(00:00:00) With news from Minnesota Public Radio. I'm Greta Cunningham the latest report from the State Department of Economic Security shows little change in Minnesota's unemployment rate. The seasonally adjusted unemployment rate inched up to three and a half percent in July a tenth of a percentage Point increase over the revised June rate year ago that July jobless rate was 3.3% Minnesota is still doing better than the national jobless average which was four and a half percent for this July a decision. I proposed Wisconsin power line may be made Friday Minnesota public radio's Bob Kelleher reports. The high voltage line would run from Duluth to near Wausau, Wisconsin. It's a joint project of Wisconsin Public Service Company of Green Bay and Duluth based Minnesota Power. The line is supposed to help strengthen the Midwest power grid helping prevent seasonal power outages a utility attorney says last week's power shut off during a heat wave could have been avoided if the line were in place but landowners along the Route or opposed saying the line would be a scar across, Northern, Wisconsin. Grasp and Scenic Rivers, Wisconsin Public Service Commission takes up the power line proposal Friday in Duluth. I'm Bob kelliher Minnesota Public Radio the interim Grand Forks City coordinator says the preliminary damage estimate from last week's 100 mile an hour winds could total 17 and 1/2 million dollars. He presented that estimate to City Council Members last night the city estimates tree damage will cost at least 13 million dollars while damage to private and commercial property is estimated at nearly two and a half million dollars University of North Dakota officials. Say the school sustained about one quarter of million dollars in damage the forecast for Minnesota today calls for partly sunny skies Statewide. There's a chance of thunderstorms in the west and North highs from 78 to 88 degrees right now in the Twin Cities clear skies a temperature of 74. That's a news update. I'm Greta Cunningham programming on Minnesota Public Radio is supported by eagle lab dedicated to improving cleaning and sanitation standards for leading Hospitality Healthcare and food processing customers worldwide. On the web at Ecolab.com. It is 6 minutes now past 11 o'clock. And good morning. Welcome to midday on Minnesota Public Radio. I'm Gary eichten glad you could join us, you know, it wasn't supposed to turn out like this. The end of the Cold War was supposed to lead to a new era of Peace around the world with the us as the world's lone remaining superpower promoting Democratic Values all around the world. But of course Peace is not broken out. Just check the headlines from Northern Ireland the Middle East the Balkans you name it? Just think about all the protests and concerns over globalization. And for that matter, just listen to all the complaints from around the world charging the US with a my way or the highway approach to foreign policy things have not worked out as advertised. So today on. Midday. We thought we would focus on the state of the world and America's role in the World a nice narrow subject to be sure who better to talk with than former vice president former Minnesota senator and former US ambassador, Japan Walter Mondale. Mr. Mondale is joined us by phone this morning and we'd love to have you join our conversation as we talk about America's role in the world. Give us a call here at 6512276 thousand 6512276 thousand outside the Twin Cities. You can reach us toll-free and that number is 1-800-218-4243 or 1-800 to for to to 828 Walter Mondale. Thank you so much for joining us this morning, (00:03:48) very glad to do so even though I'm confined by that narrow top fell down. (00:03:53) Well, we like to keep a real narrow Focus here on the program. Yeah. Well, what did go wrong? I mean, (00:04:00) well, I heard your thesis. There's a lot of truth to it, but I'd like to make one Express one difference. I think that The era of the Cold War was much more dangerous. It was world-threatening. It consumed our resources it dominated our debate it led to some Wars like Vietnam and Korea where Americans were killed and there was a lot of Heartache connected with those things there is it. Well we have you are right. We the end of the Cold War did not eliminate problems around the world. We've got plenty of them. It did eliminate the Soviet threat or and that has been an enormous difference in the world and in our own lives. I mean the size of the American defense budget to the economy is substantially lower. We could most of our debate involves other issues. It doesn't involve a struggle and we've depolarized the world which gives it a little more flexibility so we can have some influence on what's going on. So I don't want to start back of my heels going as far as you put me. (00:05:33) Well the US generally thinks I think it's fair to say that historically we have seen ourselves as good guys right out to promote democratic values in the rest, but there is ample evidence that a lot of other people don't see us this way. Why is (00:05:49) that? Well, first of all, I think we are good guys. We make mistakes some every once in a while we get pushy occasionally, we don't understand fully as fully as we should what we're getting involved in