World

It’s Over; US no Longer Fits Being Global Leader

Stephen Walt, the American theorist belonging to the realistic school of the international relations, has recently published a note in the Foreign Policy news website and shed light on one of the realities of the international relations. Being developer of theory of “balance of threat” in the face of “balance of power” by such realists as Hans Morgenthau, Stephen Walt believes that it is the type of threat that prioritizes the national interests and after it the national power of the world countries.

Walt in the note suggests that it doesn’t matter who turns out winner in the upcoming US presidential election, because the federal budget is limited. China is becoming stronger and more ambitious. The future president of the US has to make hard decisions. He has to decide on prioritization of policy to address Europe, Asia, the Middle East, and other global affairs.

The professor of the international relations at Harvard University’s School of Government has well unveiled the US’ incapability of managing its own global affairs, adding that some people close to him think that once Clinton becomes president of the country she would immediately forsake Obama’s rather conservative policy and take a more interventionist stance in dealing with some trouble spots of the world like Syria. Walt says that this can be a true prediction but he is not sure if this happens. Walt continues that the days in which Washington could manage a large part of the world are over.

What US weaknesses does Walt speak about?

Military weakness: The strategic report about the US military power in 2015 has brought in spotlight the status of US military power. The report suggests that the power of military in terms of potentials and capabilities is partially below mid-level. In terms of combat readiness the military stands in a lower position now. Just unlike what they think the Americans cannot change the equations of a region as fast as they wish. The US certainly does not have the adequate military power to do so. The Americans also lack an efficient power for global mobilization. The report also suggests that the US army would face restrictions trying to do activities beyond the new regional capacities. It lacks the equipment enough to address simultaneously two major regional events. The strategic report maintains that spending cuts and subsequently shrink in military capabilities have sent the military bearing considerable strains. The major plans for maintenance and revamp of military equipment have been plagued by delays, and the use of outdated military equipment is extended.

Economic Weakness: Aside from military issues and inefficiencies, the economic setbacks are barring the Americans from taking the initiative in many cases. The huge government debts have caused many administrative departments in past few years to fully shut down for several days. The US no longer fits being leader of the world as it is grappling with a pile of banking and economic crises. The administration of the global affairs requires large-scale economic capabilities, something the US now lacks.

Economic Weakness: Aside from military issues and inefficiencies, the economic setbacks are barring the Americans from taking the initiative in many cases. The huge government debts have caused many administrative departments in past few years to fully shut down for several days. The US no longer fits being leader of the world as it is grappling with a pile of banking and economic crises. The administration of the global affairs requires large-scale economic capabilities, something the US now lacks.

Hegemonic power decline: The hegemonic power or the capability of a country for collective mobilization is a potential the Americans used to take advantage of without the need to even fire a shot, something raised the US in the International scene as the top hegemonic power from 1990s up to now. However, Washington’s inability to end the Syrian crisis– while it said it did its best to find a settlement– has made the US lose the power to settle geopolitical and political equations. Internationally, the Americans are severely suffering from a process of losing their power for mobilization. On the one hand China is dominating the whole of East Asia, making it a nightmare for the Americans, and on the other hand Russia has challenged Europe, the key ally of Washington. Moscow has actually destroyed all of the equations of the Americans in Ukraine and Eastern Europe. At the same time, the US lacks the ability to settle the Middle Eastern crises. This is well confirmed as it proved incapable of finding solutions for the Syrian and Yemeni crises.

Replacing policy of order with chaos: Once upon a time the Americans held the power to make world order but now wherever they step not only they cannot make their favorite order but also they destroy the existing order. For example, the permanent model of the Americans for Persian Gulf region was creating balance of power, but now they have lost this capability. They are unable to engineer a new regional order.

Stephen Walt has accurately talked about end of the US power. When we look back at the US record of performance in different parts of the world we can see nothing but efforts for destroying the formerly established orders. In East Asia, Middle East, Eastern Europe, Persian Gulf and in any region the Americans appeared to be bringing about chaos in recent years. Militarily, economically, geopolitically, and hegemonically, the US power is seeing declines. The Americans by no means are able to put an end to regional and international conflicts.

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