Balancing Act

Let’s get down to the lig-long. I’m an international policy major, that’s why I came to Pepperdine and that’s why I’ll be at the State Department this summer. So I feel it’s time for me to chime in on this summer’s hot political topic: Torture (why not right, everybody else is).

People that spend any time talking to me know that I’m a lifelong Lakers fan, specifically the “Showtime” Lakers of the 80’s and the  “I love LA” theme song played at the end of every Win. My first Lakers game (I was 10) was with my dad to the 1983 NBA Finals against the Philadelphia 76ers.  Magic and Kareem going head to head against Moses Malone and Dr. J! I remember this game, or at least what I saw, vividly. What I remember most was that my seats were against the back wall at the Forum, and as a 10-year-old I was having difficulty seeing the game.  It was so far away. 

I remember loving to watch the Lakers play, and I couldn’t put my finger on why I liked them so much until I was older and involved in sports myself. The Showtime Lakers were a flashy finesse team which was typical of the West Coast with the grit and toughness of an East Coast club and could call upon either depending on their appointment or their physical pains. But no matter what, they always played Lakers Basketball, and when they didn’t, they lost. If they, or anyone for that matter, plays a role that is out of character more often than not they’ll lose, and unfortunately that is what the Bush administration had done.

Now, before you throw your hands in the air and call me a few choice words (with “stupid liberal” somewhere in there), listen up. I’m not exploring this issue from the stand point of a liberal or a conservative. I believe in Statecraft, so I’m looking at the issue through the lens of a future Statesmen. Where the prior administration failed was in its lack of dealing with other countries with respectful dialog in order to receive the proper assistance that we needed in the war on terror.

How was George H.W. Bush able to build support for the first Gulf war?  Statecraft. Secretary of State James Baker met face to face with every leader or foreign minister in the Security Council to secure support of the U.S. to secure the use of all necessary force to remove Saddam’s Army from Kuwait. Also, President Bush himself made frequent calls too many of the leaders throughout the process. The tone of these conversations were consultative in public even if the private conversations weren’t. In the public’s eyes the United States was making an attempt to get the blessing of the world community despite the fact that in private Secretary Baker made it clear that the U.S. was willing to go it alone if need be.

Read more »