Who’s Afraid Of America?

The Economist: Who’s afraid of America?

The military playing field is more even than it has been for many years. That is a big problem for the West

SINCE the end of the cold war one simple geopolitical rule has endured: do not take on America. The country’s armed forces have been so well resourced and so technologically superior that it would be utterly foolish for any state to mount a direct challenge to the superpower or its allies. This rule still holds—but it is no longer quite as compelling as it once was. Although America still possesses by far the most capable armed forces in the world, the technological advantage that guarantees it can defeat any conceivable adversary is eroding rapidly.

“We are entering an era where American dominance on the seas, in the skies, and in space—not to mention cyberspace—can no longer be taken for granted,” admitted Chuck Hagel, the outgoing secretary of defence, last year. He argued that America urgently needed to develop a new generation of military technologies, lest another country come to feel capable of challenging it. His warning was timely.

WNU Editor: I recall in the 1980s both China and Russia (countries that I lived in for a few years) .... did everything with an eye on how would the U.S. respond. After the Cold War everything changed .... Russia focused on internal matters, and China focused on developing its economy .... foreign policy was a lesser priority for both countries. 25 years later .... everything is changing again. The Russia and China of today do not look at what would be the U.S. response when they pursue their agendas .... they are not worried .... and as foreign policy becomes more important to these countries (especially for China) .... this lack of concern on what would be the U.S. response will only grow. The growing perception on the global scene is that the U.S. is a declining power, and with time I will not be surprised if even the lesser powers/adversaries start to feel (and act) the same way.