This document discusses challenges facing continued American global leadership in the 21st century. It outlines geopolitical tensions between countries like China, Japan, and South Korea over disputed islands that could undermine American alliances. Ongoing financial crises in Western Europe and the Middle East also threaten American strategic interests. While America has contributed greatly to human progress, its image has been damaged by issues like the Iraq war and treatment of veterans. The upcoming 2012 presidential election will be important for addressing these challenges and improving America's global standing through strengthened alliances, balanced policies, and moral leadership.
The document discusses the foreign policy aims and strategies of several major world powers in the coming decade:
1. The US aims to prevent the emergence of any rival power in Eurasia and wants to destabilize regions to block new powers. However, the US has been humbled by its wars and debt and faces containing newly assertive nations.
2. Russia has taken advantage of US preoccupation to reverse Western influence and bring former Soviet states under its control. By 2010, over 70% of the former USSR will likely be under Russian influence.
3. Britain pursues a policy of preserving influence by both working with the US and EU and complicating their aims. It will continue this dual approach in 2010
The document discusses the decline of US global dominance over the past 50 years. It argues that the US is no longer the world's leading economic, political, or social power and is no longer viewed as a model by other countries. The long wars in Iraq and Afghanistan have damaged America's image and role in the world. Going forward, the US faces significant challenges in maintaining its global position and influence.
The document summarizes Benazir Bhutto's visits to the USA and Iran in 1995 as Prime Minister of Pakistan. It discusses Pakistan's geopolitical situation and relationships with other countries. The key points are:
1) Bhutto visited the USA and Iran to discuss important issues for Pakistan like Kashmir and Afghanistan, but experts believed the USA would prioritize its relationship with India over Pakistan.
2) Bhutto's visit to Iran had the wrong agenda of trying to improve US-Iran relations instead of focusing on Muslim unity against foreign interference.
3) Muslim countries need to prioritize unity over pursuing relationships with non-Muslim powers that historically have exploited and undermined them.
This document discusses building a broad international anti-war and anti-imperialist front to oppose US imperialism. It outlines how a range of forces are rising up against US wars and aggression in different ways. Communists should work to unite these diverse forces and build cooperation between anti-imperialist organizations. They must also struggle against erroneous tendencies that could undermine unity, and educate the masses about imperialism being the root cause of many issues. The ultimate goal is to isolate the US as the main enemy and weaken its global dominance.
The document discusses tensions between the US and China. It notes that while the economies of the two countries have become intertwined, there are also fears of a new Cold War or even hot war breaking out due to strategic competition and China's military buildup. Underlying issues are China's economic rise which has seen its companies expand into new markets, as well as uncertainty over where the relationship between the two powers may lead as China challenges US influence in Asia and globally.
This is the first installment of impacts of the First World War. Students would be able to use these slides to guide them through the other topics in Unit 2 of the History Elective
The document summarizes key events and themes from Chapter 12 of an AP U.S. History textbook, which covers the War of 1812. It discusses how western war hawks and Napoleon's actions led President Madison into the war with Britain, which ended in a stalemate. It also describes the emergence of nationalist sentiment following the war and key events like the Missouri Compromise during the Era of Good Feelings under President Monroe.
The document discusses the US perspective on Vietnam from 1945-1975. It summarizes that the US initially sought to contain communism in Vietnam and supported the South Vietnamese government. However, South Vietnam struggled with political instability and corruption while North Vietnam was able to unite its people. Ultimately, the US withdrew from Vietnam after a long and costly war, leaving Vietnam reunified under communist rule.
The document discusses the foreign policy aims and strategies of several major world powers in the coming decade:
1. The US aims to prevent the emergence of any rival power in Eurasia and wants to destabilize regions to block new powers. However, the US has been humbled by its wars and debt and faces containing newly assertive nations.
2. Russia has taken advantage of US preoccupation to reverse Western influence and bring former Soviet states under its control. By 2010, over 70% of the former USSR will likely be under Russian influence.
3. Britain pursues a policy of preserving influence by both working with the US and EU and complicating their aims. It will continue this dual approach in 2010
The document discusses the decline of US global dominance over the past 50 years. It argues that the US is no longer the world's leading economic, political, or social power and is no longer viewed as a model by other countries. The long wars in Iraq and Afghanistan have damaged America's image and role in the world. Going forward, the US faces significant challenges in maintaining its global position and influence.
The document summarizes Benazir Bhutto's visits to the USA and Iran in 1995 as Prime Minister of Pakistan. It discusses Pakistan's geopolitical situation and relationships with other countries. The key points are:
1) Bhutto visited the USA and Iran to discuss important issues for Pakistan like Kashmir and Afghanistan, but experts believed the USA would prioritize its relationship with India over Pakistan.
2) Bhutto's visit to Iran had the wrong agenda of trying to improve US-Iran relations instead of focusing on Muslim unity against foreign interference.
3) Muslim countries need to prioritize unity over pursuing relationships with non-Muslim powers that historically have exploited and undermined them.
This document discusses building a broad international anti-war and anti-imperialist front to oppose US imperialism. It outlines how a range of forces are rising up against US wars and aggression in different ways. Communists should work to unite these diverse forces and build cooperation between anti-imperialist organizations. They must also struggle against erroneous tendencies that could undermine unity, and educate the masses about imperialism being the root cause of many issues. The ultimate goal is to isolate the US as the main enemy and weaken its global dominance.
The document discusses tensions between the US and China. It notes that while the economies of the two countries have become intertwined, there are also fears of a new Cold War or even hot war breaking out due to strategic competition and China's military buildup. Underlying issues are China's economic rise which has seen its companies expand into new markets, as well as uncertainty over where the relationship between the two powers may lead as China challenges US influence in Asia and globally.
This is the first installment of impacts of the First World War. Students would be able to use these slides to guide them through the other topics in Unit 2 of the History Elective
The document summarizes key events and themes from Chapter 12 of an AP U.S. History textbook, which covers the War of 1812. It discusses how western war hawks and Napoleon's actions led President Madison into the war with Britain, which ended in a stalemate. It also describes the emergence of nationalist sentiment following the war and key events like the Missouri Compromise during the Era of Good Feelings under President Monroe.
The document discusses the US perspective on Vietnam from 1945-1975. It summarizes that the US initially sought to contain communism in Vietnam and supported the South Vietnamese government. However, South Vietnam struggled with political instability and corruption while North Vietnam was able to unite its people. Ultimately, the US withdrew from Vietnam after a long and costly war, leaving Vietnam reunified under communist rule.
The document summarizes U.S. foreign policy in the Gulf region since World War II. It argues that U.S. policy has consistently aimed to preserve Western access to Gulf oil, prevent the spread of alternative ideologies, and support regimes serving U.S. interests. This has led the U.S. to increasingly intervene in the region to protect its "national interests" of ensuring oil flows and corporate profits. Over time, the U.S. replaced Britain as the dominant imperial power in the region in order to secure Gulf oil that is vital for the U.S. economy and global dollar hegemony.
