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1-Page Summary of The Choice

Where the United States Stands

America is both a superpower and insecure. It’s the world’s ultimate guarantor of stability, yet its citizens feel less stable than ever. Insecurity may be something to live with as America learns more about globalization and global interdependence. Although America has unrivaled hegemony – the ability to dominate other states – it must ask itself “Hegemony for what?”

Will the United States use its power to help create a new global community? Or will it try to restore an old security order that isn’t possible without greater international cooperation? The US is going to be the cause of world chaos or lead it into this new era.

America and the Common Good

America is the most powerful country in the world, and it’s also becoming more globalized. This combination of factors has led to a profound change in international affairs.

The world has changed, and the power of America has grown. The United States is now a dominant force in international politics. This dominance can be seen by looking at two triangles that intersect each other: one triangle begins at the White House and ends with the Pentagon; another triangle starts at the White House and ends with global institutions like the World Bank, State Department, IMF (International Monetary Fund), OAS (Organization of American States) and then back to the White House. Together these two triangles symbolize America’s dominance over international politics.

The United States is the dominant economic power in the world, and it’s not clear how long that will last. It has a lot of influence over other countries but also wants to preserve its own sovereignty. The U.S. doesn’t always follow international agreements when they conflict with its interests or hamper its ability to make money from trade barriers on steel, agriculture, and other products. Although our leaders talk about globalism as an ideal, they aren’t really committed to it if it conflicts with their goals for political independence or restricts their power in any way.

The Third Wave

There are dilemmas in the U.S., which suggest that it’s time for a new defense policy debate. This will be the third grand defense policy debate, and it began after independence with whether or not to approve a standing army. The second one started after World War I and continued until America took responsibility for Europe’s security post-WWII through NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization).

The third presidential debate will focus on how the United States should balance its own security with international cooperation. This topic has been debated since the Reagan administration, when it launched a controversial missile defense system called Strategic Defense Initiative. Since then, this question has evolved into one about overall U.S. security. It’s unclear what the outcome of this debate will be, but complete security is probably out of reach for America in today’s world, where military divisions alone are not enough to ensure safety and democracy can help or hinder that goal depending on its state within other countries around the globe.

The U.S.’s involvement in the Middle East is a major reason why it’s targeted by terrorists. However, America has shown an unwillingness to confront the cultural and political roots of terrorism. The U.S.’s focus on Iran having nuclear weapons while ignoring Israel’s possession of them is a good example of this indifference to root causes

Preempt Versus Prevent

In determining America’s next move, the difference between a preemptive war and a preventative war matters greatly. The Iraq War was one of prevention. A superpower must use every available means to persuade other countries before launching such a war. Otherwise, it could lead to an unnecessary war that would undermine its moral authority as a great power. Only by addressing the underlying causes of global strife can we achieve true security in today’s world. Doing so requires an alliance that dwarfs any initiative in history