and so on but I do believe that the world is lucky that it's major superpower is a democracy called. Because we are not an aggressive power. We are not trying to gain control over other countries. We we are a powerful force and continue to push for human rights and democracy around the world and for other things like improved environment. I'd like to see us do more than we're doing on that. But you know, I think we are for a nation-state. It's a pretty impressive record of what we done having said that I think once in a while we appear. To know everything and we appear to have answers for others that are a little Breezy and because of our power and dominance in the world. There's a lot of people elsewhere that every once in a while just hate our guts and we've got to watch that carefully. (00:07:11) What can we do about that? What should we do about that in your mind? (00:07:15) I think that we have to try to inform ourselves on every issue as fully as possible. These are often complex questions no simple answers and try to make certain that what we do move. We move for reasons that make sense. And for the right reasons, I think we ought to try to make and sustain friends and allies around the world and Try to act in a spirit of cooperation and partnership with Europe with Japan with others where we can get this mood of being working together solving problems together using international institutions, like the UN Regional institutions, like oecd and these other many other organizations and continue to work in a way that's the has a different mood to it than just one country pushing. Everybody else around having said all of that again, there are times when we need to be heard to when we need to speak out and act even if others don't like what we're doing because it's in our national interest and we believe it must be done. So we is not just a case of going around the world trying to be liked occasionally. We have to speak up and push for interest that we You are should be served. Even when others don't agree with us (00:08:51) how much impact in your mind assuming the US needs to be remain be involved in the world. How much impact can we actually have in some of these hotspots at that we hear so much about Ireland Middle East and the rest we send our envoys over there and there's a lot of talking and so on but in many instances, it doesn't seem like it does any (00:09:13) good. Well, that's true. We occasionally have reminded that as Kennedy once put it there isn't an American answer for every problem in the world. Like in Vietnam. We got the middle of what I think was really a Civil War and we went home defeated in Bosnia and Yugoslavia while it was bloody and difficult if it hadn't been for American intervention. Mimosa bitch who's a dreadful human being if he can be called that I would still be ruling with his bloody strategy. So while it's a messy result, it's a far better situation than it was before the many of these issues are so intractable when you look at the Irish Question that's been around for 400 years. Look at the Middle East that's been around for what eight hundred years. If you look at the Turk Greek dispute in cypriots in Cyprus that's been around for what 50 years. There are disputes like that all over the world. Where sometimes we can help sometimes we can't and but we're cursed as the world's major power to try to have an influence on the positive side. But the end of the Cold War did not end meet the mean the ends of all the end of all of these disputes there are still around and they're still very difficult to deal (00:10:59) with is it reasonable to assume that given the intractability of some of these issues given the fact that there are people around the world who at least from time to time as you said hate our guts. Is it reasonable to say well, let's pull back some we have to maintain some presence in the world for economic reasons if for no other reason, but let's mind our own business a little more and get our nose out of other people's (00:11:29) business. I think it's important. As I said earlier that when we get involved we make certain that we're doing It for the right reasons and we know what we're doing but to take a position as a matter of policy that we're going to be isolationist or we're going to be far less involved in international Affairs. I think would be a tragedy for the world and for us we have found out over the years on part too many occasions that we can't be isolated. We had World War 1 we had World War Two we had the Vietnam War we had the Korean War we've had these other fights like in Kosovo and so on it is not possible for the United States to just hide in a hole here and let the rest of the world stew in their own juice. We have to be a part of this thing and I would say the fact that the United States with its strength and power and its values is trying to have a strong influence. The world is one of the most hopeful things that Happening when I was our ambassador in Japan for three and a half years. I became more and more impressed by the importance the positive influence that the United States is having in that region, and if we were isolationist and Outlook if we weren't there as an ally if we weren't there with our military personnel if we weren't trying to