Secretary of State Marco Rubio called on Wednesday for Western nations to rejuvenate their civilization so they can maintain their dominance in a world of wars, economic uncertainty and technological change. “Today, we find ourselves at a crossroads,” Mr. Rubio said in a speech in Athens, with the Acropolis and Parthenon behind him. “The next decade will write the story of the next century. The course we take will determine whether the West maintains its place at the head of the world, or resigns itself to a future of atrophy, servitude and decline.”
Mr. Rubio’s speech sought to highlight the ideological tenets of an American conservative movement whose adherents see President Trump as their leader. Men of ancient Greece, Mr. Rubio said, “knew that there was nothing selfish or wrong about loyalty to your nation, nor in fighting to defend its interests above all else.” He praised empire builders like Alexander the Great, Julius Caesar, Charlemagne and Hernán Cortés.
Mr. Rubio denounced the “radical mullahs of Iran” and linked ancient Greece to “the architects of European Christendom.” “We believe that Europe can awaken from its long slumber and rekindle the fire that was here millennia ago,” he said. Nations must have “the ability to wield force when prudence and diplomacy fail.”
Mr. Rubio also criticized Western governments that had “opened our borders,” calling for greater cooperation between the U.S. and Greece to restrict migration.
Source: New York Times Top Stories · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing