Defiant Superpower: The New American Hegemony - Hardcover

Nuechterlein, Donald E.

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 1574889486 ISBN 13: 9781574889482

Publisher: Potomac Books, Inc., 2005

Synopsis

Donald E. Nuechterlein examines George W. Bush's transformation of American foreign policy and the repercussions for the future. Defiant Superpower recounts how the Bush administration's bold actions in response to September 11, 2001, toppled the Taliban and displayed American strength. But by 2002, much of the world, including our allies, had become alarmed by American assertiveness, particularly Bush's proclamation that America would pursue preventative wars to eliminate future threats. The divergence of national interests between the United States and old allies became acute in early 2003 when Germany and France openly rejected U.S. plans to invade Iraq and bring about regime change. While the Bush administration's defiant and unilateralist policies initially seemed to empower the United States to pursue its national interests, the pitfalls of this new American hegemony are now apparent. Occupying Iraq and engaging in a global"war on terror" are costly, in both human and economic terms, and the United States would benefit from broad-based international cooperation. Will Bush's reelection mean that the robust hegemony of his first term is here to stay, or will he moderate his style and objectives to mend fences with old allies? Defiant Superpower offers a balanced critique of recent foreign policy and suggests how policymakers should recognize the limits of the new hegemony in order to determine America's realistic national interests.

About this title

Review:

"In DEFIANT SUPERPOWER, Donald Nuechterlein uses the national interest model that he pioneered to assess the evolution of American international power since the attacks of September 11, 2001. With remarkable clarity of thought and expression, he evaluates both old and new discussions of the United States as an imperial power and concludes that it is a hegemon, albeit a limited one. By examining the requirements of homeland security, global order, American political values, and economic prosperity, Nuechterlein demonstrates both the powerful temptation of successive administrations to act outside traditional alliances and international organizations and the real and potential costs of such endeavors. This is a sober evaluation, not only of the transformations of American foreign policy since the end of the Cold War and 9/11, but of the choices that must be made to secure American influence in the future." --Robert S. Wood, Dean Emeritus of Naval Warfare Studies and Nimitz Chair of National Security and Foreign Affairs, Naval War College

Synopsis:

This book examines George W. Bush's transformation of American foreign policy and the repercussions for the future. It recounts how the Bush administration's direct actions in response the September 11th, 2001, toppled the Taliban and displayed American strength, but by 2002 they had also alienated many of America's traditional allies. The pitfalls of Bush's defiant and unilateralist style of leadership are now apparent: a "global war on terror" and the invasion of Iraq are costly in both human and economic terms. America needs broad-based international co-operation. Will Bush's re-election mean that the robust hegemony of his first term is here to stay, or will he moderate his style and objectives to mend fences with his old allies? It features a balanced and up-to-date analysis of U.S. foreign policy before and since the election of 2004. The author views current events with historical insights.

About this edition

• Publisher: Potomac Books, Inc.
• Publication date: 2005
• ISBN 10: 1574889486
• ISBN 13: 9781574889482
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 240