work with Japan and a host of other ways. We shouldn't simply wouldn't have the influence and Leadership capacity that we have today. So I'm very much opposed to the isolationist IV. I think if for no other reason and our own self-interest, we would be hurt by it or (00:13:19) talking this our about America's role in the world in our guest is former vice president former Minnesota. Senator, former US ambassador to Japan Walter Mondale. If you'd like to join our conversation again the number to call six five one two, two seven six thousand 6512276. Thousand outside the Twin Cities one eight hundred two four two two eight two eight. Margie is first your comment Margie. (00:13:43) Yes. Well, I have been mr. Mondale has his sort of addressed my my question already. I just wanted to know why it seems that the rest of the world wants to emulate the United States in our government and in our how we you know, make money and you know our economy, but they can't stand to be associated with us. Well, I think it depends on which country you're talking about a lot of the like Western Europe Great Britain Japan. There's a lot of Nations all over the world that worked very closely with us and are not at all and actually want to be seen in public with us. There are others that we can't Along with it all like Iraq and so on. So I think it depends on the country and what the dispute is, but I don't think we're an isolated hated Nation at all. I think we're we're we're in pretty good shape. I don't like some of the policies of the current Administration that seemed to back off the environment that wants to build a national missile defense system when we don't know how to do it and get rid of the ABM Treaty and some of the other things that I think give the wrong message of leadership on these crucial issues to the rest of the world and I having said that I'm pleased to see that Secretary of State policy to be trying to change some of those policies at least the emphasis that we heard initially seems to be changing his recent visit to China. I thought was quite successful and it had a different tone of Engagement rather than containment so so I would say we have to keep working on that issue. But but I would like to see the United States as a strong positive force in the (00:15:52) world on the other hand. Mr. Mondale. Have we been in your mind too eager to embrace various treaties and agreements and the like which sound good but which critics would argue really run counter to us interests. (00:16:09) You have a treaty in mind. (00:16:12) Well that certainly would be one of the arguments I suppose about the Kyoto agreement. Well, (00:16:18) you know these treaties like the Kyoto agreement are reached after years of effort by all of the countries involved and there's a lot of trade-offs and there's a lot of costs connected it but what pulled the world together and led to that treaty. Is a common realization that global warming is a profound danger to the future of humankind. And so we reach this agreement would with most of the nation's signing up. It's not a perfect agreement, but it was a clear step forward Western Europe wanted it. Japan wanted it other nations wanted it. I don't think that's a sign of overreaching we couldn't have done it without the others we agreed to do it together. It certainly is a great problem that needs a solution now, maybe the maybe there are other examples where we've over reached but I don't think the Kyoto treaty is one of them (00:17:18) James your kind of place. (00:17:20) I want to come on. I'm a former Sergeant in the Gulf War. Yeah. What I have to say is this Ivory I totally see the opposite of what the media's portrayal about what we did. I mean basically I can easily convinced myself. Of the United States Administration that we're baby killers. I mean, you can't believe how much try doing dirty crimes that were committed during the Gulf War and that are still going till today. And I mean this you can't argue and say that this is for example just from somebody who doesn't really know I was in the front lines myself. I can say that I mean look at this, how can we be? How can we be life to actually buy the things that were doing? I mean look at the stand we're taking against it. You're a key people. I could understand that the president has saying he's a tyrant. But I mean, how can we legitimize killing like 5,000 babies every month starvation lack of medical equipment in the name of a tyrant. I mean, yes something used to be taken something used to be done to this man, but is killing babies the solution Well, that's that's a big debate. I'll tell you where I stand on it. I think that Saddam Hussein is one of the most evil men and one of the most dangerous men in the world. He planned on taking Kuwait and intimidating and controlling Saudi Arabia and with it controlling the oil resources of a big part of the of the world's resources. This could not happen. What we did in Desert Storm we had to do I congratulate you for being a part of it. It doesn't mean that was fun. But the job Still Remains somewhat unfinished because he's still in office. He controls Iraq with a brutal hand. We have repeatedly allowed him to sell oil and use the proceeds to take care of those children. Talking about but he won't