s liberal universalism cum military interventionism.

]]>