< < <
Date Index > > > |
u.s. unilateralism by Richard N Hutchinson 16 February 2002 23:08 UTC |
< < <
Thread Index > > > |
Is it possible that the U.S. will launch another war against Iraq? Who can say no following Iraq 1991, Kosovo and Afghanistan? Is this necessarily stupid on the part of the U.S.? No, not just on the basis of disagreements and complaints from lesser powers. The U.S. will try to marshall support, just as in 90-91, and who's to say they won't succeed. With Japan on the economic skids, the EU fragmented, and China still only a rising power, the U.S. has plenty of room to maneuver. The view of the Bush Administration unilateralists is that they can use U.S. power to shape the world for U.S. ends with little opposition. The "U.S.-in-decline" analysis prevalent on the WSN list may well be true in the long term, but has little bearing on the near to medium term, and in fact is seriously misleading. Good old realism is still a useful guide, and what the Bush Team is counting on is that right now its potential competitors need the U.S. (mainly as a market and as military protection) more than it needs any one of them. If they can't back up a threat to gang together against the U.S. (and noone has even suggested that possibility), then U.S. unilateralism can succeed. None of this should be construed as support for U.S. unilateralism. I just find many of the comments on the list to be "vaguely reminiscent of the 1970s." RH
< < <
Date Index > > > |
World Systems Network List Archives at CSF | Subscribe to World Systems Network |
< < <
Thread Index > > > |