World War 1 had major impacts on daily life in America. It accelerated the income tax and helped make America the preeminent economic and military power. For Americans, one of the biggest changes was the huge advances in technology that affected how they traveled and communicated. Women had to replace men in the workforce during the war. This put pressure on older children to help more around the house with chores and farm work. Four empires fell apart due to the war, and new countries and international organizations were established.
The document provides an overview of the American Civil War, including:
1) The North had advantages in population, industry, and financial resources over the South at the start of the war.
2) Key battles and campaigns in 1861-1862 included First Bull Run, victories for the Union in the Western Theater, and Lee's invasions of Maryland and Pennsylvania being turned back.
3) The Emancipation Proclamation and Union victories at Antietam, Vicksburg, Gettysburg, and Chattanooga were turning points that boosted the North and weakened the South.
The document discusses China as the top threat facing the United States. It outlines how China seeks to replace the U.S.-led international order with one led by China through its rapid economic growth fueled by intellectual property theft, political warfare, and increasing military capabilities. The document argues that the U.S. needs a new strategy to counter China's ambitions and protect American interests on the global stage.
The document lists and briefly describes 10 important events in US history:
1. The Wright brothers' first flight in 1903, which helped pioneer aviation.
2. The 9/11 terrorist attacks, which led to increased national unity and security measures.
3. Martin Luther King Jr.'s civil rights movement, which advanced racial equality despite his assassination.
4. The 1969 moon landing, demonstrating American technological achievement.
5. The 1941 Pearl Harbor attack, which ended US isolationism and brought it into World War II.
6. The Great Depression in the 1930s, from which FDR's New Deal programs helped the country recover.
There are several countries that may be foci of wars in the world, including Syria, Palestine, Israel, Iran and North Korea. In the contemporary era, international geopolitical chess points to the existence of three major players: the United States, China and Russia. From the confrontation between these three great military powers in the future, alternatives scenarios to the current may arise that are characterized by the loss of US hegemony on the world stage since the end of the bipolar world confronting the United States and the Soviet Union.
The document provides a summary of a reading log analyzing a book by James McPherson titled "American Victory, American Defeat." The log includes an MLA citation, major thesis, supporting evidence from various pages, and a section on the origin, purpose, values, and limitations of the source. The major thesis is that the will of northern and southern people was influenced by military victory. McPherson argues several turning points in the war influenced this, including battles in 1862-1863. The log analyzes internal and external interpretations for why the Confederacy lost and provides flaws for some arguments.
This document is a collection of speeches by Trump administration officials outlining the shift in US policy towards a more adversarial approach to China. It contains an introduction by National Security Advisor Robert O'Brien explaining the purpose and importance of the speeches. The first speech is by Vice President Pence from 2018 that describes how China is employing political, economic, military and propaganda tools to advance its influence in the US and calls for the US to vigorously defend its national interests in response.
The American Civil War was fought between 1861 and 1865 and had many causes, including conflicts over slavery and states' rights. The war resulted in over 600,000 casualties and led to the emancipation of slaves in the United States through the 13th Amendment. Key battles included Fort Sumter, Antietam, Gettysburg, and Sherman's March to the Sea. The war ended with Confederate General Robert E. Lee's surrender at Appomattox Court House in 1865, though President Abraham Lincoln was assassinated shortly after by John Wilkes Booth.
This thesis examines rising tensions between China and the United States that could escalate into a new Cold War. It explores the modernization of China's military, increasing cyber conflicts, and tensions over economic and maritime disputes. The author analyzes how the U.S. can counter China's growing naval power, address cyber vulnerabilities, and diversify its economy to reduce tensions. The thesis aims to determine if the relationship has deteriorated enough to be considered a Cold War and what policies the U.S. could adopt in response to China's rising threat.
This document provides an overview and contents of the book "Rogue State: A Guide to the World's Only Superpower" by William Blum. It discusses how the book examines US foreign policy and interventions around the world since 1945. It also includes quotes from reviews of the book praising its examination of little known facts about US actions abroad. The document then provides an author's foreword discussing the events of 9/11 and the subsequent US bombing of Afghanistan, questioning how many civilian lives were lost compared to the terrorist attacks. It raises issues around perceptions of terrorism and retaliation.
The Civil War began in 1861 due to longstanding differences between the Northern and Southern states over issues like states' rights, slavery, and economics. Abraham Lincoln was elected president in 1860, and several Southern states seceded to form the Confederate States of America. When Confederate forces attacked Fort Sumter in South Carolina in 1861, the Civil War began. While the South had some advantages in leadership and tactics, the North had a stronger economy, more population and resources, and ultimately prevailed. Key battles like Gettysburg, Vicksburg, and Atlanta turned the tide in favor of the Union, and the war ended in April 1865 with Confederate General Robert E. Lee's surrender to Union General Ulysses S. Grant at Appomattox Court
The Cold War was a conflict between the United States and Soviet Union from 1940 to 1990 that did not involve direct warfare but relied on threats and proxy conflicts through client states. The goal of US foreign policy during this period was containment of communism and deterring nuclear war through policies like mutual assured destruction. After the Cold War ended with the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991, the US faced new challenges like terrorism and regional powers challenging global stability.
The Cold War document outlines the foreign policy of the United States during the Cold War era. It discusses the policy of containment to prevent the spread of communism put forth by Harry Truman. John F. Kennedy maintained a reputation as a Cold Warrior through challenges to the Soviet Union like the Cuban Missile Crisis. The crisis brought the US and USSR close to nuclear war and showed the real power imbalance between the two nations, with the US having stronger technology and the Soviet Union's economy depleted after World War II.
1. In 1953, worker uprisings in East Germany prompted West Germany and the US to provide food relief. The US High Commissioner, James Conant, devised a plan where the US would send food to West Germany without labels, then West Germany would distribute it in East Germany to avoid direct involvement.
2. Though portrayed as humanitarian, the food relief programs allowed the US to achieve political goals by demonstrating that communism could not adequately feed its people and gaining influence in East Germany. Conant worked closely with US and German officials to orchestrate the relief efforts while maintaining plausible deniability of US involvement.
3. When the Soviet Union rejected cooperation and accused the US of espionage, the US proceeded with
Origin of the Cold War Essay
Cold War and Its Effects Essay
The War Of The Cold War Essay
cold war Essay
The Cold War
The Culture of the Cold War Essay
An Essay About The Cold War
Cold War Essay
What Is The Cold War Essay
Cold War Dbq Essay
Cold War Dbq Essay
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Cold War Essay
This document discusses the crisis in Ukraine and Crimea's annexation by Russia, as well as broader issues related to the expansion of NATO and use of democracy and freedom as strategic tools. It argues that expanding NATO and using democratic ideals to advance strategic interests has undermined stability in Eastern Europe and democracy globally. The document advocates for an approach grounded in equilibrium and restraint between major powers.
