The Obligation of empire: United States' grand strategy for a new century

Abstract

The end of the cold war left the United States without a plan for navigating the international security challenges of a new world order. Though many policy-makers believe that the United States is in a unique position to influence global politics, few can agree on what, if any, grand strategy should replace containment. In The Obligation of Empire, some of the nation's most respected scholars of international affairs examine the debates over U.S. grand strategy in light of U.S. security policies and interests in tactical regions around the world. The contributors begin by describing the four grand strategies currently competing for dominance of U.S. foreign policy: neo-isolationism argues that the United States should not become involved in conflicts outside specifically defined national interests; selective engagement proposes that the United States, despite its position as the world's only remaining superpower, should limit its involvement in foreign affairs; cooperative security advocates that the United States is not and should not act as an imperial country; and finally, primacy asserts that the United States is an empire and therefore it should conduct an expansive foreign policy. Focusing on regions that present new challenges to U.S. grand strategy, such as Sub-Saharan Africa, the Middle East, and Latin America, the contributors offer the most current examinations of U.S. policies and assess the effectiveness of competing strategies in each region. The Obligation of Empire offers an innovative set of foreign policy initiatives that explore the tensions between global agendas and regionalist approaches.