USA veteran senator John McCain's speech passionately arguing for USA to continue its post World War II leadership "to help make another better world"; My thoughts

Last updated on 18th Oct. 2017

McCain's full speech at Liberty Medal ceremony, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wHfReWsDx_g, 10 min. 45 secs.

Given below is a transcript of part of the above speech, slightly edited.
[At around 6:20]
We are blessed and we have been a blessing to humanity in turn. The international order we helped build from the ashes of world war and that we defend to this day, has liberated more people from tyranny and poverty than ever before in history.

This wondrous land (which) shared its treasures and ideals and shed the blood of its finest patriots to help make another better world, and as we did so, we made our own civilization more just, freer, more accomplished and prosperous than the America that existed when I watched my father go off to war on December 7th 1941.

To fear the world we have organized and led for three-quarters of a century, to abandon the ideals we have advanced around the globe, to refuse the obligations of international leadership, and our duty to remain the last best hope of earth for the sake of some half-baked spurious nationalism cooked up by people who would rather find scapegoats than solve problems, is as unpatriotic as an attachment to any other tired dogma of the past that Americans consigned to the ash heap of history.

We live in a land made of ideals not blood and soil. We are the custodians of those ideals at home and their champion abroad. We have done great good in the world. That leadership has had its costs but we have become incomparably powerful and wealthy as we did. We have a moral obligation to continue in our just cause and we would bring more than shame on ourselves if we don't.

We will not thrive in a world where our leadership and ideals are absent. We wouldn't deserve to.

I am the luckiest guy on earth. I have served America's cause, the cause of our security and the security of our friends, the cause of freedom and equal justice, all my adult life. I haven't always served you well. I haven't even always appreciated what I was serving. But among the few compensations of old age is the acuity of hindsight. I see now that I was part of something important that drew me along in its wake, even when I was diverted by other urges. I was, knowingly or not, along for the ride, as America made its future better than the past. And I've enjoyed every single day of it - the good ones and the not-so-good ones.

I have been inspired by the service of better patriots than me. I have seen Americans make sacrifices for our country and causes and for people who were strangers to them, but for our common humanity. Sacrifices that were much harder than the service ever asked of me. And I've seen the good they have done. The lives they have freed from tyranny and injustice. The hope they encouraged, the dreams they made achievable. May God bless them. May God bless America and give us the strength and wisdom, the generosity and compassion to do our duty for this wondrous land, and for the world that counts on us. With all its suffering and danger, the world still looks to the example and leadership of America to become another better place. What greater cause could anyone ever serve!

Thank you again for this honour. I will treasure (them).
--- end Sen. John McCain speech part transcript ---

Ravi: While I think that the above speech glorifies America and does not mention contribution of other countries during and after World War II, to make another better world, I unreservedly accept that USA's global leadership in areas like promotion of democracy, freedom, business enterprise & entrepreneurship (free trade) and rules based international order in post World War II world has been wonderful for many countries of the world, including India. [It also must be said that some countries, however, are not so happy with USA's role in post World War II world.]

I am a former software technologist. The USA played an absolutely dominant role in computer hardware and software innovation and solutions for decades, and continues to be a leader in software and hardware innovation. I personally benefited from the openness that USA encouraged in computer hardware and software businesses and entrepreneurship. That's how a Physics graduate like me from Mumbai was able to make a living in software development, catering to mainly Western world markets (USA & Western Europe) for close to two decades, after which I was able to retire from commercial work to lead a 'ceiling on material desires' simple & single (unmarried) spiritual aspirant life, part of which involved nine years of free service of teaching software development to an Indian deemed university's students and also doing (for 5 of the 9 years) systems management of a computer lab in that university.

I have lived in the USA for close to 2 years over multiple stints, during my software technology career. I have also extensively interacted with USA companies while I was in India doing software work for USA companies. In my experience in these interactions, I have found USA to be open, free and quite fair. I think that has been the typical experience of many Indians in software field with the USA in the past decades. In fact, USA experience inspired many Indians in software field to become entrepreneurs themselves both in USA as well as in India, and follow the entrepreneurial business model that they learned from USA, including the value systems of USA companies.

My life has certainly been enriched by my exposure to the USA and interactions with USA citizens. I am grateful to the USA for its post World War II global leadership role in promoting democracy, freedom (including freedom of religion), business enterprise and entrepreneurship, and rules based international order, across the world including India. I have definitely benefited from this USA global leadership role.

It would be wonderful if USA continues to play a global leadership role promoting these values. However, I have to say that if the USA chooses to step back from playing such roles, I think there are many other democratic countries in the world who will keep these values alive in the world and also promote them across the world. Early 21st century world is a far different world from the immediate post World War II world where USA's leadership was absolutely vital for the world to recover from the horrific devastation of World War II.

Nonetheless, it would be wonderful if USA continues to play its post World War II global leadership role in promoting freedom (including freedom of religion), democracy, free enterprise and rules based international order in the world.

[I thank USA Senator John McCain and have presumed that he will not have any objections to me sharing the above part transcript of his speech on this post which is freely viewable by all, and does not have any financial profit motive whatsoever.]