Cato Institute Policy Analysis No. 159Ancient History U..docxketurahhazelhurst
Cato Institute Policy Analysis No. 159:
"Ancient History": U.S. Conduct in the Middle East Since World War II and the Folly of Intervention
August 16, 1991 Sheldon L. Richman
Sheldon L. Richman is senior editor at the Cato Institute.
Executive Summary
When Iranian revolutionaries entered the U.S. embassy in Tehran in 1979 and seized 52 Americans, President Jimmy Carter dismissed reminders of America's long intervention in Iran as "ancient history." Carter's point was not merely that previous U.S. policy could not excuse the hostage taking. His adjective also implied that there was nothing of value to be learned from that history. In his view, dredging up old matters was more than unhelpful; it was also dangerous, presumably because it could only serve the interests of America's adversaries. Thus, to raise historical issues was at least unpatriotic and maybe worse.[1]
As the United States finds itself in the aftermath of another crisis in the Middle East, it is worth the risk of opprobrium to ask why there should be hostility toward America in that region. Some insight can be gained by surveying official
U.S. conduct in the Middle East since the end of World War II. Acknowledged herein is a fundamental, yet deplorably overlooked, distinction between understanding and excusing. The purpose of this survey is not to pardon acts of violence against innocent people but to understand the reasons that drive people to violent political acts.[2] The stubborn and often self-serving notion that the historical record is irrelevant because political violence is inexcusable ensures that Americans will be caught in crises in the Middle East and elsewhere for many years to come.
After 70 years of broken Western promises regarding Arab independence, it should not be surprising that the West is viewed with suspicion and hostility by the populations (as opposed to some of the political regimes) of the Middle East.[3] The United States, as the heir to British imperialism in the region, has been a frequent object of suspicion. Since the end of World War II, the United States, like the European colonial powers before it, has been unable to resist becoming entangled in the region's political conflicts. Driven by a desire to keep the vast oil reserves in hands friendly to the United States, a wish to keep out potential rivals (such as the Soviet Union), opposition to neutrality in the cold war, and domestic political considerations, the United States has compiled a record of tragedy in the Middle East. The most recent part of that record, which includes U.S. alliances with Iraq to counter Iran and then with Iran and Syria to counter Iraq, illustrates a theme that has been played in Washington for the last 45 years.
An examination of the details and consequences of that theme provides a startling object lesson in the pitfalls and conceit of an interventionist foreign policy. The two major components of the theme that are covered in this study are
U.S. policy towa ...
The document summarizes U.S. foreign policy in the Gulf region since World War II. It argues that U.S. policy has consistently aimed to preserve Western access to Gulf oil, prevent the spread of alternative ideologies, and support regimes serving U.S. interests. This has led the U.S. to increasingly intervene in the region to protect its "national interests" of ensuring oil flows and corporate profits. Over time, the U.S. replaced Britain as the dominant imperial power in the region in order to secure Gulf oil that is vital for the U.S. economy and global dollar hegemony.
World War 1 had major impacts on daily life in America. It accelerated the income tax and helped make America the preeminent economic and military power. For Americans, one of the biggest changes was the huge advances in technology that affected how they traveled and communicated. Women had to replace men in the workforce during the war. This put pressure on older children to help more around the house with chores and farm work. Four empires fell apart due to the war, and new countries and international organizations were established.
The document provides an overview of the American Civil War, including:
1) The North had advantages in population, industry, and financial resources over the South at the start of the war.
2) Key battles and campaigns in 1861-1862 included First Bull Run, victories for the Union in the Western Theater, and Lee's invasions of Maryland and Pennsylvania being turned back.
3) The Emancipation Proclamation and Union victories at Antietam, Vicksburg, Gettysburg, and Chattanooga were turning points that boosted the North and weakened the South.
The document discusses China as the top threat facing the United States. It outlines how China seeks to replace the U.S.-led international order with one led by China through its rapid economic growth fueled by intellectual property theft, political warfare, and increasing military capabilities. The document argues that the U.S. needs a new strategy to counter China's ambitions and protect American interests on the global stage.
The document lists and briefly describes 10 important events in US history:
1. The Wright brothers' first flight in 1903, which helped pioneer aviation.
2. The 9/11 terrorist attacks, which led to increased national unity and security measures.
3. Martin Luther King Jr.'s civil rights movement, which advanced racial equality despite his assassination.
4. The 1969 moon landing, demonstrating American technological achievement.
5. The 1941 Pearl Harbor attack, which ended US isolationism and brought it into World War II.
6. The Great Depression in the 1930s, from which FDR's New Deal programs helped the country recover.
There are several countries that may be foci of wars in the world, including Syria, Palestine, Israel, Iran and North Korea. In the contemporary era, international geopolitical chess points to the existence of three major players: the United States, China and Russia. From the confrontation between these three great military powers in the future, alternatives scenarios to the current may arise that are characterized by the loss of US hegemony on the world stage since the end of the bipolar world confronting the United States and the Soviet Union.
The document provides a summary of a reading log analyzing a book by James McPherson titled "American Victory, American Defeat." The log includes an MLA citation, major thesis, supporting evidence from various pages, and a section on the origin, purpose, values, and limitations of the source. The major thesis is that the will of northern and southern people was influenced by military victory. McPherson argues several turning points in the war influenced this, including battles in 1862-1863. The log analyzes internal and external interpretations for why the Confederacy lost and provides flaws for some arguments.
This document is a collection of speeches by Trump administration officials outlining the shift in US policy towards a more adversarial approach to China. It contains an introduction by National Security Advisor Robert O'Brien explaining the purpose and importance of the speeches. The first speech is by Vice President Pence from 2018 that describes how China is employing political, economic, military and propaganda tools to advance its influence in the US and calls for the US to vigorously defend its national interests in response.
The American Civil War was fought between 1861 and 1865 and had many causes, including conflicts over slavery and states' rights. The war resulted in over 600,000 casualties and led to the emancipation of slaves in the United States through the 13th Amendment. Key battles included Fort Sumter, Antietam, Gettysburg, and Sherman's March to the Sea. The war ended with Confederate General Robert E. Lee's surrender at Appomattox Court House in 1865, though President Abraham Lincoln was assassinated shortly after by John Wilkes Booth.
This thesis examines rising tensions between China and the United States that could escalate into a new Cold War. It explores the modernization of China's military, increasing cyber conflicts, and tensions over economic and maritime disputes. The author analyzes how the U.S. can counter China's growing naval power, address cyber vulnerabilities, and diversify its economy to reduce tensions. The thesis aims to determine if the relationship has deteriorated enough to be considered a Cold War and what policies the U.S. could adopt in response to China's rising threat.
This document provides an overview and contents of the book "Rogue State: A Guide to the World's Only Superpower" by William Blum. It discusses how the book examines US foreign policy and interventions around the world since 1945. It also includes quotes from reviews of the book praising its examination of little known facts about US actions abroad. The document then provides an author's foreword discussing the events of 9/11 and the subsequent US bombing of Afghanistan, questioning how many civilian lives were lost compared to the terrorist attacks. It raises issues around perceptions of terrorism and retaliation.
