World Policy Journal

American hegemony encompasses several areas which include its military power, economic superiority, unmatched communications technology and superior social and political concepts. Despite its unipolar manifestation of global dominance, however, the US is compelled to establish a standard of ethics and human rights commitments that will reduce the contradictions brought about by its hegemony.

A house of cards: American strategy toward China.

American analysts and policymakers focus on the impact of China's emergence as a world power in the twenty-first century. As a result, two opposing schools of thought on US policy towards China have emerged, namely, containment and engagement. The policy of containment sees the use of US military power to compel China to adhere to US's rules regarding trade, human rights and arms control in East Asia. On the other hand, engagement policy seeks to enmesh China in the global economy to manage i...

Aztec sun rising: the Cardenas challenge.

New Mexico City, Mexico, mayor Cuauhtemoc Cardenas Cuauhtemoc Cardenas emerged as the landslide winner of the first mayoral election in Mexico City, Mexico, while his party, the Party of the Democratic Revolution garnered 38 out of 40 legislative districts in the city. Meanwhile, as Cardenas' political future becomes brighter, Pres Ernesto Zedillo's popularity has declined as evidenced by losses incurred by his party, the Institutional Revolutionary Party. If Cardenas and his party will continue to gain the approval of voters, he might end up...

Can the United Nations reform?

Misconceptions about its origins The reformation of the United Nations (UN) can be done effectively only if certain misconceptions about its origins and its administration can be fully identified and dispelled. A clearer vision of the UN reveals that it was created for political reasons and remains torn between the maneuverings of democratic and dictatorial and Northern and Southern powers. However, the US and its two major political parties have remained the dominant players in its administration. With the end of the Cold W...

Henry Stimson's clue.

Evolution of US foreign policy after World War II US progressive internationalism was defined by Henry Stimson and Hans Morgenthau in their books wherein Stimson tied foreign policy to domestic society while Morgenthau defined the theory of international relations based on interest. Morgenthau later expanded his philosophy to include moral principles as the basis for domestic power. Pres Clinton's New Covenant/commercial policy approach will be a clear test of the relationship between domestic and foreign policies.

Marooned in the Cold War: America, the alliance, and the quest for the vanished world.

NATO's planned expansion into Eastern Europe reveals that the Cold War did not end when the Germans tore down the wall that divided their country and when the Soviet Union collapsed. In 1997, six years after the collapse of the Soviet Union, the US still maintains its containment policy despite the apparent soft military policy by Pres Clinton. With the coming debate over NATO, it is hoped that Pres Clinton will glean inspiration from Pres Truman and create a policy for a new world which will...

Permanent interests, endless threats Cold War continuities and NATO enlargement.

NATO's expansion into Eastern Europe is an extension of US security policy and is consistent with its global strategy since the post-World War II era although some perceive it as a radical departure from American policy. However, the argument over the issue of NATO enlargement should include an assessment of its implementation or whether there should be an expansion at all. Sen John McCain stated in 1992 that the maintenance of peace in Europe cannot be cited as an explanation for the deploym...

The Coming Conflict with China.

The Great Wall and the Empty Fortress: China's Search for Security.

The Kaliningrad scenario: expanding NATO to the Baltics.

NATO's decision to expand in Eastern Europe has been met with opposition by Russia. Initially, the inclusion of Poland, Hungary and the Czech Republic to the organization was opposed by Boris Yeltsin but he relented in the end since the presence of Belarus and Ukraine created a buffer zone between Russia and NATO. However, the next round of expansion, which will include the Baltics, is being opposed adamantly by Russian Prime Minister Viktor Chernomyrdin. On the other hand, Lithuania sees NAT...

The rise of the American crimefare state.

Law enforcement expansion Pres Bill Clinton has declared the expansion of law enforcement in the US or the emergence of the crimefare state which is intended primarily against foreign threats. It is focused directly against drug traffickers, organized crime syndicates and illegal immigrants. Its growth has several consequences which include the merging of national security institutions and law enforcement and the increase in punitive policy cures which do not necessarily address core problems.