Berger Warns Against Forces of Isol

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Subject: Berger Warns Against Forces of Isolationism in US: Comment

Berger Warns Against Forces of Isolationism in US: Comment

  
New York, Oct. 21 (Bloomberg) -- Following are comments by U.S. National
Security Adviser Sandy Berger on forces of isolationism he sees in Congress
in the wake of a decision by the Senate last week to defeat the
comprehensive nuclear test ban treaty. Berger's comments came in an address
before the Council on Foreign Relations in New York: 

``There are those in our country who do not look to the world -- or our
ability to thrive within it -- with confidence. In fact, they are distinctly
defeatist,'' Berger said. ``America may be at the height of its power and
prosperity, yet they see America in constant peril of losing our freedom of
action. It is not the majority view, but we must face the reality that it no
longer is a fringe view. In fact, it is the view of a dominant minority in
the Congress.'' 

``If you were to ask Jose Ramos Horta of East Timor what role America plays
in the world; or John Hume of Northern Ireland, or Aung San Suu Kyi of
Burma, or any Kosovar refugee, you would get one answer: America has and
must continue to lead. If we disappoint, it's usually not from doing too
much, but too little,'' he said. 

``The new isolationists are convinced that treaties -- pretty much all
treaties -- are a threat to our sovereignty and continued superiority,''
Berger said. ``They think there is no point in trying to raise standards of
international behavior, because rules can be violated, because perfect
verification is impossible, because other countries can't be counted on to
keep their word. Never mind that the alternative is a world with no rules,
no verification, and no constraints at all.'' 

``The new isolationism of 1999 fails to understand precisely what the old
isolationism of 60 years ago failed to understand -- that local conflicts
have global consequences,'' said Berger. ``In an era of worldwide
communication, we cannot choose not to see; we can only choose not to act.'' 

Oct/21/1999   20:19