The politics of decline

CNN:

A government report released Thursday paints an alarming picture of an unstable future for international relations defined by waning American influence, a fragmentation of political power and intensifying struggles for increasingly scarce natural resources.

The report, "Global Trends 2025: A Transformed World," was drafted by the National Intelligence Council to better inform U.S. policymakers -- starting with the incoming administration of President-elect Barack Obama -- about the factors most likely to shape major international trends and conflicts through the year 2025.

"Although the United States is likely to remain the single most powerful actor, the United States' relative strength -- even in the military realm -- will decline and U.S. leverage will become more constrained," says the report, which is the fourth in a series from the Intelligence Council.

The report argues that the "international system -- as constructed following the second World War -- will be almost unrecognizable by 2025 owing to the rise of emerging powers, a globalizing economy, an historic transfer of relative wealth and economic power from West to East, and the growing influence of nonstate actors."

It argues that the world is in the midst of an unprecedented "transfer of global wealth and power" -- from West to East -- that is being fueled by long-term "increases in oil and commodity prices" along with a gradual shift of manufacturing and certain service industries to Asia.

And yet, while American power and influence are projected to decline, America's burdens are not.

"Despite the recent rise in anti-Americanism, the U.S. probably will continue to be seen as a much-needed regional balancer in the Middle East and Asia," the report notes.

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The last time I saw reports like this was during the Carter administration. These types of reports become handy excuses for the failure of Democrat policies. Once Reagan came in and inspired us to greatness it took Democrats a long time to resurrect the malaise.

The fact is that there are all sorts of resources this country has that the Democrats have put off limits because of their carbon phobias and their anti energy policies. Oil and Gas from Schale formations is only beginning to be exploited and we have reserves large enough to power us into the next century and beyond. While that technology is being developed we can also exploit our off shore energy sources and the reservoirs in Alaska.

I beleive that it is up to us to decide whether we will become a lessor power. There are many in the Democrat party who want to see a reduced roll for the US in the world and they will seize on this report as an excuse for pursuing that objective. Others who think that our best days are still ahead of us will try to do better than that.