do it. He wants to hold even his own people Hostage to his own power Madness and I don't say we're perfect on this by any means but I think we're heaping guilt in the wrong place (00:19:45) Abel your your comment, please. Yeah, (00:19:48) thanks. Let's take him a call. I strongly believe just like, mr. Mondale said earlier that the United States role in the worries is one that should be embarrassed and it should be encouraged a hole in a whole lot of ways. Well, how many are the same time the United States have to be very very fair and constructive and how and how to do this. I think that there have been several occasions in the word when the United States are played by Us games in all in in dealing or Indie little conflict or intervening conflict. I promise I'll put his is the Middle East versus Kosovo. Because of complete the United States or percent hula our troops over there to resolve a conflict that was you know, that was so dangerous and I think that's the same thing in the middle is today Israel has been allowed to carry on all kinds of atrocities against the Palestinian people with with impunity and I don't think that's fair in the name of freedom and Justice the United States should be able to say hey is your even though you are closed closest Ally would think what you're doing is wrong. You need to stop it right now, and there's no there's no point. I want to make, you know, there's a country in Africa that has for a very long time being a puppet of the United States for more than that. I don't know how many years like they really are, but there was a real close allies of the United States, and that country have been neglected by nicest today. We have a tyrant Empower that could be easily ejected by an Isis is not do anything about it. I don't understand that that you just have to play a role in the world, but very very strongly. Thank you very much. Thank you. Thank you. Just talk about Middle East a little bit. I spent a lot of time on that when I was vice president. I worked with President Carter. We need the major breakthrough call the Camp David Accords were Egypt and Israel. Finally reached a peace agreement and we tried to begin the process of reaching agreement. That would settle the West Bank issues. That issue was still very much around even though there have been several attempts to settle it and the great tragedy of that is in the absence of progress toward peace. What you get is Bloodshed, you know, I think that both Israel and the Palestinians are are moving too harshly. But there is a dynamic there where the violence seems to be self-fulfilling and baguettes other violence, and I don't think that you can Blame one side or the other eye for example a hope that are fat would do a better job of controlling violence on his side. I think Barack the former prime minister really tried to get an agreement that would have gone further than I ever thought an Israeli leader would go to try to settle that West Bank and Jerusalem issues instead of that. They decided the Palestinian leaders decided to move toward violence. And you know, I'm not trying to blame either side now here but I think the history is there and I think it's an argument for more vigorous u.s. Involvement in the Diplomatic side. Not that you're going to bring the end of violence, but I think the way that at least my experience was that the way that the Israel and the Palestinians negotiate is such that if the United States is involved as a List, there's a better chance of making progress than if they aren't and I would like to see us a little more vigorously involved on the Diplomatic side, even though it's often dispiriting experience able raises a couple of other (00:23:42) interesting questions one has to do with this perceived you often hear this charge this perceived double standard in the United States. Well will do will do something here, but we're not going to mess around with our friends over here. Well, is that is that a legitimate (00:23:57) criticism of what I often? What you often hear? When you try to do something with one country say on human rights in response to they say, well you ought to unless you're involved in every human rights issue everywhere in the world and are consistent on it. You shouldn't be involved in any issues. I don't agree with that. I think we have to pick and choose and so occasionally will be involved say in Kosovo, but we won't be involved somewhere else. Where there's a human he we just there's a limit to what we can do and we have to pick our issues. We have to measure them against our own national interests and security interests and and do those things that we think make the most sense and I think it is true once in a while we get we do get a little maybe bias sometimes we you know, we're a democracy we've got popped our own populations have views about these things and I don't want to be heard this morning to say that we're perfect. I know we're not perfect. I know we make mistakes. I'm not arguing that but I'd say even with all of that the world's lucky to have us (00:25:07) around. It's got one more caller on here before we break for headlines. Crane (00:25:12) comment. Yes, I would you're right Walter Lawndale. The United States is far from perfect. There's about a million and one