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Realism and Truth Critique - Assignment Example

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The assignment "Realism and Truth Critique" focuses on the critical analysis of the major issues in the book Realism and Truth by Michael Devitt. The United States of America's government has always acted with decorum with its neighboring countries among other international territories…
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Realism and Truth Critique
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Additionally, it was interesting to note that the German settlers in the country who had gotten involved with the local communities caused wars and instability in the country. The Germans thus sought to gain from the political instability in the country by financing the numerous violence and coups.

Americans thus decided to occupy the country to pacify the operations by instilling stability in the government a feature that would protect the interests of the American investors in the country. Haiti thus became a US colony with the American marines killing all the insurgents and replacing the Haitian constitutions to permit foreigners to own land in the country a previous taboo that only the Germans who had managed to intermarry with the local elite Haitian society could manage. While the American government sought to protect the interest of its citizens living in the country and its international trade, the idea to colonize the country forcefully and replace its constitution was unrealistic. By doing this, the American government despised the sovereignty of the country thus imposing its legislation on the foreign land.

Neorealism is the most effective theory that explains American involvement in the Vietnam War. The theory asserts that power is one of the most important factors in international relations. According to the theory, powerful nations can intervene in the affairs of another state by manipulating their institutions of power. The power in this context may infer economic or military and the United States of America enjoyed both a feature that compelled her to get involved with the war. The spread of communism threatened her economic power a feature that compelled her to intervene in a bid to contain the spread in the eastern bloc. The United States of America had several foreign interests in the country that was an entry point to the eastern market. Additionally, it needed to pass a message to the rest of the countries in the eastern bloc making them aware of its political and military might.

Realism on the other hand also draws several relevances to American involvement in the war. The theory asserts that self-interests are the sole drive of international politics. To validate the claim, the theory explains that humans are not always benevolent but greedy, self-centered, and extremely competitive. To safeguard their interests, different states ascribed to equality and autonomy thus earning them equal roles in dialogue and resolving international issues amicably. However, the theory acknowledges the selfish nature of humans and the desire to prove their might over the rest of the population. The United States of America which is the world’s strongest economy and thus decided to exploit its economic and military might by invading Vietnam and starting a fight to contain the spread of communism. The war resulted in the deaths of millions of the locales and many other American soldiers and had serious financial implications for the country and its tax system. However, the US deployed all the financial and human capital to the foreign territory to prove its economic might to the eastern bloc (Devitt, 22).

John Mearsheimer fosters offensive realism and explains lies that countries tell each other as a means of gaining control of security control globally. This thus becomes the best reason with which to explain American interests in the Syrian predicament. While the country through its leadership has used gas weapons against civilians, the United States feels the desire to gain control of such weaponry and manage their usage yet the Syrian government may not relent on such. Owing to this, the American government overlooks such international institutions mandated with the maintenance of world peace and humanitarian actions such as the United Nations and feels the desire to intervene in Syria just as a show of her military might.

Additionally, Hans Morgenthau in his political realism theory also acknowledges the selfish human nature and their desire to portray their might over others. He uses this to explain political interests which he says vary with the different contexts. The American threat to attack Syria is a political statement meant to prove the American political might to the wrangled Syrian government and political system.

In retrospect, realism and neorealism are two concepts that explain the events in Syria and the American attempt to get involved with the crisis. The UN and the international criminal court are capable of dealing with the issue yet the American government feels obliged to attack Syria and contain the use of gas and nuclear weapons to protect its interests.

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