U.S. interests and values are best served by exercising power and sharing responsibility through multilateral institutions, instead of exercising power in a unilateral manner.
More international political support is garnered by exercising power through multilateral institutions.
More funding is provided by the international community when the U.S. exercises power through multilateral institutions (i.e., rebuilding Iraq).
American taxpayers are more willing to support U.S. policies that have the backing of multilateral institutions.
Exercising power through multilateral institutions acts as a check-and-balance system on the power and intent of U.S. officials.
Using multilateral institutions to exercise power prevents the U.S. from generating hostility among other nations that might become enemies with the U.S. if power is exercised unilaterally (i.e., France, Germany over Gulf War II).
Multilateral institutions gain credibility and function as intended when nations like the U.S. utilize them to exercise power.
By sharing responsibility for power with multilateral institutions, the U.S. helps provide a role model in the democratic use of power for other nations making or wanting to make the transition to democracy.
The U.S. is able to ameliorate images of itself as an imperialist power that acts in a bullying unilateral manner, when it shares responsibility for power with multilateral institutions when achieving its interests.
In terms of historical opinion, when the U.S. acts to achieve its interests and values through multilateral institutions it does not tarnish its history of freedom, liberty, and democracy.
When the U.S. achieves its interests and values through multilateral institutions, it is able to extend its knowledge and resource pools in ways that enable more sound, effective, and reliable decision-making.
When the U.S. shares responsibility for achieving its interests and supporting its value...