When the US government’s National Intelligence Council released a new strategic forecast recently, the subsequent news headlines hinted at the downbeat conclusions many of the document’s readers drew. “US out as sole superpower,” read one headline. “Asia rises, the West declines,” read another. “China to be Number One in 2030” was the most succinct. An editorial in The Washington Times concluded, “Decline is not a fate — it is a choice. Sadly, it is one that America, especially the Obama administration, has made. Until we change course, the future belongs to China.”
Every four years, the combined US intelligence agencies project forward along lines set by so-called “megatrends.” Looking ahead almost two decades, the new report envisions a range of demographic, environmental, political, and economic scenarios, but here is the most telling one: “With the rapid rise of other countries, the ‘unipolar moment’ is over, and no country — whether the US, China, or any other country — will be a hegemonic power.” Putting it differently, the Defense Department press service declared that “the American century is drawing to a close.”
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An interesting book on the subject is "The Limits of Power" by Andrew Bacevich.
China's growth is unsustainable, both economically and environmentally, esepcially if it continues to build a coal plant per week and continues to manufacture inferior products. The United States, on the other hand, has the opportunity to be the global leader for decades simply by developing and exporting clean energy technologies and even more importantly, energy efficiency technologies to developing nations that crave our high (energy-intensive) standard of living.
This is no enviro-hype. We must do this to avert far more devastating droughts, water shortages, famines, floods and superstorms caused by global warming. The United States is in the position to be the dominant player in this new energy economy and prosper from it greatly. We have the technologies to do this now. But sadly, we have lacked the political will to make it a national policy and priority.
The U.S. military is one of the biggest proponents of using clean fuels and energy sources. They consider being green good for our national security. When will our nation follow to confront the greatest threat to mankind? If climate change continues to be relegated to the second to last paragraphs of intelligent columns in the most progressive news outlets, then we are doomed by our own lack of will and foresight.
When given a choice what will the average American choose, a clean world or a cheap sweatshirt? You make the call.
The days of supremacy might be over. Is that bad? No more world policeman, world aid bank, destination for the poor of the world, world supplier of unsolicited political advice. As for the rise of China, what can we expect given their dirt cheap labor, government management of business, no environmental concerns, currency manipulation?
We're Number 1! We're number 1! What is this an NCAA basketball tournament or life in the real world. The big question is how well are we doing for our citizens? Is our standard of living reasonable? Not is it a billion times better than everyone else's but is it good enough for us. Are we able to defend ourselves? There doesn't seem to be much question about that. We remain the most powerful military in the world. Of course we can't protect ourselves from the NRA but jperhaps one day we'll grow up and figure that one out.
The purpose of life, the purpose of any government in the world is to uplift its people. The real pupose of each person is to uplift the world in their own small way. It is not a question of whether we are number 1 but a question of making the world in its entirety number 1. The sooner we figure that out the sooner we will start thinking about the future and not who's number 1.