The Civil War began in 1861 due to longstanding differences between the Northern and Southern states over issues like states' rights, slavery, and economics. Abraham Lincoln was elected president in 1860, and several Southern states seceded to form the Confederate States of America. When Confederate forces attacked Fort Sumter in South Carolina in 1861, the Civil War began. While the South had some advantages in leadership and tactics, the North had a stronger economy, more population and resources, and ultimately prevailed. Key battles like Gettysburg, Vicksburg, and Atlanta turned the tide in favor of the Union, and the war ended in April 1865 with Confederate General Robert E. Lee's surrender to Union General Ulysses S. Grant at Appomattox Court
The Cold War was a conflict between the United States and Soviet Union from 1940 to 1990 that did not involve direct warfare but relied on threats and proxy conflicts through client states. The goal of US foreign policy during this period was containment of communism and deterring nuclear war through policies like mutual assured destruction. After the Cold War ended with the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991, the US faced new challenges like terrorism and regional powers challenging global stability.
The Cold War document outlines the foreign policy of the United States during the Cold War era. It discusses the policy of containment to prevent the spread of communism put forth by Harry Truman. John F. Kennedy maintained a reputation as a Cold Warrior through challenges to the Soviet Union like the Cuban Missile Crisis. The crisis brought the US and USSR close to nuclear war and showed the real power imbalance between the two nations, with the US having stronger technology and the Soviet Union's economy depleted after World War II.
1. In 1953, worker uprisings in East Germany prompted West Germany and the US to provide food relief. The US High Commissioner, James Conant, devised a plan where the US would send food to West Germany without labels, then West Germany would distribute it in East Germany to avoid direct involvement.
2. Though portrayed as humanitarian, the food relief programs allowed the US to achieve political goals by demonstrating that communism could not adequately feed its people and gaining influence in East Germany. Conant worked closely with US and German officials to orchestrate the relief efforts while maintaining plausible deniability of US involvement.
3. When the Soviet Union rejected cooperation and accused the US of espionage, the US proceeded with
Origin of the Cold War Essay
Cold War and Its Effects Essay
The War Of The Cold War Essay
cold war Essay
The Cold War
The Culture of the Cold War Essay
An Essay About The Cold War
Cold War Essay
What Is The Cold War Essay
Cold War Dbq Essay
Cold War Dbq Essay
Vietnam and The Cold War Essay
Cold War Essay
This document discusses the crisis in Ukraine and Crimea's annexation by Russia, as well as broader issues related to the expansion of NATO and use of democracy and freedom as strategic tools. It argues that expanding NATO and using democratic ideals to advance strategic interests has undermined stability in Eastern Europe and democracy globally. The document advocates for an approach grounded in equilibrium and restraint between major powers.
Cato Institute Policy Analysis No. 159Ancient History U..docxketurahhazelhurst
Cato Institute Policy Analysis No. 159:
"Ancient History": U.S. Conduct in the Middle East Since World War II and the Folly of Intervention
August 16, 1991 Sheldon L. Richman
Sheldon L. Richman is senior editor at the Cato Institute.
Executive Summary
When Iranian revolutionaries entered the U.S. embassy in Tehran in 1979 and seized 52 Americans, President Jimmy Carter dismissed reminders of America's long intervention in Iran as "ancient history." Carter's point was not merely that previous U.S. policy could not excuse the hostage taking. His adjective also implied that there was nothing of value to be learned from that history. In his view, dredging up old matters was more than unhelpful; it was also dangerous, presumably because it could only serve the interests of America's adversaries. Thus, to raise historical issues was at least unpatriotic and maybe worse.[1]
As the United States finds itself in the aftermath of another crisis in the Middle East, it is worth the risk of opprobrium to ask why there should be hostility toward America in that region. Some insight can be gained by surveying official
U.S. conduct in the Middle East since the end of World War II. Acknowledged herein is a fundamental, yet deplorably overlooked, distinction between understanding and excusing. The purpose of this survey is not to pardon acts of violence against innocent people but to understand the reasons that drive people to violent political acts.[2] The stubborn and often self-serving notion that the historical record is irrelevant because political violence is inexcusable ensures that Americans will be caught in crises in the Middle East and elsewhere for many years to come.
After 70 years of broken Western promises regarding Arab independence, it should not be surprising that the West is viewed with suspicion and hostility by the populations (as opposed to some of the political regimes) of the Middle East.[3] The United States, as the heir to British imperialism in the region, has been a frequent object of suspicion. Since the end of World War II, the United States, like the European colonial powers before it, has been unable to resist becoming entangled in the region's political conflicts. Driven by a desire to keep the vast oil reserves in hands friendly to the United States, a wish to keep out potential rivals (such as the Soviet Union), opposition to neutrality in the cold war, and domestic political considerations, the United States has compiled a record of tragedy in the Middle East. The most recent part of that record, which includes U.S. alliances with Iraq to counter Iran and then with Iran and Syria to counter Iraq, illustrates a theme that has been played in Washington for the last 45 years.
An examination of the details and consequences of that theme provides a startling object lesson in the pitfalls and conceit of an interventionist foreign policy. The two major components of the theme that are covered in this study are
U.S. policy towa ...
The US Military involvement in an armed conflict in Iraq known as .docxssusera34210
The US Military involvement in an armed conflict in Iraq known as the Iraq War started when the United States invaded Iraq on 20 March 2003, which was followed by long period of fighting to combat the occupying forces and the newly formed Iraqi government. The justifications given by the government of the United States and the United Kingdom for their invasion on Iraq was that Iraq allegedly possessed weapons of mass destruction (WMD) and presented a threat to their security and that of their allies. Iraqi PresidentSaddam Hussein was also accused of sheltering and aiding al-Qaeda but no evidence was ever found to prove that. Other stated reasons for the invasion of Iraq was Iraq's financial support for the families of Palestinian suicide bombers, Iraqi government human rights abuses and an effort to spread democracy to the country.
Later after investigating it was concluded that Iraq had already ended its nuclear, chemical and biological programs in 1991 and had no active programs at the time of the invasion, but that they envisioned resuming activities if the Iraq sanctions were lifted. However, when public favored increasingly for the withdrawals of the troops from Iraq and as Iraqi forces started to take responsibility for security, member nations of the Coalition withdrew their forces. Later, the U.S. decided to completely withdraw military personnel from Iraq in December 2011.
