GLOBAL REACH

Global Reach Megan Hennessy College of Dupage English 1101 Elizabeth Anderson 2 December 2013

GLOBAL REACH

Global Reach

Many a United States president has warned not to get too involved in foreign affairs and not overextend the United States reach throughout the years, and yet the United States has continued to do so. However, where would the country be if it had not been for its projection of power around the world? The United States is a superpower and empire for a reason, because in the past and in the present it has continued to fiercely protect its political and economic interests around the world. Whether it was being involved in Latin America, the Pacific, WWI or WWII, the United States was righteous in extending its global reach in order to maintain a more stable country. It would be a mistake to limit U.S involvement and it is necessary for the U.S to project power around the world to protect its financial investments, as well as its principles of democracy and what is right. Up until WWI, the United States foreign policy was primarily to practice isolationism. In the beginning the U.S was hesitant to get involved in worldly affairs, especially those in Europe. Because the U.S is a capitalistic country, it has many overseas trade connections and financial interests, therefore when those financial interests were threatened in WWI; the U.S government felt it was necessary to become involved. After emerging from WWI as the number one power in the world, the reputation stuck and since then the U.S has done everything in its power to maintain that image. Even though the U.S lost many men in WWI, some believe that it was a sacrifice well worth what the U.S gained in return. The U.S may not have had moral reasons behind entering WWI, but that cannot be said for WWII. The U.S was justified in

GLOBAL REACH

entering WWII, because what was being done in Europe went against U.S beliefs and standards of humanity. The U.S saw being involved as a way to again protect economic interests but also to protect the rights of people everywhere. Democracy is something the United States holds very dear and as the unofficial protector of democracy, the U.S needed to step in and stop the fascist dictators that were in power. Another prime example is the United States involv ement in the Pacific. A crucial part of being an empire is having colonies around the world that can be used and accessed easily for military and economic use. The U.S sought many colonies in the Pacific including, Puerto Rico, Cuba, the Philippines and Guam. These places were ideal for attaining natural resources and making use of U.S surplus capital investments. By creating roads, buildings, a power grid and an overall infrastructure in these underdeveloped countries, it allowed the U.S to make use of extra materials that it had and in return make a profit. Now is not the time to stop expanding the United States reach around the world, because it still has a reputation to maintain and a competition to win. The U.S will always be in the race for technology, territory, military status and above all world power. The reasons that people such as President Washington, William Jennings Bryan and other isolationists gave were all valid reasons, but in todays world it is more crucial than ever before to be involv ed and connected with the rest of the world. Alienating the U.S would only lead to future conflicts and possibly more terror attacks if other countries start to see the U.S as weak. The U.S already has the greatest military in the world and one reason for that is to show the countrys strength; but what the U.S also has is the latest technology and information gathering skills that proved to be crucial in the past, like in the cold war, and crucial for todays war on terror and defending the

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U.S. The U.S needs to continue being involved but also must remember to never become too dominant, because that could potentially create more enemies. United States foreign policy has changed direction many times throughout history, but what is best for the United States now is to continue being a world power that is involved where its interests lie. Being a supranation and an empire means that the United States is going to expand, and have influence over other nations. Some say that isolationism is a better foreign policy strategy but being secluded will not solve the issues. It is important to have interests around the world, as long as those interests benefit the U.S and are motivated by what is best for the nation.