American Legitimacy

Dreyfuss, at his blog The Dreyfuss Report at Tompaine.com, discusses Bush's Illegal War.

He cites this new article from Foreign Affairs (published by the Council on Foreign Relations) by Robert W. Tucker and David C. Hendrickson called The Sources of American Legitimacy:

Summary: Throughout its history, the United States has made gaining international legitimacy a top priority of its foreign policy. The 18 months since the launch of the Iraq war, however, have left the country's hard-earned respect and credibility in tatters. In going to war without a legal basis or the backing of traditional U.S. allies, the Bush administration brazenly undermined Washington's long-held commitment to international law, its acceptance of consensual decision-making, its reputation for moderation, and its identification with the preservation of peace. The road back will be a long and hard one.

Robert W. Tucker is Professor Emeritus of American Foreign Policy at Johns Hopkins University. David C. Hendrickson is Robert J. Fox Distinguished Service Professor at Colorado College.

Why do we need legitimacy?

See also this article by Gautam Adhikari, a visting fellow at the American Enterprise Institute -- a VERY RIGHT WING thinktank: The End of the Unipolar Myth