America’s Role in a Multi-Polar World

I found myself largely nodding in agreement while reading Freddie’s post on Israel and Palestine. But there was one excerpt that caught my eye and I felt was due for a bit more scrutiny, specifically pertaining to America’s role in the world. Late in the post Freddie writes,

This is crucial because, as almost anyone will tell you, only America ultimately can broker peace in Palestine. This is because the deep economic, military and diplomatic investment of the United States in Israel gives us the power to deeply influence Israeli policy moving forward. As much as countries like Egypt and Jordan can provide legitimacy in the Palestinian street, and as much as the European Union can act as a powerful third-party arbiter, the simple fact is that there is no other country on earth that has the power and legitimacy within Israel to generally effect change.

That America is in a unique position to help usher along peace negotiations due to its relationship with Israel is indeed essentially indisputable. But I would argue that in many ways, now is the perfect time for America to resist taking that front and centre role and exercise a more “behind the scenes” effect on this conflict.

As a country, America has been running at hyperspeed for some time now, operating as both the military and economic superpower of the planet since the collapse of Soviet Russia. While that uni-polar moment has resulted in many benefits for both Americans and other countries, it is no model for sustainability. There is no world in which America isn’t a strong influence on geo-political affairs, but the apex of its dominance has likely come and gone, both economically and militarily. In his recent book The Post-American World, Fareed Zakaria makes an impressive case for interpreting current geo-economic circumstances as a sure sign of “the rise of the rest”, which doesn’t mean the descendance of America, but rather an acknowledgement that increasingly the rest of the world is catching up and thereby playing a bigger role in global economic activity. Zakaria envisions a key role for America in this new economic multi-polar world, but it is one role among many and that all work in tandem.

So too militarily, Thomas PM Barnett has been arguing since the release of his book The Pentagon’s New Map that America needs to get out of the superpower game and find ways of pulling an increasing number allies into the process of realizing “a future worth creating.” Barnett recognizes the unparalleled military strength of America, but points out that winning the war is only one half of the equation — winning the peace is the second and more difficult part. Barnett suggests that America is well positioned to go about winning the wars when they’re necessary, but that it would be wise to enlist the help of other developed and increasingly important countries in winning the peace. Again, a key role for America, but one role among many.

Given the raft of problems currently faced by America and the recent election of such a bright face to the office of President, it would seem that now is an ideal time for Americans to heed Zakaria and Barnett’s advice. And there may be no more symbolic issue to do so than one of the world’s longest standing and most intractable conflicts. So I agree with Freddie that America is in unique position vis-a-vis its relationship with Israel to help push for negotiated settlement. But I would suggest that said pushing should happen behind the scenes allowing the other world powers that Freddie mentions to take the lead. Doing so contains benefits not just for the rest of the world, but also for America itself.

Related posts...

• Can’t We All Just Get Along?
• Finding Humility for the Sake of Positive Partisanship
• The Light of Day Shines Even Behind the Scenes

Tags | America, Fareed Zakaria, israel, multi-polar world, Plaestine, superpower, The Pentagon's New Map, The Post-American World, Thomas PM Barnett