American foreign interest for the past century has been driven more by economic forces than human interest. We seek to stabilize the Mid-East by transplanting democracy, yet we give high economic status to China, a totalitarian country with a long history of human rights violations. America must stand firm for the ideals of democracy and human rights, but the exportation of such must be demanded by the citizens receiving it. Conversely, we need to take a hard look at our trading partners and decide whether American economic benefit is of more importance than global human misery. American independence is not the same as American isolationism, but having an over-dependence on other countries is a threat to our own security.
In addition, the United States needs to become a fair player in the international arena. Full support of global treaties and organizations (UN, ICC, Kyoto, etc.) is crucial. The US needs to work with other countries to move toward a better future in both the economic and humanitarian spheres of influence. The prominent 'go it alone' policy has numerous long term detrimental effects that need to be remedied before it is too late.