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Use of Force Conference, Spring 2007, New York City
"Carry the battle to them. Don't let them bring it to you. Put them on the defensive and don't ever apologize for anything."
–Harry Truman
Consider three scenarios:
- The signs at the Darfur protest read: "Do Something!" But what? African Union troops had failed to end the violence, and diplomacy was stalled. Meanwhile, innocent women are raped each day, and the killing continues. America ignored the genocide in Rwanda--what should progressives advocate to end the genocide in Darfur?
- In Afghanistan, the brutal Taliban regime-which destroyed ancient Buddha statues, stoned women to death for exposing their hair, and banned music, was ended through a massive bombing campaign. But as U.S. forces handed over portions of their mission to NATO troops with limitations on where they could patrol to reduce potential casualties, these gains began to slip. What should progressives do to make multilateral force a real option for preserving national security?
- In Iraq, military force has created a training ground for new terrorists. Tens of thousands of Iraqi civilians have died in the mayhem. Civil war and mass killings now range neighbor against neighbor. The Iraq War could well be the greatest foreign policy tragedy for the United States since Vietnam. Yet pulling out will almost certainly lead to mass killings such as those in Darfur. What should progressives do to protect human life and national security in the midst of this debacle?
What do progressives feel about the role of military force? When is a threat serious enough to merit war-and what can we do to ensure that wars are successful? If we favor multilateral force, what must be done to make it effective? If we feel that force is ineffective, what other tools must be improved upon to ensure America's security and a more just and humane world?
These seminal questions need to be answered by the progressive movement. In the spring of 2007, the Truman Forum will host workshops in Washington and New York bringing together groups of thinkers and leaders from across the progressive spectrum to address these questions. By clarifying our beliefs about the use of force, we hope to find common ground and a positive agenda for progressives on this crucial national security issue.