Gheorghe Gradinaru

February 21

" security competition is different. It is specifically because Russia could not compete with the West ideologically or economically that Putin resorted to military means. In so doing, he attacked the underlying security and stability at the core of the liberal order. The security situation undergirds everything—without it nothing else functions. Democracy and prosperity cannot flourish without security. "

The United States must resist a return to spheres of interest in the international system

Great power competition seems to have risen from the grave. And with it has returned sphere of influence behavior. Robert Kagan argues that, if the United...

BROOKINGS.EDU

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  Prospectiv A-z .
  "On that score, the historical record is very clear. To return to a world of spheres of influence—the world that existed prior to the era of American predominance—is to return to the great power conflicts of past centuries." 
  
  Sa-ntelegem ca "the era of American predominance" este etalonul dupa care toate celelalte sunt judecate? Domnul doamnei Nuland, acest neoconservator pentru care axa lumii se'nvarte in jurul buricului propriu, ar trebui sa vada ca-s urme de viata inteligenta si dincolo de perimetrul existentei sale. Pe de-o parte, conflictul armat *minor* a fost o constanta a pacii americane, pe de alta, Criza pune pe tapet un altfel de conflict, in care pacea inseamna o extensie a creditului dela banca.
  
  Oamenii resping apeluri complicate la rationalitate daca acestea sunt zilnic perforate de experienta vietii obsinuite. Cei din generatia lui Kogan au mostenit dela parinti o ordine a lumii pe care n-au stiut cum s-o mentina, ca sa nu mai vorbim de imbunatatirea acesteia.

  
  
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  Prospectiv A-z .
  Iata ce-i raspund si cititorii:
  
  Sidney sloth • 2 days ago
  "There is no stable balance of power in Europe or Asia without the United States."
  This sounds a lot better in Washington than it does in Moscow, Beijing or Berlin.
  The key problem with the benevolent uni polar world is that other, lessor people may not accept their inherent barbarism as a fact. They may rebel against the idea that they are unable to provide security to their people. After all, every sovereign government pledges to protect its people. If it is true that only the USA can provide security, what are they for?
  My point here is not that the author is wrong. While I remain startled to read that the USA has been the uni polar power in the world since the second world war (cold war, anyone? USSR?), we can let that point go and contemplate the likely response to this budding foreign policy statement.
  It is offensive, on the face of it. It declares every other state inept and inherently defective. Only the USA can provide security, even in Eurasia. Ergo, eurasia is full of errant, defective states.
  Not only is such a policy certain to invite contempt, it may well be described as aggressive and imperial. "Taking over the world" has traditionally been the dream of utter madmen.
  Is this how America risk being seen?
  How long until Europe starts demanding that their governments no longer appease the wanton aggressor, the state that makes war continuously, that routinely invades small states and changes their boundaries?
  And to be clear, what if they are talking about the USA?
  The USA does not get to dictate how it is perceived. Telling the world they are unfit to rule themselves is a strange way to go about making friends and keeping what friends you have.
  
  ModernBritain • a day ago
  Since Kagan does not believe in spheres of influence, I have a proposal for him: let the Russian government help Canadian demonstrators overthrow the Canadian government. The new Canadian government will immediately adopt a pro-Russia/anti-US posture. Kagan can have no objection to that, Canada isn't part of the US sphere of influence, is it? US security can be enhanced by having Russian troops patrol the US/Canada border. After all, Kagan assures us that the US protects China with its Pacific fleet, high time Russia should do something for the US when the US spends so much effort promoting peace and security around the world.