atrocities that are behind us since World War Two and Basically blame just about everything that has happened in this world on the United States since World War Two. And this goes from sweatshops land mind. I mean the topics go on forever. There are millions of themes that go with this but it's country does not have anything to be proud of if it's proud of these things. You know, I (00:25:47) mean Grand let me just interrupt. Could you can you summarize very briefly why it is that you see the u.s. Is being responsible for all the evil that's occurred since the end of World War Two. (00:25:58) Well, I wouldn't blame it all on the United States. I mean you do have this cold war issue that took many many years, but I mean and I would have preferred to live in the United States and Russia. I'll say that any day after seeing what's happened. But if you have you seen how people live in Russia, and now after the you know where they're supposedly in democracy and capitalism in all this, I mean people live very very bad. I just think that even one little story that I heard on your your own public radio last week or a couple weeks ago was about the taking of Japanese citizens have from Peru putting them in concentration camps and Texas and then Deporting them back to Japan where they weren't welcome to go back to Peru even I mean, there's just little things. I mean, this was some kind of prisoner Exchange program with the United States are the Japanese had American prisoners which where soldiers and here the United States didn't have enough I guess and they went down into Peru and took your time talking about have you heard anything about this or they took innocent civilians away from their Peruvian Campesino life. They're deporting them back to your families and just this is just one thing. I mean this is where there's a million and one atrocities and you have to be aware of this. Okay, America basically is only for Americans. They only care about Americans and (00:27:09) well that's going to come in here before (00:27:11) we break. Yeah. That's that's not the world. I see at all. Once again, we're not perfect we made mistakes and one of those that we should be ashamed of his how we treated American Japanese during World War Two rounding them up and putting them in what we called. Location camps and separating families and maybe some of that went on in Latin America to I'm not an expert on that. I am proud of the fact that since then we've we've done several things to try to apologize and make to atone for for our mistakes and I think this week they're dedicating a statue in Washington DC to honor the tremendous contribution of Japanese Americans to our country including as soldiers on behalf of the American cause and that's the second point. I'd like to make you know, if you want to dwell on mistakes, we've made them we once had slavery but I think if you're going to raise that issue is which which you certainly can it's a legitimate issue. We're also a nation that got rid of slavery passed the Civil Rights Acts and and go and have gone a long way to eliminate the Official discrimination that once cursed this country and so I think we got to look at the whole picture. Not that we're perfect but that we try hard we are a democracy. We are open we have we believe in and humanity and Justice and we we do a pretty good job. Not perfect but a pretty good (00:28:55) job. We're talking this hour with former vice president former Minnesota. Senator, former US ambassador to Japan Walter Mondale our subject just a narrow one today and midday u.s. Role in the world America's role in the world again. If you'd like to join our conversation, six five, one two, two seven six thousand or one eight hundred two, four two two eight two eight will get to more mr. Mondale's comments and more of your comments and just a couple of minutes. No jury, no objections. No cross-examination and the case will be decided by the prosecutor. That's how Colombia's court system has handled criminal trials until now with American Funding. Libya is now overhauling its legal system to more closely resemble us courts. I'm Lisa Mullins Justice in Colombia coming up next time on the (00:29:38) world. That's at seven o'clock (00:29:42) tonight here on Minnesota Public Radio many thanks to listeners who have named MPR as a beneficiary in their estate plan. Here's Greta Cunningham now with some headlines Greta. Thanks Gary. Good morning. Thousands of Midway airlines passengers are stranded today after the company announced its eliminating service at five airports. The move effective today comes as the airline files for bankruptcy protection. It says it's laying off half of its workers including nearly 200 Pilots immediately. There are no more Midway flights in or out of Buffalo Rochester New York. The same is true in Dayton, Ohio and in Pittsburgh as well as Dulles International Airport outside of Washington DC for the second time in less than a week us war planes have bombed a Radar Site in southern Iraq. The Pentagon says it's another attempt to knock out stepped up air defenses used against Allied Pilots today strike is said to be much smaller than an attack by dozens of British and American planes against three sites on Friday Iraq has increased its efforts to shoot down