After the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001 in the US, the US military has been continuously intervening the internal affairs Afghanistan from 2001 until today to disassemble the al-Qaedaterrorist organization and to confiscate the Taliban government from power, which at the time was controlling Afghanistan and accommodated al-Qaeda leadership. When U.S. President George W. Bush demanded that the Taliban hand over Osama bin Laden, the mastermind behind 9/11 attack and expel the al-Qaeda network that was supporting the Taliban in its war with the Afghan Northern Alliance, the Taliban declined to extradite bin Laden without evidence of his involvement in the 9/11 attacks but recommended that he leave the country. As a result, America refused negotiation and launched Operation Enduring Freedom on 7 October 2001 with the United Kingdom. Later Germany and other western allies later joined the Operation to attack the Taliban and al-Qaeda forces in conjunction with the Northern Alliance. With the killing of Osama bin Laden in Abbotabad, Pakistan on 2 May 2011, U.S. Navy SEALs, NATO leaders permitted for removing their soldiers from Afghanistan. The Afghanistan war resulted in the killings of tens of thousands of people as of 2013; the victims were mostly civilians and militants. On 22 June 2011, President Obama announced that the end of 2011 would withdraw 10,000 troops with an additional 23,000 troops leaving the country by the summer of 2012.
During the twentieth century the United States largely dominated in political, economic and cultural terms. Although the ...
Required ResourcesTextBarnes, L. & Bowles, M. (2014). The Am.docxsodhi3
Required Resources
Text
Barnes, L. & Bowles, M. (2014). The American story: Perspectives and encounters from 1877 [Electronic version]. Retrieved from https://content.ashford.edu/( see attached file)
· Chapter 10: The Cold War Era
· Chapter 11: The Affluent and Anxious Society
· Chapter 12: The Turbulent Years
Multimedia
Smith, L. M. (Producer, Director, & Writer). (2003). The house we live in (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site. [Series episode]. In L. Adelman (Executive producer) Race: The power of an illusion. Retrieved from https://secure.films.com/OnDemandEmbed.aspx?Token=49736&aid=18596&Plt=FOD&loid=0&w=640&h=480 &ref=
Recommended Resources
Multimedia
Pearson Education. (2010, January 1). Civil rights in America (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site. [Activity]. Retrieved from http://media.pearsoncmg.com/ph/hss/shared_hss_assets/political_science/polisim_3/burnstimeline1.html
· An interactive time line that provides a visual representation of the important events in the struggles for equality of African Americans, Native Americans, and Latino Americans from 1775 to 2000.
· Accessibility Statement (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site.
· Privacy Policy (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site.
UChannel. (2010, Sept. 29). The way we never were: American families and the nostalgia trap (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site. [Video file]. Retrieved from http://youtu.be/MIeAnU7_7TA
· A recorded lecture given by a well-known and respected historian of United States families that examines the realities in opposition to common perceptions of the “traditional” family and some results of the social changes in the years after World War II. This video has closed captioning.
· Accessibility Statement (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site.
· Privacy_Policy (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site.
10.1 Origins of the Cold War
World War II left most of Europe in shambles. Millions were homeless because the war destroyed thousands of homes, businesses, and public buildings. The European economy was similarly devastated, with much of the industrial infrastructure destroyed or heavily damaged. Great Britain was heavily in debt to the United States and was forced to borrow even more to begin reconstruction. The Soviet Union had suffered severe population losses, including nearly 8.7 million military deaths and 19 million noncombat deaths from starvation, disease, and German prison camps and mass shootings. The USSR also experienced a significant reduction in industrial and food production in the immediate postwar period.
Unable to quickly rebuild, European business elites, conservatives, and even liberals lost ground to Socialists and Communists, who supported the nationalization of banks, manufacturing, and utilities. Smaller European nations such as Greece and Italy also saw major advances by their own homegrown Communist parties. At the wa ...
How Americans are loved in Vietnam despite a brutal war? How China has to secure global leadership amid so many internal and external challenges? How China is eager to claim a global leadership - while living with Few Friends but with more Rivals? What are the prospective Political Reforms that follows the full commitment to UNIVERSAL HUMAN VALUES, CAN GIVE CHINA A WIDER GLOBAL RECOGNITION AND ACCEPTABILITY FOR ITS GLOBAL LEADERSHIP.
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My article published in Eurasia Review yesterday (March 9, 2013) has thrown some lights on how we are suffering in the world that is both leaderless and defenseless. It also gives some evidences and few suggestions that can help us to manage with.
The document discusses leadership changes in China and the US and the challenges in the relationship between the two countries. It summarizes Xi Jinping's diplomatic visit to the US in February as he prepared to take over leadership in China. While there are disagreements, both countries recognize their economic interdependence and the importance of cooperation. The leadership transitions in both countries will shape how China-US relations are redefined during a time of global challenges.
FROM THE NEW COLD WAR, FROM THE TRADE WAR, FROM THE FINANCIAL WAR AND FROM TH...Faga1939
This article aims to present the characteristics of modern warfare based on in-depth research on the march of the new Cold War between the United States and Russia, the trade war between the United States and China and its consequences, financial warfare as a weapon of modern warfare, cybernetic warfare as a modern warfare, the inevitability or not of the 3rd World War, the causes of violence and wars in the world to, in the end, present how to eliminate wars on the planet. The new Cold War results from the fact that the United States and NATO forces are expanding their presence on Russia's borders. The trade warfare was triggered by the United States against China to prevent this country from assuming the status of hegemonic economic power on the planet. Financial warfare has been unleashed by the United States, against its enemies such as Iran, Russia and China, with the aim of degrading the capabilities of its enemies and subjugating them with the adoption of economic and financial sanctions, while seeking advantage geopolitics in specific areas to bring the enemy country to a state of near collapse and paralysis, to financial catastrophe while advancing on other fronts. Cyber warfare is being unleashed by the United States, Russia, China, among other countries to attack computers and networks of enemy countries that affect resources necessary for war by studying the system deeply to discover its flaws and using these flaws to control this system or destroy it. The decline of the United States and the economic rise of China, which may assume the condition of the greatest world power in the mid-21st century, may trigger the 3rd World War in the face of the tension created between them. Parallel to the effort to educate all human beings with the culture of peace, it is necessary to put into practice a democratic governance of the world to prevent the recurrence of new world wars. This is the only means of survival for the human species and to stop the decay of humanity.
Similar to Can united states continue to lead the 21st century (11)
नेपालले वर्तमानमा भोगिरहेको पारवहन सङ्कटको स्थितिमा तात्कालिक र दीर्घकालीन रुपमा रेसम मार्गको सान्दर्भिकता बुझ्न उपयोगी हुने ठानिएको यो लेख गत कार्तिक ३ गते अन्नपूर्ण पोस्टमा छापिएको थियो !
It throws lights on challenges of American Presidency and why Hillary Clinton is deserving candidates in 2016 presidential election , what are her challenges and others.
1. William Henry Seward, an American politician in the 19th century, correctly predicted that the Pacific Ocean would become increasingly important globally due to rising trade and commerce between countries like the US and China.
2. Seward played a key role in expanding American influence and territory in the Pacific, including securing Alaska and Hawaii for the US. He also advocated for infrastructure like the transcontinental railroad to better connect the US to the Pacific coast.
