The Paradox of American Power: Commentary

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Friday, March 14, 2003

The Paradox of American Power: Commentary

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In the international arena of today, there have been unprecedented, frequent shuttle diplomatic activities carried out around the question of how to solve the Iraq issue, and hot line phone calls have kept ringing among heads of state. The world, once full of great expectations on the new century, is now experiencing global anxieties-what does the war to be unilaterally launched by the United States against Iraq mean to the future of the world?

US modern war machines, once started up in high gear, are hard to come to a halt. Nevertheless, more and more voices are heard trying to get through the rumble of war chariots. In his article published on March 9, former US President Jimmy Carter raised doubt about the justness of the war, saying Iraq hasn't posed any direct threat on US security, but the United States, in defiance of opposition from most world countries and people, is bent on launching a military and diplomatic operation almost unprecedented in the history of civilized societies. Joseph S. Nye, Dean of the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard, voiced his opinion again in his recent article. In his view, bombs cannot solve everything in the world.

Former Assistant Secretary of Defense, Joseph S. Nye, is noted for his "soft power" theory. His representative work is "The Paradox of American Power--Why the World's Only Superpower Can't Go It Alone". He believes that "hard power works through coercion, using military sticks and economic carrots to get others to do our will. Soft power works through attraction", and "our attractiveness rests on our culture, our political values and our policies by taking into account the interests of others". In today's world, the United States is no doubt in an advantageous position with its hard power. But the question is, power politics always invite resentment and the paradox of American power is that the stronger the nation grows, the weaker its influence becomes. As a superpower that is probably a match for the Roman Empire, the United States is yet unable to meet its important external targets independently.

Unlike those who have blind faith in military force, Joseph S. Nye sees that a state even as strong as the United States has its limitations and power is not necessarily in direct proportion to popular feeling. As the saying goes, a danger to oneself results from an excess of power and an accumulation of misfortunes stems from lavish of praises and favors. There is certainly a relationship of transformation between the strong and the weak. He, whose power grows to such a swelling state that he strikes anybody he wants to and turns a deaf ear to others' advice, will unavoidably put himself in a straitened circumstance someday. When one indulges oneself in wars of aggression under the pretext of "self security" will possibly get, in return, more factors of insecurity. Almost no one would doubt that the US powerful war machine could fight and win battles in quick decision in its pending war against Iraq, but who dare say that the new regional or even global contradictions arising from the war would be settled promptly all in accordance with the US will? Military forces cannot fundamentally solve problems and war benefits no one including the war starter. The development of history is usually independent of man's will, and this is a profound lesson left to world people by the civilization development history of human society.

"War is a matter of vital importance to the state; a matter of life or death, the road either to survival or to ruin. Hence, it is imperative that it be studied thoroughly". The trouble is, the super war machine, heated up for a long time, like an arrow already put on bow, will do nothing more than rolling recklessly toward the deserts before it.

By PD Online Staff Member Li Heng

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