Allied pilots. Who All no-fly zones in Southern and Northern Iraq. Britain's Northern Ireland secretary is criticizing the Irish Republican. Army is apparent about-face on disarming. The IRA says it's backing out of its agreement on a method for disarming the move jeopardizes efforts to salvage. The province's power-sharing government in Regional news. Former US senator, David durenberger will serve as president of the Citizens League. The organization is a nonprofit research and policy. Advocacy group. Durenberger is a republican who represented Minnesota in the US Senate for 16 years. He retired in 1994 durenberger was elected to a one-year term leading the Citizens League Governor Ventura has a return engagement on network television tonight on NBC's The Tonight Show with Jay Leno Mentor a spokesman says, it's part of a California vacation week for the Governor Ventura also will attend the annual Navy SEAL reunions this week in San Diego the forecast for Minnesota today calls for partly sunny skies. Statewide. There is a chance of thunderstorms in the west and North highs today from 78 to 88 degrees. Right now in Duluth, it's sunny and 71 partly cloudy and Mankato and 70 partly cloudy in Worthington and 63 and in the Twin Cities clear skies with a temperature of 74 degrees Gary. That's a look at the latest news. Thanks Greta 24 minutes before twelve. This is midday on Minnesota Public Radio and our guest this our Walter Mondale who has worn several hats in service of the United States Vice President, Minnesota. Senator Ambassador, Japan Hmong others, and we're talking this our about America's role in the world. Mr. Mondale. I have to confess I shouldn't say these things kind of Insider ish. But I think it's interesting to note that I didn't think we'd get very many calls today. And the phone (00:32:22) bank is based on our previous have (00:32:24) you know, it's kind of a broad subject and you know, we always hear there's just not very much interested in foreign affairs in the rest, but our phone bank is full of people who have thoughts on on our role in the world. So let's get back to the caller's Don yaks. (00:32:41) Go ahead. Yes. I'm wondering when you were Vice President whether you now regret having a expedited resupply of the Indonesian Army when they're tearing off their vicious repression and East Timor. What your thoughts are that's that's not what I did. I went there representing President Carter and I pushed suharto to move forward on human rights and to let up on East two more and then I went back again under President Clinton to see him and to urge him to make basic reforms in the direction of Human Rights. Oh, no, I feel good about it. (00:33:24) Yet. Is is American foreign policy? Well understood by Americans. Mr. (00:33:30) Mondale. I would say yes, and no, you know, it's there's so much complexity the world is so big and there are so many differences. There are so many elements of policy, you know, the economic issues the environmental issues the human rights issues. The agricultural issues the the issues of weaponry and security treaties and balances. It just almost endless and it's it it even Specialists get befuddled by it. So it depends on how you measure what it is that Citizens need to know and I think based on that we do fairly well, but we can always do better. I would like to see more of our news outlets emphasize some of these issues because I think the public is interested in as you pointed out. Today we're getting got a lot of calls coming in today people are interested in these issues. And I don't think we particularly on the Network's get as much coverage of these questions as their seriousness should (00:34:47) require. Well, you're an extra comment, please. (00:34:51) Yes. Thank you. I'm very much appreciate. Mr. Mondale's first of all his optimistic and his his General attitude towards looking at large issues and not trying to find Simple Solutions for them. But also to look for conciliation and look for agreements, wherever there's this possible. I also agree with him on the Kyoto treaty. I think this is something we absolutely need to back missile defense is another issue that I think has not proven itself to be viable and yet we have all of these resources that are lined up to be spent. There's many many issues out there. We've just initiated a policy Energy policy, which hopefully we're not going to pass which will not allow us to raise standards for SUVs so that we start conserving because when we don't conserve it when we don't take more positive environmental policies, we are inevitably going to become involved in conflict and conflicts of interest. We have to do our part and take an intelligent well-informed well-researched attitude towards our own destiny. But realize that our destiny is connected to everyone else and one more point. We need to have citizens involved in these decision-making. I think many people don't realize how accessible our Congress and our legislators are at what that they want to hear from us, and please take that opportunity to do that. Thank you. I agree with almost everything. She said I think that we need to be much more involved ourselves in Prodding our nation in the right direction. We are blessed to be a free Society. We can take our