America recommitted : a superpower assesses its role in a turbulent world

336 Pages·2001·24.753 MB·English

by  Nuechterlein, Donald Edwin

America Recommitted
This page intentionally left blank
America Recommitted
A Superpower
Assesses Its Role
in a Turbulent World
Second Edition
Donald E. Nuechterlein
THE U NIVlRRSITY JPRlRSS OF Kf.NTUCKY
Copyright © 2001 by The University Press of Kentucky
Scholarly publisher for the Commonwealth,
serving Bellarmine University, Berea College, Centre College of
Kentucky, Eastern Kentucky University, The Filson Historical Society,
Georgetown College, Kentucky Historical Society, Kentucky State
University, Morehead State University, Murray State University,
Northern Kentucky University, Transylvania University, University of
Kentucky, University of Louisville, and Western Kentucky University.
All rights reserved.
Editorial and Sales Offices: The University Press of Kentucky
663 South Limestone Street, Lexington, Kentucky 40508-4008
www.kentuckypress.com
12 11 10 09 08 7 6 5 4 3
Original Copyright © 1991 by The University Press of Kentucky
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Nuechterlein, Donald Edwin, 1925-
American recommitted: a superpower assesses its role in a
turbulent world / Donald E. Nuechterlein-2nd ed.
p. cm.
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN-lO: 0-8131-9005-3 (paper: alk. paper)
1. United States-Foreign relations-1989-1992. 2. United
States-Foreign relations-1993-- 1. Title.
E881.N84 2000
327.73'009'049-dc21 00-043314
ISBN-13: 978-0-8131-9005-1 (pbk. : alk. paper)
This book is printed on acid-free recycled paper meeting the
requirements of the American National Standard for Permanence in
Paper for Printed Library Materials.
§®
Manufactured in the United States of America
•.•' .!!!!.
~ Member of the Association of
'I~ _ American University Presses
To my wife, Mil
This page intentionally left blank
Contents
List of Tables
Vlll
Preface to the Second Edition lX
Preface to the First Edition xi
Introduction, 1989: A Transition Year
in World Politics 1
1. Defining U.s. National Interests: An Analytical
Framework 12
2. Era of American Preeminence, 1945-1965 32
3. Time of Reassessment, 1966-1980 60
4. Resurgent American Power, 1981-1990 90
5. U.S. Interests and Policies in North and South
America, 1990 117
6. u.s. Interests and Policies in East Asia, 1990 148
7. U.s. Interests and Policies in Europe and the
. U.S.s.R., 1990 171
8. Post-Cold War Challenges to U.S. Interests,
1991-1995 199
9. Toward the New Millennium, 1996-1999 238
10. Role of the Aloof but Vigilant Superpower 281
Notes 299
Index 313
Tables
1. National Interest Matrix 20
2. The Falkland Islands War, 1982 22
3. U.S. Bombing of Libya, 1986 24
4. Criteria for Determining Vital National
Interests 27
5. Instruments of Foreign and National Security
Policy 28
6. International Corporation Interest Matrix 30
7. The Persian Gulf Crisis, 1990-1991 206
8. Mexico's Financial Crisis, 1995 230
9. The Bosnia Crisis, 1995-1996 243
10. The Kosovo Crisis, 1999 269
Preface to the Second Edition
When America Recommitted: U.S. National Interests in a Restructured
World was published in June 1991, the world that we had known
for forty-five years was in the midst of profound change. The Cold
War was over, the Soviet Union was going through a major re
structuring, America and its allies had crushed a new threat, Iraq,
to the security of the Persian Gulf, Germany was reunited for the
first time since 1945, China had reverted to a harsh authoritarian
rule, and the United States debated whether it required large mili
tary forces in the post-Cold War era. The 1991 volume was pub
lished only a few months before the Soviet Union disintegrated
and a more democratic Russia emerged as the major state in East
ern Europe. Suddenly the international environment was trans
formed.
In 2000 most of the world lives in a safer and more prosper
ous condition than it did twenty years ago. The United States,
despite military cutbacks, continues to be heavily involved politi
cally, economically, and militarily around the globe. Yet, many
Americans worry about the dangers associated with the United
States becoming an international policeman that has to be on call
to intervene anywhere to maintain order and protect human
rights. At the start of a new century I believe it is imperative that
a serious national debate be held on this fundamental question: is
the United States indeed willing to bear the large financial and
human costs associated with taking on a role in this century simi
lar to the one Imperial Rome exercised in the first century? Stated
another way, is America prepared to be an international hegemon,
or should it be an aloof but vigilant superpower that intervenes
militarily only when its vital national interests are at stake? These
questions, and their answers, form the basis of this new edition's
final chapters.
In reviewing the earlier edition of America Recommitted, I con
cluded that most of the post-World War II events that were cov
ered and the analysis remain essentially accurate as of 1990.
Consequently, instead of updating chapters 5, 6, and 7-the as
sessments of U.S. interests and policies in North America, East