After a litany of bad choices that threatened U. S. credibility Dennis Ross in his New York Times op-ed declaims that the U. S. will recover:
Each of these examples damaged American credibility worldwide, although not necessarily to the same extent. But countries continued to ask for — and offer — support.
Despite the messy exit from Kabul and the devastating bombings at the Kabul Airport, Afghanistan will be no different. Partners and allies will publicly decry American decisions for some time, as they continue to rely on the U.S. economy and military. The reality will remain: America is the most powerful country in the world, and its allies will need its help to combat direct threats and an array of new, growing national security dangers, including cyberwar and climate change.
That does not mean that the United States can dismiss the costs of its mistakes in Afghanistan. But it does show that America can recover.
He proposes several steps that might be taken:
- Complete the evacuation of Afghanistan successfully.
- Formulate a long-term plan for the greater Middle East in collaboration with European allies and regional stakeholders.
- “Third, the administration must respond to enemy attacks or challenges to international norms with strength and conviction.”
I have a rather divergent view. I think that U. S. credibility on the world stage is based entirely on economic strength. The most important thing the U. S. can do to maintain its credibility is to start producing a lot more of what we consume. If we do that the rest will take care of itself. If we fail to do that, we will become irrelevant.
I would also use U. S. military strength more reservedly than we have over the last 30 years and when we do employ our military do so decisively and unambiguously.
“America is the most powerful country in the world…”
Like all of our Masters Dennis Ross is seriously behind the times and delusional. On a PPP basis, China’s economy is one-third larger than ours. Its manufacturing sector is very much larger than ours, and it is comprehensive, socks and TV’s to supercomputers and space stations.
Each year, China builds 35 to 40% of all the commercial shipping made in the world. It’s only competitor is South Korea, which also makes 35 to 40% of commercial shipping. Russia is a distant third, but even its ship building capacity greatly exceeds ours. Russia has at least 40 (maybe 50) icebreakers, some nuclear powered, and more are being built. We have two obsolete and elderly ships and no new ones being built. Is there any doubt who will control the Arctic Sea?
Today it is reported that a third ICBM missile field has been discovered in China, and that when the silos are completed China will have some 400 ICBM’s, each carrying 10 warheads. Our ancient and unreliable Minuteman III’s carry only one warhead, as per treaty with Russia. China already has a fleet of heavy bombers capable of reaching Guam. The only thing they lack is a fleet of SSBN’s.
We are also in the midst of our very own Cultural Revolution, complete with black-suited enforcers controlling the streets of several cities. Our education system is a wreck, and the educators are proud of it. Capital cop Michael Byrd goes on TV and practically brags about murdering an unarmed woman. The disunion in our country is extreme, and just about any outcome is imaginable, from civil war to coup d’etat.
And we are an utterly unreliable and dishonest partner. No treaty we sign has any durability. That applies to NATO, too, and the risible QUAD.
Just what world does Ross live on? How long before a country ruled (not led) by lunatics crumbles to dust?