positions that we believe in we can write letters we can go to rallies we can do everything that's legal to pursue our points of view. That is a tremendous blessing that doesn't exist in some parts of the world and we can act. I just read a story the other day that in California where they had this energy crisis that citizens on their own companies are on their own are starting to put in place dramatic energy conservation and that the net effect in California has been a very impressive drop off an energy usage occurring because people themselves in their own lives their homes and so on took steps to use less energy. Well that shows that people can do and will do sensible things when it's required. Wired (00:37:32) Molly your come in (00:37:33) please. This is just a comment earlier gentleman made the comment that the United States has committed a million and one atrocities since World War Two and I just wanted to say that every country makes mistakes and I think the United States number and I'm 20 years old and still pretty idealistic. But I think the United States has done a lot more good than evil. And if there's a country that's made fewer mistakes or done more good or is it better place to live? Anyone is I mean no one stopping anyone from going to live there. I think that everyone who is here, even the people who criticize the United States would still rather live here than anywhere else. Amen. You know, I spent a long long life. In public affairs. I've been in the Senate. I've been in the white house. I've been in In Tokyo and in our own state capital and I went into public life because I grew up in a family that said that you know, each person has a responsibility to be helpful and to try to implement values of decency and the world and that's what I did. That's why I that's why I spent nearly 45 years in public life. And when I hear people say that America does nothing but rotten things that were always on the wrong side of everything I say, that's not the America. I see we have made mistakes. We have been at wrong once in a while. I know that but we have because we're a free Society the ability to correct course when we make mistakes and I think our record is pretty (00:39:18) good does America Tend to be more self critical than other nations or is this pretty typical around the world (00:39:25) where you could hear today from these questions that people don't mind raising issues and that's that's a valuable thing. We need to get these criticisms and here I am in asked whether they work. I think that we as judged by how Nations conduct Affairs, I think we we are do a pretty good job of debating and analyzing our issues. One of the questioners talked about the Kyoto treaty National missile defense energy questions, and all of those issues have been very much at the center of congressional interest recently. They've been hearings on it. They've been debates on it. There have been bills proposed. There's been a lot of discussion on television and so on so, I think I think that's pretty good, but I do think once in a while we ought to Be careful about appearing to know too much to have too many answers in some of these discussions. I think it's better to listen for a while before we start talking to show that while we are the richest most powerful. Democratic Society and advanced technological Society in the world nevertheless. We know that we've got a lot to learn from others and I think I think that that sense of respect for what others might have to tell us is something we've got to constantly remind ourselves to do (00:41:09) Julie your (00:41:10) comment. Yes. I just this is a good segue from Walter mondale's life in public service to my own contribution as a Peace Corps volunteer in the late 1950s. I read the book The Ugly America and I was totally stunned by the fact that so many instances of u.s. Foreign policy being made without the consultation of informed. Just write who understood cultural differences and ethnic group. And so I'm just curious if mr. Mondale has any kind of feeling that we are using what we know from anthropologists and and people that are really aware of the cultural differences. If that in fact plays any role in foreign policy. I guess I personally feel that big business seems to be providing a very stronger than I would like influence around the world and and I think a lot of groups agree by the fact that there have been so many I think largely well-intended protest to the globalization of the economy. So, I'd appreciate his comment. I think that The foreign our career officials in the various embassies and in the key policy positions and our country are very aware of the history the anthropology the politics the other thing of these countries that's their specialty and most of them are fluent in the language of the nation that they're dealing with. We spent an awful lot of money trying to make certain that we know those things but your point is well-taken. We need to continue to test whether we are up to speed on these matters. The Peace Corps is a good example of this. Point I've been trying to make about how we ought to be more optimistic about our country, the Peace Corps has been a wonderful example of what young people from America can do will do help other people around the world