U.s. Foreign Policy Global Power For Recent History

The United States (US) has been the major global power for recent history – they have been labelled as the superpower and many smaller, developing nations have looked to the US for assistance in times of crisis. Following this, it is no secret that US foreign policy revolves heavily on maintaining its global influence and leadership so as to secure US interests and promote compatible values. However, today’s world of globalisation has proved to be difficult for the US – their ‘superpower’ status is being contested as national debt spiral upwards and the most devoted patriarchs of the US begin to focus more closely on domestic affairs. The reality is that the US is drowning in national debt and excessive budget deficits, sparking heated debate about government spending. According to Pentagon estimates, the corollary is that the US military budget will be cut by at least 8% in the next ten years. This called for a re-evaluation of current foreign aff airs strategies, and in 2010 resulted in President Obama’s plan to ‘Pivot to Asia’ looking to shift focus from the Middle East to Asia in order to bolster US defence ties within the region. It is argued that strategic thinkers who view Asia of greater importance to the US than the Middle East have a skewed perception of the world and is unaware of the repercussions on US interests. This essay will seek to outline by contrasting arguments that the ‘Pivot’ to Asia is one that is necessary but will require co-operation by the US toShow MoreRelatedSomalias Struggle for Power Essay example1524 Words   |  7 Pagesstruggle for power to establish a sovereign Somali state has raised international concerns of terrorism, piracy, human trafficking and famine causing instability locally and throughout the Horn of Africa. 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China’s economic rising power has deflected international criticism of its records of democratization and human rights