The Harder They Fall

First read this post and my commentary to it, then read this.

In recent years, the international political structure has transformed gradually from “one superpower coexisting with several other powers,” formed after the Cold War, to multi-polarization.

The transformation picked up speed this year, with significant changes in the balance of international forces.

The United States has been acting as the world’s only superpower in 2008, but the financial turmoil, which broke out in Wall Street in September, showed its vulnerability.

In addition, the country is still deep in trouble with its wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, which has undermined its international image.

Some analysts attributed the waning U.S. strength to its policy of unilateralism and expansionism on international issues, and its practice of a laissez-faire free market economy at home. It remains to be seen what consequences of these policies will have on U.S. national strength.

When we’re all old men and women the world is going to be a vastly different place.  Simply sitting back and assuming that we’re going to always be the top dog is going to end up our downfall.

I think we have two choices-we can either wind up like Great Britain and go out with some dignity and class after our “Empire” is gone, or we can wind up like theOttoman Empire. Or, for that matter, any great power whose leaders didn’t have the wisdom or foresight to see what was coming and try to mitigate it.