Reply #8: We'll just have to agree to disagree then [View All]

[IrateCitizen]

I do have to say, however, that I find this kind of thinking to be quite chilling:
The emergent multipolar world system, which perhaps we can both agree is a force to be reckoned with in the coming years, is, at present, in no shape to cope with the power vacuum that would be created were the US to abdicate its leadership responsibilities.

The inherent assumption in such a statement is that the world cannot somehow get along without the United States. I find that proposition to be arrogant and quite preposterous.

The world CAN get along without the United States exercising "leadership" (a more accurate term would be strategic dominance or hegemony), and is finding out that it can do so. While this is certainly not good for the United States in the short run, it is good for the rest of the world. The US has had the opportunity to use its leadership to positive effect for quite some time now (including the Clinton years). We could have moved in ways to help propel the rest of the world toward weaning ourselves off of oil -- instead, we tried to increase consumption in order to increase profits. We could have helped supply people around the world with clean drinking water supplies -- instead, we took measures to increase privatization and further degrade water supplies. We could have provided immunizations to children around the globe -- but instead we opted to dump money into an already bloated and wasteful military machine.

As Mark Hertsgaard points out in his book In the Eagle's Shadow, America DOES exercise tremendous influence throughout the world. It's just too bad that we've consistently chosen to exercise leadership in pursuit of profit over valuing people (something which goes back to the times of the founding of this nation, and before) -- and as such, I still believe that the world will be much better off with America assuming the role as just another major nation among several, as opposed to being the lone superpower.

BTW, I'd still recommend you read the books I mentioned above. They might change your perspective on this a little bit.