The aircraft carriers USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN 69), USS George H.W. Bush (CVN 77), USS Enterprise (CVN 65), USS Harry S. Truman (CVN 75), and USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72) are in port at Naval Station Norfolk, Va. US Navy Photo
Harry J. Kazianis, National Interest: Is America Still a Military Superpower?
As other nations gain some important military advantages, Washington must deal with Sequestration.
No doubt talk around those always busy coffee nooks and hallways in DC think tanks these past few weeks centered around the question of America’s defense budget. And with various proposals floating around the corridors of power, great conservative think tank studies breaking down U.S. defense needs along with a spirited debate concerning the size of various armed forces like the navy, the conversation has certainly been flowing. And so it should, considering the times we live in.
America, in many respects, is a tired and weary superpower. Having fought two long and draining wars in Iraq and Afghanistan after 9/11, many assumed that the nation rightly deserved some sort of “peace dividend.” And there is no doubt this makes sense—heck, it was done after the Cold War, why not now?
Update: How Powerful Is America's Military Really? -- Zachary Keck, National Interest
WNU Editor: For the foreseeable future the answer is an easy yes .... America is a military supperpower. But trends are everything, and the trend for the U.S. is to have a smaller military footprint on the world scene.
5 comments:
I see a lot of eggs in one basket in the photo.
The article asks "is America still a superpower?" You appear to dismiss this and your heading states "Will the U.S. still be a military Superpower?" With that said you are definitely correct about the trends looking bad for America.
The first article you link to makes a number of errors. Specifically in every area it overestimates America's capabilities while underestimating those of adversaries and potential adversaries. Furthermore it makes erroneous assumptions about what America can do or should be expected to do. The updated article is a bit better.
Frankly America is not a superpower by any stretch right now nor can it expect to be at any time in the foreseeable future as Russia, China, and others are in a much better position. Some time ago you linked to a poll that pointed out that 41% of Americans believe America is one of several major militaries. With all due respect, these 41% of Americans got it right!!
I've long come to expect politicians, the media, and many Americans who are busy just trying to feed their families, to be both ideologically blind and ignorant.
I've long known that America is simply one of several major powers. For many years, I thought that surely the generals and the intelligence analysts whose job is to actually know such things understood what 41% of Americans understand. I'm beginning to question this now. Perhaps they believe erroneously as 59% of Americans apparently do. If so, we've got a bigger problem than I thought as they are bound to be giving decision makers bad advice!!
Given that Russia can turn America into radioactive glass in less than an hour and China could overwhelm us with vastly superior numbers and industrial capability the idea of America as superpower is laughable just not in a funny way.
Frankly with the propaganda as it is, I'm pleased to see that 41% of Americans actually get this. I'd have expected the numbers of those who get it to be lower among the general populace but it seems the leadership has fallen in with the misinformed. Since more of the populace get it than I thought, perhaps we can work to promote more people who understand reality and can and will act accordingly!!
Specifically what America needs to do is upgrade and expand its nuclear deterrent and to recognize the general superior positions of Russia in Europe and China in the Pacific and act accordingly. These would be excellent starting points. Please understand I mean no disrespect.
No disrespect taken B. Poster. Comments and opinions that are well articulated are always welcomed here.
Ropestuff,
It'd make a helluva omelet wouldn't it, if somebody dropped one in on them.
Is America a super power? That's one of those things hinging on definition thingies. For discussion's sake take the US vs Russia or China. It all depends on how, where, and why it's fought. Nuke exchanges, nobody would come out too well and would be focused on finding something to rebuild at home. Though it must be said the old Soviet Union doctrine said and believed that nuclear war could be waged and won. Conventional? Here the where and why are paramount. US winning in asia or euro/asia very doubt ful. Russia or China coming to the Conus without control of the oceans and a minimum of parity in the air doubtful. WNU is right if you're talking trends. What the current administration doesn't seem to understand is that military power is a component of diplomacy that cannot be done without. As the Europeans and Asian rim countries are discovering with the US withdrawal, Russia and China are the powers that count for them. For all the big talk of composite forces etc, Europe along with the Philippines, Taiwan, most of Soutwest Asia are defenseless. There is no reason for Russia, China, and not forget Iran not be aggressive militarily within certain spheres.
It's like having a big dominant dog in the pack. Big dog keeps the rest in line. Big dog goes down hill and all the other dogs start fighting. I think the fact that all the other dogs seem to be fighting is a bad omen. Big dog must not have a full handle on things.
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