By Laurence F. Sanford

Reciprocity should be the basis for American political policy. Follow the Judeo-Christian Golden Rule of “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.”

The United States is in a non-kinetic war with Communist China, autocratic Russia, and Islamic fundamentalism. All are totalitarian and believe the ends justify the means. Their goal is to end democracy and capitalism by bringing down America. It is time for the U.S. to reciprocate.

Communist China

1. Ban TikTok. The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) does not allow American social media companies to operate in China. Why do we allow TikTok to poison our culture with anti-America hate and love for CCP-controlled China?
2. Ban land sales to Chinese nationals. The CCP does not allow Americans to buy land in China. Why do we allow Chinese nationals to buy land in America?
3. Reset “de minimis” from $800 to $7. The current U.S. de minimis level allows importing goods valued under $800 to enter the U.S. uninspected and duty-free. China’s de minimis is $7. Much of the fentanyl entering the U.S. is through de minimis. Over one billion packages per year are now entering the U.S. under the $800 de minimis. U.S. clothing factories are closing and landfills are being filled with cheap slave labor clothing laced with toxic chemicals from Shein and Temu.
4. Restrict Chinese students. Over 300,000 Chinese students study in the U.S., mostly in engineering and sciences, stealing leading-edge technologies. The students also act as cash mules for fentanyl drug money. Approximately 10,000 Americans study in China.
5. Develop cyber capabilities and reciprocate with CCP entities waging cyber warfare against America. Cyberdefense systems need to be built against CCP intellectual property theft. American companies and the defense industry complex are estimated to have lost hundreds of billions of dollars.

Russia

1. Support Ukraine. Give Ukraine the weapons to reciprocate against Russia’s bombing of cities and infrastructure. Ukraine should be able to reciprocate since Russia started the war.
2. Counter ransomware and other cyberattacks on U.S. infrastructure by Russian entities.
3. Support non-U.S. government mercenary militias to counter Russian mercenary forces in Africa and South America.
4. Lift U.S. government restrictions on the export of natural gas to benefit allies and reduce Russian income from the sale of gas to foreign entities.

Islamic Fundamentalism

1. Increase “gray zone” media/Internet/NGO efforts to secularize Iran and rid Iran of Muslim mullah misrule. Only 40% of Iranians now identify as Muslims, as opposed to 80% 40 years ago.
2. Close Houthi Yemeni Red Sea ports to all traffic to reduce arms shipments from Iran and other proxies. The Houthis have closed the Red Sea for safe passage of international trade, resulting in economic losses worldwide.
3. Islamic terror groups in Africa are slaughtering Christians. Over 50,000 Christians in Nigeria alone have been murdered by Muslims since 2009. Help local African governments and militia eradicate the genocides.
4. Deport all noncitizens participating in anti-Jewish/anti-American riots and actions in the U.S.
5. Restrict the construction of mosques in the U.S. financed by Islamic countries and entities. The Turkish government funded a 15-acre, $100 million Diyanet mosque complex in the Washington DC, suburbs. Yet Christians and Jews are not allowed to build churches and synagogues in most Muslim countries and are severely limited in practicing their religion. Persecution is common.

Summary

Francis Fukuyama, best known for his book The End of History and the Last Man (1992), written after the fall of the Soviet Union empire, wrote, “If the institutions of democracy and capitalism are to work properly, they must coexist with certain pre-modern cultural habits — law, contract, and economic and prosperity — leavened with reciprocity, moral obligation, duty towards community, and trust.”

Democracy is based on the state serving the citizens; totalitarianism is based on the citizens serving the state.

Uncontrolled immigration from third-world countries into the West is bankrupting society, increasing crime, and corrupting Judeo-Christian freedoms.

• Chinese fentanyl is killing 100,000 Americans a year and poisoning society.
• Drug cartels and Latin American gangs are murdering, raping, and robbing Americans in all states.
• Muslims are not assimilating into American society.
• Islam’s Quran-driven anti-Semitism is seen in the riots and marches in American cities since the October 7, 2023, genocide by Hamas.
• The U.S. has sent billions of dollars to people who hate us. On July 11, 2024, USAID Administrator Samantha Power announced $100 million more in aid for the Palestinians. Why are we funding Hamas, the PLO, and UN agencies that openly teach hatred of the West?

The United States and Western Civilization need winning strategies and actions to counter the totalitarian assault on our freedoms and independence. “Turning the other cheek” from the Sermon on the Mount does not apply to state policy; it applies to personal injury. More appropriate for state policy is “Do unto others” and reciprocation.

Laurence F. Sanford is a senior analyst at the American Security Council Foundation.