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League of Blah Blah Blah

Now, which democracies is McCain talking about?  France? Germany? Spain? Apparently not Russia, which is a democracy, just a … special one. What about Iran?  That’s a democracy. A bogus rigged one, but a democracy. No theocracies need apply?  What are we gonna do with Israel? This could get messy.   

Does the U.S. make the cut after Bush steals election from Gore, Kerry; disenfranchises people who can’t figure out how to vote; ignores the 1 percent mandate of the people; lies, people die; blah; blah blah; blah blah blah? We could find ourselves voted out by “democracies” that don’t even have freedom of speech.*

League of Democracies proposal, to be unveiled today at the Hoover Institution. McCain was on a roll for a while, speaking with clarity on the need for tough action. But when he gets down to the execution part, he appears to be heading off into the idealistic underbrush again.

If this is supposed to be a League of Democracies that Give a Damn and Are Actually Willing To Do Something (LDGDAAWTDS), that’s going to be a pretty small club.  The United States, Australia, Britain … and sometimes Canada, Italy and Japan, a handful of others.  Accordionists** need not apply. 

Australian Foreign Minister Alexander Downer had the last word on this subject in June 2003:

Some multilateral institutions will remain important to our interests. 

But increasingly multilateralism is a synonym for an ineffective and unfocused policy involving internationalism of the lowest common denominator.   

Multilateral institutions need to become more results oriented if they are to serve the interests of the international community, including Australia. 

We are prepared to join coalitions of the willing that can bring focus and purpose to addressing the urgent security and other challenges we face. 

Sovereignty in our view is not absolute.  Acting for the benefit of humanity is more important.

We will act to help ensure the stability and prosperity of our neighbourhood – in particular by working with those states that lack the capacity to address the kinds of threats to their sovereignty that may one day threaten ours.

We will continue our pragmatic approach to trade policy to give Australian industry the best possible advantage in the competitive international economy.

The greatest challenge of all, of course, is to address these challenges we face in a manner which is coherent, pragmatic and, above all, effective.

Our choice is whether we want help lead rather than follow the international community in responding to a new and rapidly changing international environment.

I think we should lead, because our national interests demand no less.

His speech, made pre-insurgency, is dated and easily snarked on re Iraq, but the fundamental principles quoted above remain true, as we see from the UN’s and Europe’s ineffective dealings with Iran. I’d suggest we already know who our friends are, and there aren’t enough of them to support setting up a counter-UN.  Maybe a small group of action-oriented nations embarrasses the others.  Or maybe it becomes a target, a wedge for the French, Russians and Chinese to use against us in the UN Security Council.  I’d suggest assembling coalitions on a project-by-project basis makes more sense, particularly when faced with the prospect of abrupt changes of government as we saw with Spain and Italy, rather than tying ourselves into yet another international body that may ultimately limit rather than enable meaningful action.  

Powerline thinks it could work. 

Captains Quarters figures its pretty much us and Australia. I was trying to be optimistic. But I think Ed is right. It’s a League that Could Meet in a Broom Closet.

Don Surber proposes the Justice League of America!  This is either brutal satire or a really good idea.  Not sure yet.  “Australia, Batman. New Zealand, Robin. Only the Robin no one liked who eventually was killed.”  Ouch, that’s gotta hurt.  “Britain, Wonder Woman. The Brits always do better under a queen.”   Or an Iron Maiden.

* Germany, France, Italy, etal. 

** Thank you, Robert. 

Topics: pols

  Posted by Jules Crittenden at 8:31 am on Tuesday, May 1, 2007

14 Responses to “League of Blah Blah Blah”

1. RebeccaH Says:
   May 1st, 2007 at 10:03 am

   He says details will come later.

   Yeah, that’s what they all say.

2. Don Surber » Blog Archive » Justice League of America Says:
   May 1st, 2007 at 10:55 am

   […] John McCain’s attempt to supercede the United Nations (which is really the United Nations and 100 Itty-Bitty Duchies) with a “League of Democracies” provided target practice for Jules Crittenden, who called it the “League of Blah, Blah, Blah.” […]

3. The_Real_JeffS Says:
   May 1st, 2007 at 11:03 am

   I think McCain is referring to the 50 states in the USA in his “League of Democracy”. Excepting, perhaps, Massachussets.