Peace. Corps has been in being what 40 years all 35 years every time I went somewhere overseas. I always ask to see the Peace Corps people in that country and I'd go into some of these poor Nations and these American kids that show up that were out in the in some of the poorest areas of those poor countries and some of the circumstances I tell you I wouldn't want to live in them. But you you were one of them and you went out there and you did a lot of wonderful things for those people and you and you put a face on America that that is Isabel and Peace Corps, I say shows what strength we really have. Let me say one other thing A little maybe a little different I think corporations have to be careful about how they behave just like our country does but a believe that if this world is going to build its Prosperity the role of American companies the people who work for those companies the Investments they make here and around the world the way they have to develop friends and working Partners around the world. I think is generally a positive force for the future of our country and for the world and I don't see I think if we just go on a corporate bashing tour here, I think we're going to hurt the strength of our country. (00:45:29) Is there any way Though to rein in the worst aspects of globalization clearly as yet our caller mentioned, there are great people all around certainly around the United States and all around the world who are very concerned about what they see as a suppose a kind of a corporatization of the world. The big companies are taking (00:45:51) over. I think that that is that is not if you go most places that are poor their first plea is to get an American company to come there and invest because they need jobs. They need technology. They need training. They want to get connected with the rest of the world. Now some corporations do a lousy job and some of them don't have good Personnel policies and so on but I think this goes to how they behave at also goes to What we do in our negotiating policy and I think that's what some of these critics are saying and I think there's some truth to it. I think that we should be pushing harder for agreements that have protect the environment that protect human rights that protect some kind of minimum decent standards labor standards. And so on those those are all good points that should be made and we should be acting on those things. So I think there's a blended message here. What I don't like is violence in in demonstrations. I think that hurts everybody (00:47:08) you were talking a few minutes ago about how important the Peace Corps has been in projecting a good positive image around the world. Would we long-term what America's role in the world actually be strengthened. If we had more people in the Peace Corps and fewer in the military or at least shipped more (00:47:29) people over. In the break about it don't think that's their related. I think that that having a strong US military is essential for our future for our national interests and for stability in the world eyes that was certainly my experience in Japan our US military personnel contributed enormously to that country and to the hopes for peace in that region, but there were Peace Corps people in Asia not in Japan because they don't go to the wealthier Nations. There were also doing a wonderful job. So I don't think it's either (00:48:06) or do you think you know looking out 20 25 years we are going to be thought of as a good positive influence around the world or will this other strain that we hear so much about you know, that that we're were bullies were arrogant and my way or the highway will that feeling about Eric (00:48:30) predominated well the people in Asia that raised the point you just made or almost all of them from countries that had police States and they didn't want the United States pressing them to open up to be more to recognize human rights more fully. I think that 30 years from now America's going to be an even better country. You know, I really think this is a wonderful Nation. It is not a perfect Nation. It makes mistakes. We've got big challenges. We have to continue to question whether our positions are informed or accurate or intelligence. We are whether they're responsive to our own values, but the world is very fortunate that America is the superpower and we're very fortunate Americans to be a part of a wonderful country like this. (00:49:30) Well, thank you so much. Mr. Mondale. It's great talking with you and nice narrow subject today. Maybe next time we can let you stretch out just a little bit. Oh, yeah. Thank (00:49:38) you. Good (00:49:40) luck. Our Guest this our former vice president former Minnesota senator and former US ambassador to Japan Walter Mondale joining us to talk about America's role in the world would like to thank all of you who've been with us this are especially those of you who called in with questions comments and the raster tried to call in if you didn't get a chance to get your comment on the air for whatever reason log on and use our soapbox. Minnesota Public Radio dot org is our web address, Minnesota Public Radio dot-org get up on the soapbox and have your say what how would you assess America's role in the world great to have your comments.