I am reading The Federalist Papers right now, and there is lots of fodder for this blog there. I am on the 15th one where Hamilton is describing why the Articles of Confederation are inadequate. In it he states that implicit in the idea of government is the making of law and that for the rule of law to be obeyed there must be some sanction, some punishment, if it is disobeyed. He contends that without a judiciary to determine justice and an overriding executive branch to mete out some form of punishment a government of the people simply devolves into chaos. Further he contends that the only way for sovereign states to mete out any sort of justice is through war. Without a powerful national government, Hamilton contends, a confederation of states will end up warring amongst themselves.
In the Constitution we have our three respective branches of government and lucky for us Americans it was ratified. However, in the international community we currently face rogue nations who would ignore the international community's rule of law. Hamilton doesn't explicitly state that economic santions could be used against other sovereign states as an alternative to war, though economic sanctions are certainly the subject elsewhere in the papers. I think he would have argued that economic sanctions are as much an act of war as firing muskets. Certainly the war we had just been through to gain our independence was largely fought because of econmic sanctions imposed on the colonies (in their minds).
We Americans talk today about "ending the war" in Iraq or Afghanistan or letting giving diplomacy a chance in dealing with Iran. We dangle the carrot of hosting the Olympics to China in hopes that they will change their stance on human rights (or the lack thereof). Without the threat of real punishment, however, such suggestions are only that. I'm all for getting out of Iraq once the government there is stable. I'm for a "surge" in Afghanistan and getting out of there once it is stable. I'm all for using diplomacy with Iran, but should we not get our demands met there should be very real consequences for the government there.
Speak softly and carry a big stick. That should be our motto again.