4. The Thunder Run Says:
   May 1st, 2007 at 11:08 am

   Web Reconnaissance for 05/01/2007

   A short recon of what�s out there that might draw your attention.

5. Jules Crittenden Says:
   May 1st, 2007 at 11:21 am

   That’s right, JeffS, rub it in. We’re actually a Demotocracy. Sort of a Kennedocracy.

6. The_Real_JeffS Says:
   May 1st, 2007 at 12:36 pm

   I was thinking more of a kleptocracy, but “Kennedocracy” works for me.

7. RebeccaH Says:
   May 1st, 2007 at 1:47 pm

   Is there a difference?

8. The_Real_JeffS Says:
   May 1st, 2007 at 2:03 pm

   Only in that the Kennedy Klan is held up to be seen as it truly is.

9. The Anchoress » Scanning the ’sphere Says:
   May 1st, 2007 at 4:22 pm

   […] Crittenden has some thoughts about John McCain’s “League of Democracies idea, and they’re rather […]

10. Solomonia Says:
    May 1st, 2007 at 4:40 pm

    League of Democracies

    McCain proposes it (via email): …We should go further and start bringing democratic peoples and nations from around the world into one common organization, a worldwide League of Democracies. This…

11. El Cid Says:
    May 1st, 2007 at 5:37 pm

    Well yeah but the Soviets won WWII, while the U.S. was just putzing around France, Jeff and Reb. Thank goodness for the Russians, saving the State of Massachusetts,during WWII, too.

    Signed
    alphie

12. nailgun Says:
    May 1st, 2007 at 10:21 pm

    Isn’t just a long winded way of saying Anglosphere?

13. RebeccaH Says:
    May 1st, 2007 at 10:59 pm

    Nailgun, my thoughts exactly, but I didn’t want to seem politically incorrect.

14. DemocracyRules Says:
    May 1st, 2007 at 11:12 pm

    I WROTE A PIECE ON SANDMONKEY ABOUT THIS A WHILE AGO
    And I think it’s an excellent idea. Here was my plan:

    The Democratic Society Initiative

    FIX THE UN OURSELVES: Set up a web site called the Democratic Societies (DSI). Invited members: all countries cited by freedomhouse.org as democracies. Rent tiny office (or mail box) across from UN. Organize webcam meeting, invite all UN reps of Democratic nations to attend (via webcam). Invite democratic NGO’s to monitor. For those countries not sending official rep, post invitation on web site for ANY citizen of that country to act as interim rep. Hold a virtual meeting, elect a chair, and begin drafting a constitution. Follow “Robert’s Rules of Order”. First meeting: Bill of Rights for DSI. Issue press releases, and hold DS votes on EVERY UN resolution, to provide DS counterpoint opinion. Initial funding: $1 from every DSI web site visitor. Ask big blogs to help.

    HOW ABOUT if we get Sandmonkey to choose a name for our project (Democratic Societies, Democratic Union, UN democratic caucus, League of Democracies, whatever). Then he can start a stub on Wikipedia about it, and we can all have a go at writing the Mission statement, Bill of Rights, Membership rules, rules for electing a chair, etc. Better than reading these frustrating UN stories…

    NO NEED TO CLOSE THE UN, but if a body of democratic societies met across the street, the democratic body would implicitly become the “Upper House”, and it would gain immediate credibility. FreedomHouse.org is already trying to establish a “democratic caucus” within the UN, and they may help us. Bill Gates may throw in a bit of $$. Ask UN reporters to cross the street occasionally. Get Colin Powell (or someone well known) to rep the US. Maggie Thatcher may stick up for Britain. Pamela Anderson for Canada. Eventually, the country reps should be elected by the populace of each country. Rules of membership – FreedomHouse rules. Voting status: 5 continuous yrs on the freedomhouse list. Chair and Cabinet officers elected by free vote from the floor. Observer status: any UN member. Later, set up a lower house, consisting of representation by population, but only for the Democratic Society nations. “Security Council” – 10 largest democracies, no vetos. “Human Rights Council” chaired by Israel.

    Motto: “Free at last, free at last, thank God almighty, I am free at last.”

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