Restoring America's Legitimacy

International legitimacy is a reflection on how the global community comes to accept a state's actions in the context of international norms and values.  It is a kind of moral capital: once it is lost, it is extremely difficult - but not impossible - to restore.  There are two aspects to international legitimacy.  There is legitimacy within the framework of multilateral institutions and treaties, such as the United Nations, the Geneva Conventions, and the ICC.  Then there is the "street" legitimacy - arbitrated in local newspapers and media outlets, in cafes, and manifested in protests.  It is this latter form that is difficult to influence directly, but is perhaps the most important type of global legitimacy.

The Bush administration has destroyed America's legitimacy. Certainly the Iraq War - based on deception and launched unilaterally - has done the most damage.  But at every turn - from using torture, "rendition" (kidnapping), establishing secret "black site" detention centers - the Bush administration has violated all international norms and values (not to mention laws).  Furthermore the Bush adminstration has shown disdain for multinational institutions such as the UN, the ICC, and international treaties on nuclear non-poliferation.  How the Bush administration uses language - extolling freedom, democracy, civil liberties - while practicing pre-emptive force, torture, human rights abuse - has greatly eroded America's international legitimacy.

Suzanne Nossel, writing in Democracy: A Journal of Ideas, has some prescriptions for restoring America's legitimacy:

"First, we must eliminate the most glaring contradictions between American values and policies. Practices including secret detentions, the rendition of suspected terrorists to countries known to practice torture, sub-standard judicial procedures for foreign detainees, and interrogation methods that violate the Geneva Conventions must be ended. "

"Second, we need to take steps that demonstrate that the United States will make future actions conform to its values. The creation of an autonomous intelligence oversight body, perhaps modeled on the Federal Reserve Board, would help safeguard against the misuse and distortion of intelligence and could convince skeptics that the United States is committed to stopping the manipulation and misuse of intelligence. "

"Third, the United States must take affirmative steps to restore relationships with other nations. The United States need not embrace the UN and its kin uncritically, but it does need to wipe away the perception that it aims to undermine such bodies."

"Likewise, after years of standing aloof from the ICC and retaliating against allies that are party to it, Washington should reopen talks on terms that would allow the United States to join. The creation of new standing organizations and forums of like-minded states is another way to help legitimate U.S. policies"

"To sustain legitimacy, the United States will need to put greater weight on retail diplomacy: adducing arguments, legal frameworks, facts, and evidence to justify American positions, and not expecting that its authority alone will carry the day. The United States should make clear that it is prepared to have its proposals, evidence, and experts held up to scrutiny, convincing others of its legitimacy, rather than assuming it. "

These proposals represent some excellent first steps to restoring America's standing in the community of nations.  It will take, however, a radically different leadership to take the nation down this path towards legitimacy.

Comments

[Connor]

Author, thank you!