Uncomfortable Conversations with Josh Szeps "The Case for American Power" with Shadi Hamid
Nov 20, 2025
Shadi Hamid, a columnist and Middle East politics scholar, delves into the complexities of American power. He explores why even left-leaning individuals shouldn’t shy away from defending U.S. influence. Shadi shares insights from his immigrant background and articulates the moral superiority of democracies over autocracies. The conversation touches on America's foreign policy failures, particularly regarding Gaza, and highlights the necessity of U.S. leadership in the current global landscape, emphasizing that moral language is crucial for promoting democratic values.
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Democratic Pride Has Plummeted
- Democratic pride collapsed among Democrats from ~85% to 36% over two decades, signaling a crisis of self-confidence.
- Shadi Hamid argues recovering civic pride is necessary to wield American power responsibly.
Democracy Underpins Moral Superiority
- Hamid's core claim: America's democracy makes it morally superior to autocracies like China or Russia.
- He ties moral superiority to the capacity for self-correction inherent in democratic systems.
Campus Tent Protests Shaped His Views
- Shadi organized continuous anti-Iraq-war tent protests at Georgetown during the war and kept them staffed throughout.
- That activism shaped his early political convictions and skepticism of interventionist policy.