3. In recent decades, Seward's vision of increased importance of the Pacific has come to pass, with the US and China emerging as the two dominant powers in the region due to their large and growing economies and trade relationships. Both countries are asserting their influence through diplomatic
संवैधानिक, कानुनी, राजनीतिक, सामाजिक, सांस्कृतिक र आर्थिक संस्था र संगठनहरू कसैको नियन्त्रणमा छैनन्। मुलुकमा कुनै सन्तुलनकारी शक्ति छैन। बाह्य शक्तिहरूका परस्परविरोधी स्वार्थको प्रकट र प्रच्छन्न अभिव्यक्ति र क्रियाकलापविरुद्ध उनीहरूलाई संयमित रहने र सचेत गराउने संस्थाको अभावमा मुलुकको एकता र अखण्डतामाथि मुलुकभित्र र बाहिरबाट पनि प्रश्नैप्रश्नको ओइरो लागेको छ।
The article describes about the inspiring personality of wold's most influential foreign policy analyst of our time and his majestic recent book" World Order"
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भारत र चीन को उदयसंगै जापान संगको सम्वन्धमा उनिहरुको प्रभाव र शक्ति विस्तारको क्रममा एसियामा विकाश हुँदै गएको रणनीतिक चुनौतीमा नेपालका चुनौती र सम्भावना बारे चर्चा गरिएको लेख
ठूला र शक्तिशाली राष्ट्रहरुको अत्यन्त जटील भूराजनीतिक स्वार्थहरुको भुङ्ग्रोमा साना राष्ट्रहरुले कसरी आफ्नो राजनीतिक स्थीरता,आर्थिक संवृद्धि, राष्ट्रिय सुरक्षा र प्रजातान्त्रिक प्रणालीको सफलतालाई सुनिश्चित गर्न सक्छन भन्ने बारे नेपालको सन्दर्भमा प्रकाश पारिएको लेख
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यो लेखमा नरेन्द्र मोदीको पछिल्लो नेपाल भ्रमणमा उनले नेपालमा आर्जन गरेको विश्वासको सङ्क्षिप्त वर्णन सहित भाजपाको विदेशनीतिका मार्ग दर्शक सिद्धान्त, नेपालको सन्दर्भमा त्यसको मर्म र अर्थ सहित अटल बिहारी बाजपेयी सरकारको नीतिको निरन्तरताको क्रममा मनमोहन सिंह सरकारको पालामा नेपालमा राजतन्त्रको समाप्तिका सन्दर्भ सहित नेपाल भारत सम्वन्धमा भावी सम्भावना उल्लेख गरिएको छ I
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पानीसिर्जित संकट र चुनौती,समस्या पानी, समाधान पानी,नेपाल र भारत र बृहत्तररूपमा दक्षिण एसियाका मुलुकमाझ यिनै अभ्यास, मूल्य, संस्कृति, संरचना र अभिप्रेरणा लगानी गर्नमा भारतको नयाँ राजनीतिक नेतृत्वको दूरदृष्टि, इच्छाशक्ति र प्रतिबद्धता अपेक्षित छ ।
शक्ति र सत्तामा रहेकाहरुको आर्थिक स्वार्थमा, आधात पर्ने वित्तिकै कसरी शासन सत्ता ढल्दछ, र कसरी सरकारहरु आम जनताको हितमा आवश्यक प्रभावकारी आर्थिक नीति अवलम्वन गर्न र प्रजातन्त्रलाई सवाल बनाउन भन्दा-- शासक वर्गकै हितमा केन्द्रित राज्य संचालन नीति अवलम्वन गर्न पुग्छन, भन्ने वारे नेपाल र विश्व सन्दर्भ समेटिएको लेख
प्रजातन्त्र कसरी अशासित पहुन्छ र कुशासन र निरङ्कुश शासनभन्दा खराव हुन पुग्दछ,
विकल्प निरंकुशता कि विधिहीनता ? तथा यक्ष युधिष्ठिर सम्वाद, धर्म र कानुनलाई हाम्रो सन्दर्भमा प्रस्तुत गरिएको I
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If Modi’s rise and the new geo-strategic significances it carried, are well realized and if is followed with suitable policy adjustments in world capitals, the world will certainly be able to solve major global problems with grand new possibilities. Instead, if major powers fail to understand its significance with Modi, the world may make efforts to form new alliances that may initiate a new phase of Cold War.
1. The document discusses India's rise from an economically struggling and politically unstable country in the early 1990s to a major global economic power under accidental and deliberate leadership.
2. It highlights how P.V. Narasimha Rao and Manmohan Singh accidentally came to power but deliberately and successfully implemented economic reforms that stabilized India and led to strong growth.
3. It argues that Narendra Modi, who could become the next Prime Minister, represents a shift to more assertive and visionary leadership compared to previous accidental leaders, and that under his leadership India may continue reinventing itself and realizing its potential on the global stage.
EXPERIENCES OF THE WORLD’S LARGEST AND THE MOST SUCCESSFUL DEMOCRACIES ,
“DEMOCRACY NEVER LASTS LONG. IT SOON WASTES, EXHAUSTS AND MURDERS ITSELF”
FAILED REASON: FAILED DEMOCRACY,
THE IDEA OF DEMOCRACY TOPS ALL HUMAN ACHIEVEMENTS, BUT IT AILS IF REASON FAILS .
RULE OF LAW BACKED BY COLLECTIVE REASON CAN BEST ANSWER THE DEMOCRATIC DECAY .
Can united states continue to lead the 21st century
1. CAN UNITED STATES CONTINUE TO
LEAD THE 21ST CENTURY?
Keshav Prasad Bhattarai
For the first time in February 1941, Veteran American journalist and the founder of Time, Life and
Fortune magazine - Henry R. Luce wrote in ‗Life‘ magazine that for bringing so many big promises
for human progress and happiness, 20th Century was an American Century. He also did not miss to
mention that no other century had so many men, women and children suffered such pain, anguish and
bitter deals.
71 years later on October 8, amid the buzz word of Asian Century and American decline, the
Republican nominee for the U.S. presidential election, Mitt Romney in his brilliant speech delivered
at Virginia Military Institute in Lexington, claimed that ―The 21st century can and must be an
American century‖. Reminding to the inexplicably challenging time that began with 20th Century,
Romney stated that the present century began with ―terror and war and economic calamity‖. To
steer it into the path of freedom, peace and prosperity it becomes an American responsibility that
America has to carry with hope and decency.
CHALLENGES FOR ANOTHER AMERICAN CENTURY
Some people made a film in America last month and uploaded in YouTube. The film was considered
some more offensive of Islam and the price United States had to pay was terrible: U.S.
Ambassador Chris Stevens and other three American service men were murdered in Benghazi, Libya
when its Consulate was attacked, looted, torched, trampled and was turned into rubble. Ironically
the day chosen for the attack was again September 11, eleven years after 9/11 terrorist attacks.
It was followed by numerous anti-American riots in nearly two dozen other countries, mostly in the
Middle East, and even in Africa and Asia.
