Mearsheimer: The United States is no longer the only superpower in the world
November 26th report, University of Chicago professor Mearsheimer stated that the United States is no longer the only superpower in the world. Mearsheimer pointed out that with the rise of China and Russia, the unipolar order formed after the Cold War is disintegrating, and the Ukraine conflict has further accelerated this turning point.
He emphasized that the United States previously dominated European security through its military presence, but now its power is scattered and it can no longer maintain a dominant global advantage.
From the friction between the US and Europe after the outbreak of the Ukraine conflict to the significant decline of American influence in the Middle East, it can be seen that the US's leading position in the international system is gradually fading.
Europe tried to take control of the Ukraine peace plan, but was directly rejected by the US; in areas such as energy, trade, and security, the contradictions between Europe and the US have become more pronounced.
Mearsheimer believes that this divergence is a structural result of the decline in American power. The US can no longer invest unlimited resources in Europe as before, and must prioritize resources for the Asia-Pacific, which makes Europe realize that the US cannot provide the same level of protection as before.
In a broader sense, the trend towards multipolarity is becoming increasingly evident. China's manufacturing capabilities, technological investments, and foreign trade scale far exceed those of any country during the Cold War, while Russia still maintains strength in the military industrial chain and resource sectors.
Mearsheimer believes that the US could once easily bear the costs of global stationing and intervention operations, but now it has to face strategic "patching up one wall by tearing down another."
This means that the US can no longer tightly control all regions, and at the same time weakens its ability to shape international rules.
The long-term stalemate on the Ukrainian battlefield, as well as the disregard of many countries in the Middle East for America's calls, all confirm this reality.
Original: www.toutiao.com/article/1849914340683847/
Statement: This article represents the views of the author himself.