Ted Koppel’s op-ed in the November 6th edition of the New York Times argues that the United States is ignoring “the most powerful weapon in America’s arsenal,” which is leading the world “by example” through our democratic practices at home.  The war on terrorism and “efforts to transplant democracy” by the Bush administration have eroded international admiration for the United States long history of operating within its own laws.  Koppel believes the sacrificing of human liberties at home while attempting to spread them abroad “in some of the most inhospitable regions of the Middle East,” has a “whiff of hypocrisy.”

Scare tactics predicting a “nuclear or biological holocaust,” Koppel claims, have been utilized to prepare American citizens for a generational struggle, yet they are encouraged to continue living their lives normally, “placing the burden solely on the shoulders of the young men and women serving in Iraq and Afghanistan, their families and friends.”  Koppel questions the epic struggle facing western civilization as suggested by the Bush administration, asking why “they (the threats) are not existential enough to warrant any kind of widely shared commitment or sacrifice, like increased taxes or a military draft…”

Koppel concludes that the best way to approach the “Long War” abroad is to reexamine and fortify the “carefully constructed democracy” at home.  The United States needs to regain its stature around the world through demonstrating its own commitments to human liberty and rule of law. Governing the country within its constitutional framework will not only retain the respect for civil liberty at home, but will also help return America’s widespread admiration around the world.