Winning Over the World

The United States is a global superpower. Many analysts state that the United States is in decline and that there are foreign policy problems that the United States has. The wikileaks are just the tip of the iceberg. The United States is partly in trouble due to the rise of China. China has the potential to use their rising economic strength. They are already using this to their own advantage.

  The United States needs to apply a combination of its economic and military power as well as diplomacy to craft a foreign policy that is not just pro-America, but also good for the vast majority of the world. The United States remains the world's largest economy. China, a future competitor for the World's top economy, has internal structural problems at home. According to a recent article in Time Magazine, China is facing problems with containing inflation and maintaining the rising living standards that help to keep the government in power. They, similarly to the United States, must focus on their domestic situations.  This gives both nations an opportunity for success in matters of foreign policy. 

However, the importance of establishing diplomatic relations with other countries is to have allies somewhere in the world. This is obviously crucial. Wikileaks' release of diplomatic cables is a burden but the United States must forge ahead and be able to set an example. We do not have to be the world's policeman in everything but need to be a positive force in the world. This will show a positive image for other nations.  We must evaluate on a country by country basis and not a one size fits all approach. For a nation like North Korea we must ease our position and then cripple the nation when they try to act unfavorably to American interest. We must ratify the START treaty based on the fact that it is good policy, because it will set a good example. In dealing with Iran, we must avoid an aggressive Iran and to do so must not be too heavy-handed. 

-S. Martin