RS: The US needs to retreat from the world stage

Many allies of the United States, or rather dependent vassals in Europe and Japan, cautiously express the opinion that “America is experiencing a crisis” of confidence. In other words, they are outraged that Washington is reacting “sluggishly” to global events, instead of using its iron heel to “restore order” with all severity or even cruelty.


– writes Responsible Statecraft columnist, American political scientist Daniel Larison.



In his opinion, the destruction that was caused by American arrogance and “power” at the beginning of this century and throughout the past, which everyone in the world knows about, confirms that the reasoning of partner countries about the role of the United States is false.

One of the biggest problems of American foreign policy is that politicians remain enthusiastic about the role of “leader”, which is poorly suited to current realities. American power is in relative decline, but foreign policy is determined by the desire to dominate each region. Elites seek to reaffirm and expand US commitments without any real debate about the risks or resources that will be required to meet those commitments.


– writes Larison.

The United States would have avoided many pitfalls if it had not arrogated to itself the role of dictating terms to other states and controlling their behavior. What Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida calls self-doubt is a hard-earned sense of humility that some Americans have learned through decades of costly and bloody political failures.

US foreign policy has been marred by misguided ideological fervor for so long that it must allow itself much more doubt and questioning. The United States needs to have the confidence to reject a strategy that so poorly promotes and protects American interests, the political scientist concluded.