On October 7, South Korea reached on a new missile deal with U.S. that would allow it ( South
Korea) develop long range ballistic missiles with better striking capability. Two days later of this
breakthrough deal, North Korea- a nuclear dark horse, warned and claimed that it has missiles that
can even hit U.S. mainland.
Amid some violent protests in China on the sovereignty over three barren islet chain with total area
of 7 square kilometers in size - that are called Sehkaku in Japan and Diaoyu in China, reputed U.K
based Weekly – The Economist reported that a Chinese news paper even suggested Chinese
government abandon the pointless diplomacy and move straight to the ―main course by serving up
Japan with an atom bomb‖. The situation has become quite explosive after six Chinese maritime
patrol ships entered Japanese waters to lodge its claim over the islets last month. Tension between
the two countries has been simmering since then and is raising fears about potential armed conflict
between two largest Asian economies.
2. Similarly, two vibrant East Asian democracies and developed economies – Japan and South Korea are
conflicting over two tiny volcanic rocks that is less than one square kilometer in size and known as
Takeshima in Japan and Dokdo in South Korea. The islets controlled by South Korea since the end
of Second World War, have become the tower of national pride for both countries and so have
turned East Asian region as a dangerous conflict zone. The same is the case with South China Sea
where China, Vietnam and the Philippines with their conflicting claims over some islands, have
turned the region into a dangerous flash points that any time may turn into a war zone.
And what has only failed in East Asian and South East Asian waters is an idea of reason, patience
and reconciliation. The conflicts over these islands have become a test case for the diplomatic skill
and strategic alliance of the United States with countries in confrontation - Japan, South Korea
and the Philippines. At one side there are America‘s closest strategic allies as Japan and South
Korea – apparently without any sign of compromises against each other over the rights over these
islets, on the other hand are Japan and the Philippines engaged in conflicts with China –
characterized as the next superpower – closely interconnected with American, European, East and
South Asian economy. Obviously, if the relations between them continue to sour for some other few
months it will have far reaching implications for already a sickened global economy. And
paradoxically the United States has a complex legal obligation to support both Japan and South
Korea in East Asia the Philippines in South East Asia if a war like situation erupts in their regions.
WESTERN EUROPE RUSSIA AND INDIA
The financial crisis that has engulfed mainly the United States and Western European democracies
is considered as the worst one since the Great Depression of 1930s. Ironically the crisis has
affected mostly free market democracies and as a result of such financial difficulties social unrest
and public resentment against government in power has erupted and Nicholas Sarkogy, the
staunchest admirers of America has become a prominent victim.
Including France - the second largest economy of Europe, Greece, Spain, Portugal and Italy are
plagued by the deep financial crisis. They have fallen under severe grip of a huge and dangerous
public debt and government spending. The crisis demands some tough austerity measures, but
people in these countries are in no mood to reconcile with supposed encouraging growth policy.
Under such pressures the governments in these countries are forced to follow ‗growth on credit
policy‘
This way the countries in Western Europe, that in block shares common values with USA is in deep
economic trouble and United States itself under similar crisis, is in no position to help them come
out of it as it successfully did after World War II . This ultimately is bringing profound impacts
upon European security and American strategic interest. United Kingdom, the most important
American ally in Europe has been some more isolated. National politics of the euro zone countries
are not prepared for compensating the price of their economic integration, and at the same time
are not willing to pay the economic and political cost that falls to them as a natural course of their
hesitation.
On the other hand Vladimir Putin, a man disliked by many people in Obama administration, has
returned to the Presidency as the strongest man of Russia for another six years. Dismaying
Barrack Obama when Putin refused to attend the G8 countries summit in Camp David hosted by
3. Obama in May, it has unfolded the future course of U.S.- Russia relations and nuclear disarmament
treaties between them.
Since the presidency of George W Bush‘s and especially after the landmark civil nuclear accord
signed between U.S. and India at the end of Bush‘s term, India was marked as a major strategic
partner of United States. It also represented a long term strategic shift in U.S. policy based on
the shared values of democratic ideals. But despite President Barrack Obama‘s and Secretary of
State Hillary Clinton‘s repeated promises on U.S.- India relations and its significance for global
peace and stability, the enthusiasm exhibited during the initial years has waned in India. India‘s
decision not to buy U.S. fifth generation fighter jet – a $ 12 billion amount bill for its armed forces
as a part of its military modernization package, has clearly disappointed America.
In last May, coincidently or deliberately, India was hosting U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton
and Iranian trade delegation at the same time. As interpreted by the New York Times it could be ―a
deliberate provocation at a moment when the once-shiny partnership between India and the United
States seems to have dulled‖. What on the earth may be the official explanation, it looked quite an
odd situation when Clinton was in India to discuss economic sanctions against Iran and request India
to reduce its oil import from Iran, India on the other hand, was opening new vistas of trade with
Iran- managing its huge trade deficits with Iran. According to the new agreement Iran would buy
more from India especially grains and machinery and secure lucrative concessions from Iran to pay
about half of its oil bill in Indian currency.
In the following month (June 2012) when U.S. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta was in New Delhi to
define and reaffirm the long term defense partnership as visualized by a new strategic guidance
announced by President Obama in early January, Indian Foreign Minister S. M. Krishna chose to visit
Beijing with an aim to extend strategic cooperation with China.
HOW CAN GLOBAL AMERICAN LEADERSHIP BE ASCERTAINED AMID
UNPARALLEL GLOBAL CHALLENGES
America has been considered as a tower of freedom, justice and its contributions to promote and
protect human dignity for all and has outperformed all the other countries of the world. Mystifying
the declinist theories, a main article that was published in the Daily Beast on April, claims with
evidences that ―U.S. is better, stronger and faster than anywhere else in the world.‖ Besides ―losing
some primacy in geopolitics‖ it has remained the ―largest, richest, most secure market in the world‖
making it the ―indispensable economic nation‖.
It also has been a single global leader since the World War II that has helped people live up to new
hopes for better living conditions. America has lifted more than 4 billion people out of poverty, and
for the first time in human history the global GDP growth reaches annual 4 percent- that in whole
human history had not grown more than one percent. With direct American support and its research
and development programs from agriculture to malaria and AIDS, millions in world have escaped
from poverty, hunger and diseases.
4. Most importantly, America in its whole history has stood as a dream destination for all people
around the world – specially among the youths, because only this country is more equal than others,
people with merit could achieve any success in life in USA.
Likewise, America has contributed more than any other country in recorded history of the world,
but undoubtedly it is not a perfect society and no nation can claim to achieve perfection. Not to
other people but even to its national heroes America at times seems behaving in a cruelest way.
Take one example, the 40th president of U.S. Ronald Reagan, while conferring the ―Medal of Honor‖
to Master Sergeant Roy P. Benavidez in Pentagon on February 24, 1981 told a bitter truth of
American history among the Pentagon crowd that ―Several years ago, we brought home a group of
American fighting men who had obeyed their country's call and who had fought as bravely and as
well as any Americans in our history. They came home without a victory not because they'd been
defeated, but because they'd been denied permission to win‖.
