The 10th anniversary of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks has garnered America almost as much schadenfreude from the world as the original events did. Back in 2001, the line was that we had it coming to us for lording it over the world since the Cold War's end. Today, it takes the form of writing off our alleged "hegemony" in light of the shifts in global power over the intervening decade, a claim that is as absurd the previous one was insulting. Naturally, the Chinese are celebrated as our presumed replacement. So, as always throughout our history as a superpower, we're being treated to "sophisticated" analysis that says America fought the war, but they -- our next security obsession -- won the peace.
Read the entire column at World Politics Review.
Monday, September 12, 2011 at 8:34AM 
Reader Comments (6)
Went to the Chargers game Sunday. Navy Seals parachuted into the stadium. Marine Corps Ospreys flew over in formation. Am American Bald Eagle was turned loose and it flew over he stands. Hundreds of marines and sailors carried an American flag that covered the entire football field. The crowd, on it's feet the whole time, chanted "USA, USA." The noise was thunderous, The energy was unbelievable.
If only we could channel it for something more important than a football game. Those were good people at that game. Working people. They deserve better leadership than they are getting.
Both the United States and China have the opportunity to make a better world for tens of millions of children. The fear mongers of all colors are the real enemy. What greater tragedy could there be than war between these two great nations?
Great analysis. I think you left out something
The Army and Marines are going to want to get their cut from the spending bonanza and it might be easier to sell AFRICOM in the future as a counter to Chinese influence in Africa than as being humanitarian and counter-terrorism focused. (And this might happen sooner than we think).
(If we think about it, Neither Latin America nor Europe are likely future theaters of operation for US ground forces and the Middle East and East Asia are too risky. Africa will be easier to sell - we are already hearing language from senior US diplomats like "China is a very aggressive and pernicious economic competitor with no morals". We are still waiting to see how that statement translates to increased spending for the Army and Marines - and trust me "think tankers" are working on it.)
Please tell them to cool it. That game was played against the Soviets during the Cold War, it never ends well.
According to Wikileaks (from a US embassy transmission), there are three trip wires for the United States when it comes to China in Africa.
1. Is China developing a blue water navy? (With the launch of their aircraft carrier you could argue yes).
2. Are they training armies? (The Chinese will definitely be training quite a few African armies in the near future).
3. Have they developed intelligence operations? ("Evidence" of Chinese intelligence networks can easily be plucked from thin air like "yellow cake").
These "barriers to entry" are so low as to be almost laughable. If the US Marines and Army are pushed to the wall, they will blow things out of proportion and then events will take a life of their own.
Ted O'Connor,
The World still needs America. The World loves your energy (although if you take a trip to Shenzhen you'll quickly realise that America does not have a monopoly over energy).
The World needs an America that is better informed about the rest of the World, we need the kind of spirit that created the Peace Corps, we need an America that fully appreciates the limits of military power in shaping foreign policy outcomes.
The "War on Terror" and "War on Drugs" point to a serious flaw in American strategic thinking - the tendency to reduce extremely complex situations as simple soundbites requiring a military solution (as Dr. Barnett has explained). Please explain to fellow Americans that it is not that simple.
Take a trip to Kenya and observe the construction of an eight-lane expressway from Nairobi to Thika by the Chinese. Eight-lane expressways in the States are not a big deal in the States, but in Africa they are a "big f--king deal". Consider the $9.3 billion the Chinese have invested in hydro-electric projects across Africa, consider the special economic zones the Chinese are building in Mauritius, Tanzania, Nigeria and Zambia.
In Africa, our economic future depends on the Chinese - it as simple as that. Excessive saber-rattling by the military lobby will not just mess up the World but mess up the first real chance Africa has had since the sixties to move itself away from poverty and illiteracy.
I agree very much with your recent emphasis of "CIA" in the Long Term. I would like to see how you include India as the third vital participant within this perspective.
I am always puzzled, Tom, by your demonization of "Neocons". Wasn't it GWBush who declared the Freedom Agenda, and declared that liberating the Arabs, and others, from oppression would free us as well? That is the most powerful example of not fear mongering I can think of.
Wasn't seeing Saddam hang a piece of how the Arabs came to stop fearing their dictators? I don't need the US to get credit for this generally, but doesn't that make your point?
Making it doubly confusing is that you are doing to the neocons what you are afraid we will do to the Chinese, i.e. needlessly make an enemy of what should naturally be your strongest ally.