Matthew Russell: “This week, we saw major world leaders interfacing with the United States on topics covering the economy, diplomacy, and…”

“This week, we saw major world leaders interfacing with the United States on topics covering the economy, diplomacy, and security engulfing the major hemispheres of the globe. Worldwide and domestic reaction suggests that no clear outcomes are perceivable. An uncertain and perhaps less secure future seems to loom. Consequently, Americans today are faced with many questions, some formulated by ourselves and some offered by our world neighbors. They ask: What is the role of the United States in the world? We ask: ``What right do we have to take on that role? What responsibility would we shed if we took no leadership in global affairs? Our allies and even our enemies may be asking: What can we expect from the United States in the future? My own question would be this: How can the United States continue to be a force for good in the world? To answer these questions, we need to look no further than how we govern ourselves and what we even believe is the purpose of any government. What is the purpose of government? Simply put, it is to protect against evil, to execute justice against those committing wrong to others, to promote what benefits society, and to deter what harms it. When the United States was established, we held some basic truths to be self-evident, namely, all of us are created equal, and we have been endowed with certain inalienable rights. Among them are the right to life, the right to live free, and the right to pursue one's happiness.…”