Master Sergent Roy P. Benavidez, a junior officer of a special U.S. force named ‗Green Beret‘ while
suffering from multiple injuries on head, shoulder and legs by more than three dozen enemy bullets,
was able to save the life of eight men. But when he returned home, was greeted by garbage by the
antiwar campaigners, humiliated everywhere, could get no job and was ultimately imprisoned and was
left in wilderness. There were other hundreds and thousands, who had been sent to the treacherous
jungle of Indo China to fight for the cause of their country, exhibited unparallel gallantry, risked
their life for the country but as Henry Kissinger says they were ‖ Vilified by media, assailed in
Congress and ridiculed by protest movement‖. The valiant people who had expended their youth ―on
a struggle that American leadership groups had initiated‖ but when the time had come to honor
them- their plights, their cause and concerns were cruelly crushed, ―abandoned and finally
disdained‖.
It is not a singular incident in American history but a trend and even character that America
exhibits at times. Actors in Washington may carry different name, victims can be different –
sometimes they may be people like Roy P. Benavidez and sometimes countries like Afghanistan,
Pakistan, Nepal, India, Brazil or Columbia.
And how American democracy and its democratic institutions – a source of inspiration and courage
for billions of people around the world, at times have become a mere showpiece is best illustrated
with an example by former U.S. Vice President Al Gore. Gore in his book The Assault on Reason
gives reference to Robert Byrd – the longest serving law maker of the country who in his term as a
Congress member for 57 years was shocked to see and said that when the United States Senate
was discussing over launching the most expensive war in U.S. history the chamber was ―. . .
ominously, dreadfully silent. There is no debate, no discussion, no attempt to lay out for the nation
the pros and cons of this particular war. There is nothing. We stand passively mute in the United
States Senate‖. Shockingly surprising reason for the empty chairs according to Gore was that
during that time ―many of them were at fund raising events . . . to buy thirty second TV commercials
for their next reelection campaign‖.
As Kishore Mahabubani says ―Virtually all American decisions both domestic and international have
an impact on the rest of the world‖, and therefore it becomes the primary responsibility of
American society to make a pre-impact study of all its decision for America and the World.
5. Naturally, America at times may feel burdened with the responsibility of the world. But the
unprecedented sense of pride they belong among the community of nations that emanates from
carrying that responsibility must have a price and American people and its leadership must be well
prepared to pay that price. Similarly, no other country in world has developed capacity and even
intention to share that responsibility. And it is what that makes America special.
When asked by American peoples ―why doesn‘t someone else lead for a change? Why do we always
have to be taking care of the problems of the world? Is not a time for someone else to step up?
U.S. Senator Marco Rubio has an instant answer in question form ―If we start doing less, who is
going to do more‖?
Again according to Mahabubani the world expects America exceed its narrow national interest and
rise to a level from where it can provide the moral leadership to tackle the great crisis that are
bringing grief to millions. The world wants American policy makers liberate themselves from their
belief that they should only be judged by their intentions but not the consequences of their
actions.
America also needs to build strategic alliance with its trusted allays and bring them into confidence
on what are its global policies and programs. Moreover, its partnership with all major countries like
China, Russia, Canada, India, Brazil, Mexico, Indonesia and Australia on areas from energy to rear
earth minerals and manufacturing could create millions of jobs for Americans and people around the
world- giving it more primacy over global affairs.
Regarding Iraq War George F. Kennan - one of the most reputed diplomat and historian of the
United states said in 2002 that ―Anyone who has ever studied the history of American diplomacy,
especially military diplomacy, knows that you might start in a war with certain things on your mind
as a purpose of what you are doing, but in the end, you found yourself fighting for entirely
different things that you had never thought of before.‖ ―In other words‖, Kennan said ―war has a
momentum of its own and it carries you away from all thoughtful intentions when you get into it.
Today, if we went into Iraq, like the president would like us to do, you know where you begin. You
never know where you are going to end.‖ What Kennan said was true in Iraq, also was true in Vietnam
and is likely to be true in other parts of the world. And it is both a great and costly lesson and a
challenge to America.
2012 ELECTION AND IMPROVING AMERICAN IMAGE IN THE WORLD
Next month when Americans will be electing their president for the next four years, I cannot
imagine the idea that governs their mind and what resonates with their decisions. But whatever
decision they will make, will decisively shape the future of the world.
Al Gore has put a right question and every American must find an answer for this: ―Why do reason,
logic truth seem to play a sharply diminished role in the way America makes important decisions?‖
As the citizen of one of the oldest and most powerful democracy of the world, it becomes the
primary responsibility of American people participate in lively public discourses affecting their
country and my country too. Make it more focused, clear and more reasoned and according Al Gore
again it is the primary responsibility of American people to prove their faith in the power of reason
and assure the world that free citizens can govern themselves wisely and fairly.‖
6. Above are presented some of the tricky and most complicated global problems. To solve them and
rest of the problems America needs a strong, confident and bold leadership – a leadership that can
assure its allies that America has ability to stand by them, build and demonstrate confidence to
work with other powers that may not share American values and belief system but without them
America cannot manage the emerging new world order.
Perhaps America‘s friends around the world want from its new leadership redeposit the trust of its
allies and allies around the world and defend those values that they have learned from America. And
indubitably a weak American economy cannot withstand a strong strategic capability that America
needs to defend the values it stands for.
Above all, America becomes stronger when its quest for greater human dignity is affirmed in every
part of the world. It becomes stronger with greater freedom for the people and greater American
partnership with them in their struggle against global poverty; against unfair discriminations and
against unfair state and social structures. Perhaps both candidates have yet to develop their focus
on it – that will indubitably ascertain the 21st Century again as an American Century.
And a greater challenge that America has to meet is to improve its image. Agreeing with the
expectations of Nicholas Sarkozy, I would like quote from an article by Adam Gopnik in The New
Yorker ( August 27,2007)
―When Sarkozy met Condoleezza Rice, she said, ‗What can I do for you?‘ And he said, bluntly,
‗Improve your image in the world. It‘s difficult when the country that is the most powerful, the
most successful—that is, of necessity, the leader of our side—is one of the most unpopular
countries in the world. It presents overwhelming problems for you and overwhelming problems for
your allies. So do everything you can to improve the way you‘re perceived—that‘s what you can do
for me.‘ I think it‘s entirely possible; the reservoir of good will has been drained somewhat, but it is
far from dry. Look how much the image of France has changed in the United States in eight weeks.‖
What Sarkozy told to Rice applies to both presidential candidates. And the last important thing for
any American president can be that the world realizes American power in its rich reserve of
diplomacy, its great educational institutions, the greatest stock of its scientific and technical
expertise in each and every aspect of human lives and above all the values of freedom and human
dignity it stands for.
The End
Eurasia Review, October 13,2012