Do Something?

We keep hearing from the experts that we should do something about (fill in the blank).  The we is the United States.  The something is whatever bad is going on in the world.

Intervene and stop the killing.  Intervene and stop the chaos.  Intervene and change the direction in places where it’s not headed where we want it to go.  Intervene.  Isn’t that the American way, America’s job?

It doesn’t matter what we’re talking about.  Syria or Ukraine or Russia or China or Egypt or civil rights violations or the famine or the latest outrage in a place few have heard of.  Do something, America.

The assumption behind all this is that we can flex our muscles and change the world.  After all, we’re the most powerful and successful power on earth.  That assumption wasn’t right even in the ‘good old days’ when America’s hegemony was unchallenged.  And it certainly isn’t true today.

There are times when we should do something, provide leadership.  But not every time – about every thing.  The experts should hold their fire.  But that won’t happen.  To do so would, after all, throw into question their expertise – or so they think.