The world is presently shifting toward a new multipolar arrangement, characterized by the waning influence of the United States, which was formerly a dominant force on the global stage post World War II. This shift has left no clear successor and has ushered in a period of increasing great-power competition.
Leaders in various regions worldwide now feel emboldened to assert their interests more brazenly, correctly believing that the benefits of such actions may outweigh the drawbacks. These leaders are confident in exerting more significant influence in their respective geographic areas and do not fear the United States as much as they once did.
How did this decline occur after the U.S. emerged as the lone Superpower following the fall of the Berlin Wall? The answers are long and complex, but four areas stand out.
1. Both American political parties, driven by an insatiable desire for affordable consumer goods and an ever-expanding GDP, believed that an economically thriving China would integrate the country into the global community. However, this approach inadvertently contributed to the rise of a significant geopolitical competitor due to flawed U.S. trade policies, which weakened America's industrial base while fueling China's expansion and territorial ambitions, specifically toward Taiwan.
2. Over two decades, the United States engaged in costly wars in Afghanistan and Iraq and destabilized many Middle Eastern countries in the process. The Iraq war was a discretionary conflict based on false premises, which subsequently damaged U.S. credibility abroad and at home.
3. The U.S. desire to expand NATO across all of Eastern Europe, right up to Russia's doorstep, was a significant factor in Russia's invasion of Ukraine and has since caused the U.S. to deplete substantial stockpiles of weapons as they prop up Ukraine's military and government, showing that America's military-industrial base is a shell of its former self. The once formidable NATO, bolstered by the military might of the United States, has only been able to slow Russia's advance into Ukrainian territory even as it welcomes Sweden as its 32nd member.
4. The Iranian Regime has been emboldened to flex its influence under the Obama and Biden Administrations, whether through influxes of $400M in cash, the unfreezing of $6 billion in funds, the lax enforcement of U.S. oil sanctions, or, until recently, restrained responses to attacks on U.S. forces in Syria and Iraq by Iranian proxies.
This leads us to the latest international flashpoint America is injecting itself into: Israel's brutal war on Gaza after the horrific attack by Hamas militants in southern Israel on October 7th, 2023.
Once again, American leadership finds it necessary to involve itself on both sides of a conflict, providing military assistance to Israel, which paints the U.S. as complicit in the civilian's suffering in Gaza, and humanitarian aid to Palestinians, which of course, is little consolation to those dying from U.S. bombs and does nothing to strengthen America's standing in the Middle East.
One can greatly sympathize with Israel after being attacked and the civilians currently suffering in Gaza and still look out for their country's best interests.
You'd think this concept would be easy for American leadership to grasp. Yet, the warmongering faction of the Republican Party wasted no time in linking this attack on Israel to an attack on America, while some Democrats are tying aid to Israel to Ukraine, and others aligned with "The Squad" are against support for Israel but fully in support of more humanitarian assistance to Palestinians.
The fact that American politicians are debating how many billions in American taxpayer money to give to foreign countries is infuriating, especially while America's borders remain open.
America cannot, and should not, inject itself into every regional and ethnic conflict that pops up around the globe. The United States can't be the “World's Policeman” because America doesn't have the capability to fight and win one major war, let alone a three-front war with Russia, Iran, and China, even if we wanted to.
Currently, the U.S. cannot make enough munitions to keep up with Ukraine's demand. Additionally, Taiwan is still waiting for the delivery of purchased weapon systems, which have been delayed due to government red tape, supply chain issues, and production shortfalls.
The American Navy's surface fleet is aging and having difficulty keeping its ships in working order. What about building new ships? Sadly, U.S. shipyards can't build three destroyers per year, and overall, the United States cannot keep up with China's incredible pace of shipbuilding.
If that wasn't enough to convince you of the perilous state of the American military, the 2018 bipartisan National Defense Strategy Commission concluded that the United States "might struggle to win, or perhaps lose" a war against either Russia or China while suffering "unacceptably high casualties" in the process."
Accepting that the United States cannot be everywhere, both militarily and diplomatically, means that we, as Americans, must accept that the world will become a much more chaotic and violent place.
Perhaps the United States can look back to two former Presidents for guidance.
"It is our true policy to steer clear of permanent alliances with any portion of the foreign world."
-George Washington (Farewell Address, 1796)
While these are wise words from Washington, the next quote from John Quincy Adams perfectly sums up an "America First" foreign policy.
"Wherever the standard of freedom and Independence has been or shall be unfurled, there will her heart, her benedictions and her prayers be. But she goes not abroad, in search of monsters to destroy. She is the well-wisher to the freedom and independence of all. She is the champion and vindicator only of her own."
-John Quincy Adams, July 4, 1821
In practice, this means avoiding regional conflicts worldwide while reindustrializing economically and strengthening our military. This course of action should be a priority instead of funneling weapons and money to countries like Ukraine, Taiwan, and, yes, even Israel.
America’s primary concern should be getting back to basics, addressing many of the domestic challenges that face our nation, such as declining birth rates, a failing education system, the opioid epidemic, deaths of despair, skyrocketing national debt, and finally, and perhaps most importantly, defending America's sovereignty, which means securing our southern border.
The United States cannot worry about the borders of others as we must tend to the problems that reside within our own.
Wrong Speak is a free-expression platform that allows varying viewpoints. All views expressed in this article are the author's own.
Excellent summation of things. I applaud your work in this piece.
As a non-American/non-US person, I’m very impressed by your depth of knowledge; but also that you’re able to convey it in such a straightforward clear manner. I honestly never expect to see this kind of depth from American writers. Re your comments on US military, I’m reminded of a tweet I once read (also from a non-US person) who said words to the effect that if and when an invasion comes to the US, the Russians, Chinese and Middle East insurgent groups “will be over the Mississippi before the US Military has finished doing its hair and make up and double checked everyone’s pronouns.”