The Imperial Tense: Prospects and Problems of American EmpireAndrew J. Bacevich Does the United States today preside over a global empire? America's emergence as the world's dominant power in the 1990s nurtured the perception--initially more pronounced abroad than at home--that with the passing of the cold war the United States had indeed become an imperial republic. Some observers, convinced that American power is necessarily benign, welcome that new reality. Others are not so sure. In The Imperial Tense, Andrew Bacevich has drawn together a stimulating collection of arguments on a subject of compelling current importance. Since September 11 and the ensuing "war on terror," President Bush's sweeping rhetoric and national security strategy has affirmed the imperial nature of American foreign policy, provoking concerns over where those ambitions may lead. What is the nature and scope of the American empire? What are its prospects and challenges? Is American power adequate for the task of managing a global imperium? And what of will--are the American people prepared to pay the price that the preservation of that empire may demand? The Imperial Tense offers cogent reflections on these and related questions by leading scholars and commentators, including Mr. Bacevich (who has also written the Introduction), James Chace, Stanley Hoffmann, Charles Krauthammer, Charles Maier, David Rieff, Deepak Lal, John Milbank, Jonathan Freedland, Peter Bender, Martin Walker, Perry Anderson, Jedediah Purdy, G. John Ikenberry, Stephen Books, William Wohlworth, David Marquand, David North, Gabriel Ash, Ivan Eland, and Victor Davis Hanson. |
Contents
Americas Responsibility Americas Mission | 5 |
In Defense of Empires | 29 |
The Unipolar Era | 47 |
Copyright | |
16 other sections not shown
Other editions - View all
The Imperial Tense: Prospects and Problems of American Empire Andrew J. Bacevich No preview available - 2003 |
Common terms and phrases
Afghanistan alliance allies Ameri American empire American power attack Baywatch become Bosnia Britain British Empire Bush administration Bush's capitalism century challenge China civil coalition Cold War colonies conflict countries create culture decade defense democracy democratic dominant Donald Rumsfeld economic elites emerging enemies Europe European evil force freedom French global grand strategy hegemony human rights humanitarian immigrants imperial power imperium India institutions International Criminal Court intervention Iraq Islamic Korea Kosovo less liberal maintain mass destruction means Middle East military power moral multilateral Muslim national interest National Security Strategy NATO North Korea nuclear Pax Americana peace pire political potential president realist regime response role Roman Rome rule Russia September 11 social society soft power sovereignty Soviet Union stability superpower terrorism terrorists threat tion tional trade treaties U.S. military unilateral unipolarity United Nations war on terror weapons of mass West Western world power