Christopher Layne
& Benjamin Schwartz
The main argument in this article is that although the Cold War is over, American foreign policy is going to continue to be the same because “at the end of World War II, Washington was committed to an active internationalist agenda and would have pursued it even if the Soviet Union had not emerged as a geopolitical and ideological rival.”
SUMMARY
The point of this article is to find an answer to why the American Government continues pursue a foreign policy that uses military action to ensure peace in areas of the world that show no threat to American safety in post-Cold War times (specifically Bosnia at the time this article was written). Although the answer in long and detailed it can still be summed up into one word, and that is, money (economics).
Many of the foreign policy elite realized that much of America’s future prosperity depends upon international economic interdependence. So after the Second World War the government spent much time, effort, and money on Europe and East Asia because they realized that economic success has much to do with stability and reassurance. By using the military to provide security in these regions, counties are able to “concentrate on commerce rather than power politics.” Also by using the military to protect vital economic interest, other countries such as Germany and Japan no longer needed to maintain powerful military forces, which helps lower tensions between regions and creates a better atmosphere for economic cooperation. As stated by defense secretary Dick Chaney in September 1992:
“Simply stated, the worldwide market that we’re part of cannot thrive where regional violence, instability, and aggression put it at peril. Our economic well being and our security depend on a stable world in which the community of peaceful, democratic nations continues to grow. Hostile and anti-democratic regimes must know that aggression is a risk that will not pay.”
Instead of believing the classical liberal view that free trade will automatically creates harmony among nations, the United States uses its military power to impose harmony in regions to make sure that free trade does take place and economic interdependence exists. Another aspect that guides America’s foreign policy is the post-Cold War domino theory. “Similar to the containment era’s domino theory: Instability even in economically unimportant areas like the former Yugoslavia could infect other areas regarded as essential to global economic interdependence.” Although the opportunity cost of protecting economic interest around the world may be very costly, and might even put America at risk for war, “as long as the apparent dictates of economic interdependence guide U.S. policy, America will feel a need to ensure stability in Europe and East Asia-both of which are likely to be geopolitical volatile.” Even though many officials in Washington agree that the cost of protect financial assets, they also make it clear that it is “better to bear the disproportionate costs than to yield American Control”