REALISM AT ANY COST: HOW U.S. FOREIGN POLICY DISREGARDS POLITICAL ETHICS IN PURSUIT OF POWER

Abstract

This article examines the ethical dimensions of U.S. foreign policy, arguing that strategic interests and power considerations consistently take precedence over political ethics, particularly in the context of military interventions and regime-change operations. Drawing on classical realism, structural realism, and offensive realism, the study situates U.S. actions within a theoretical framework that emphasizes national interest, survival, and the pursuit of dominance in an anarchic international system. Through detailed case studies of Libya (2011), Egypt (2013), and Iraq (2003), the article demonstrates how ethical rhetoric—ranging from humanitarian protection to democracy promotion—is often employed to legitimize policies fundamentally motivated by geopolitical and strategic objectives. The analysis highlights the consequences of such realism-driven approaches, including humanitarian crises, regional instability, erosion of U.S. credibility, and the weakening of international norms. By integrating ethical considerations with realist theory, the article underscores the persistent tension between moral ideals and power imperatives in U.S. foreign policy and calls for a more nuanced approach that balances strategic necessity with ethical responsibility.