Political Crossfire Forums

You can see American geopolitical interests are concentrated in Europe and the Middle East. Thanks to it we are able to control Eastern Europe (to some extent) and Gulf countries.

China is getting a foothold in Africa, which is extremely rich in natural resources. Russia is regaining its power in Eastern Europe and Central Asia.

Don't you think we are forgetting about threats in other parts of the world? Or maybe we are no longer able to keep the world the way we want it to be?

I've been pretty "meh" about 'Merican Power since 2005 but it looks like we're actually winning. Russia is a basket-case. The EU is splintering. China's economy is slowing.


We have some pretty serious domestic issues, but in terms of international power politics the US is still king. Seems our power is still growing, we're working out some tremendous new deals, most economically and strategically, in Asia. The Middle-east is becoming more and more reliant on American power for some measure of stability to exist, we're working with Iran. South America is close and getting closer (aside from the declining Ven).


Pax America continues.....

I think non has it exactly backward. America is at it's weakest point geopolitically in several generations. The foundation of global dominance is and always will be built on the back of national GDP.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Historical_GDP_of_China

America's relative proportion of global GDP has been shrinking since the 1970's. One cannot expect to remain the lone superpower in the world, as we once were, when another nation has a significantly higher GDP and population. Even at it's height the soviet union was no where near the economic size of the united states, which is why we ultimately won and Russia is still...Russia. Furthermore, as menial powers gain in size, population, and sovereignty, a powerful state cannot operate as it once did, even if it is the most powerful. Iran is a great example. From ww2-1970's we effectively bossed the country around with little effort. We invaded them, in a move so hilariously easy it's an afterthought in history, and ran a puppet government there with little trouble for decades. Now, Iran acting up is a centerpiece of US foreign policy, and invading them is out of the question because no one thinks it's militarily feasible.

China has a lot of reform hurdles they need to over-come before becoming the main economic engine on the planet, even if their domestic GDP is the highest in many ways they're still an economic hermit kingdom.

People = moss, rock = earth. I wonder what moss does when it covers the entire rock?

An economically stable country will produce most of what it consumes. We used to be like that.