Noam Chomsky: The Obama Doctrine

Noam Chomsky: The Obama Doctrine

Sunday, 06 October 2013 09:14
By Noam Chomsky, Truthout | Op-Ed


The recent Obama-Putin tiff over American exceptionalism reignited an ongoing debate over the Obama Doctrine: Is the president veering toward isolationism? Or will he proudly carry the banner of exceptionalism?

The debate is narrower than it may seem. There is considerable common ground between the two positions, as was expressed clearly by Hans Morgenthau, the founder of the now dominant no-sentimentality "realist" school of international relations.

Throughout his work, Morgenthau describes America as unique among all powers past and present in that it has a "transcendent purpose" that it "must defend and promote" throughout the world: "the establishment of equality in freedom."

The competing concepts "exceptionalism" and "isolationism" both accept this doctrine and its various elaborations but differ with regard to its application. .....................(more)

The complete piece is at: http://truth-out.org/opinion/item/19251-the-obama-doctrine