“Until, in God’s good time, the New World, with all its power and might, steps forth to the rescue and the liberation of the old,” pleaded the great Sir Winston Churchill in the House of Commons, as Britain was bracing for the Nazi war machine to show up on the shores, with Western Europe already on its knees. Eighty-five years later, those powerful words resonate today more than ever, as the New World, with all its brilliance and ingenuity, remains the West’s last hope in the face of the new enemies that seek to dismantle and destroy it.
I wouldn’t have been born if it weren’t for the United States of America. As dramatic as that might sound, it is very plausible that millions of people around the world can relate to that sentiment. I was born in Kosovo four years after the conflict ended, following NATO’s intervention led by the United States. It wouldn’t be far-fetched to suggest that my parents would have never met had Kosovo remained subjugated by the then-Yugoslav forces. But the U.S. stepped forth to the rescue, and my people returned home after an aggressive ethnic cleansing campaign, which saw the vast majority of ethnic Albanians in Kosovo flee their homes. I am here today, writing this piece precisely because America did not stand idly by.
The Western idea of liberty and its righteous indignation about the wickedness that had captured Europe in the 1930s and early 1940s came under a heavy attack that seriously risked everything this great civilisation holds dear. The possibility of a continent-wide, if not worldwide, Nazi tyranny domination loomed large. But Britain’s resolve and America’s indispensable contribution gave Europe another chance by liberating it from the shackles of a bloodthirsty ideology, which was solely responsible for the brutal killing of millions of civilians and soldiers alike. Unfortunately, much of Europe had to live under the dark cloud of communism for another half a century before the cherished values of freedom of thought and speech, of property and of the rule of law could extend to the rest of the continent.
America’s success over the last 100 years or so has rendered it possible for millions of people around the globe to live in freedom and pursue happiness. Western Europe is in debt to America, in my view, as are Eastern Europe, the democracies of East Asia, and many other countries around the world, including mine. Even for those people who live under regimes that rule with iron fists, America serves as the last hope and as the source of inspiration for freedom. Sometimes one gets the impression that Americans don’t quite understand the impact their culture has on the rest of the world, for better or for worse. If a preposterous idea is developed in America, it will inevitably get transferred abroad and absorbed in an instant. If a great movie is made in America, it will become the most talked-about topic in a remote place most Americans have never heard of. This country of over 300 million people exerts an influence over the rest of the world which is hard to quantify or put into words.
When I first went to America, as a 20-year-old privileged exchange student, the sheer vastness of that country, not only in geographical terms but also with regard to its culture and ideas, did leave a significant impression on me. I found the Americans to be very friendly, warm and welcoming. Much propaganda is disseminated across the West, depicting Americans as naive at best and not the quickest off the mark at worst. It is far from the truth. The United States undoubtedly has the best universities and the best faculty. It is a hub of innovation and technology like no other. It is a proper agora of intellectual debate. A society not afraid to face challenges and hardships.
The thriving American experiment has been the envy of the world for so long. I believe this stems in part from the enormous success American culture has enjoyed abroad through Hollywood and other means. However, the great American success story in the eyes of the world is not only subject to movies, but to more important factors such as the unparalleled military hard power, the strong economy, the unapologetic free space for dissenting voices, and the value of human liberty. These core American pillars have established this country as the leader of the free world, a role that is as essential today as ever.
Naturally, no country is without blemishes. The United States has inevitably had its fair share of criticism regarding many of its actions domestically and globally, especially its use of hard power. Military dominance comes with many caveats as well—unnecessary conflicts undoubtedly topping the list. Many would argue that the outstanding U.S. military strength was misused in Vietnam or Iraq. The “never-ending wars” have troubled Americans for a long time, and with good reason. Yet, more often than not, the American troops have gallantly contributed to the cause of freedom everywhere, and they continue to do so today. Ask the South Koreans, the Albanians in Kosovo, the Kuwaitis, and the countless peoples of Western Europe in both World Wars.
When I talked to some of my friends in the States about what it means to be American, almost instantly and without hesitation, the word “free” would come out of their mouths. Free from prejudice, free from religious persecution, free from tyranny, free from evil. Being American, I gather, is to essentially be a free human being in a free country that fought hard for its own freedom, and also for the freedom of the rest of the world. The West, which of course is a broader concept and civilisation that stretches back centuries, is unwaveringly embedded in America.
Margaret Thatcher, the exceptional British prime minister who valued the United States arguably more than any other contemporary, insisted upon the idea that America must lead the West. The other Western countries, she said, must unite under its leadership. In order for Western Civilisation to prevail and endure, America and its allies must prevail and endure. If there is to be a free world which values human life, liberty, private property and the pursuit of happiness, then America is the bedrock foundation of such a world. And of course, the other Western countries must deliver their end of the bargain, in the form of capable militaries, the maintenance of free speech and the rule of law, and uncompromising non-compliance with anti-Western ideas carried forward by self-loathing groups and extreme ideologies, such as Radical Islam or Marxism, that pose a grave threat to the free world.
In these uncertain times, marked by a growing inclination to resolve disagreements through violent means, cooperation among freedom-loving nations is of paramount importance. The unprecedented pace at which technology is advancing, combined with authoritarian proclivities, highlights the overwhelming challenges ahead. If Thatcher is right in her assessment, then dependency on America is not only real but also desirable. Nevertheless, this does not necessarily imply a free-rider attitude, particularly in Europe. Every alliance built upon the fundamental values of freedom must, in turn, be met by strict adherence to those tenets, meaningful contributions by all parties, and a sincere joint effort aimed at thwarting dangers. “If we do not, the opportunity for rogue states and new tyrannical powers to exploit our divisions will increase.”
The United States is the beacon of light for those seeking liberty. In Kosovo, there is a popular saying: “God in the sky, America on earth”. America is one of the last hopes for the survival—and, hopefully, the revival—of the West. The American values, so beautifully encompassed in the Pledge of Allegiance through the promise of “liberty and justice for all,” are what fill so many of us around the world with encouragement and optimism. America is the righteous and indispensable superpower; the shining city upon a hill.
If America quivers, the West trembles. If America stumbles, the West falls.
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