At the end of the World War II, the United States emerged as one of the two superpowers in the world. And after a prolonged Cold War that ended with the dissolution of the Soviet Union, the U.S found itself as the only superpower on the planet. It proved to the thriving era for the Western democracy as the U.S hegemony kept its global supremacy on the international stage.
However, with the emergence and revival of some powers, the United States are finding their geopolitical and security interests challenged more often than before. In this article, we will analyze the 3 biggest threats for the American national, security and geopolitical interests.
1. The Revival of the Old Adversaries.
After the dissolution of the Soviet Union, Russia found itself in a very complex security and economic situation. However, in the last decade and some modernizations of their army, the Russians have emerged as a strong player on the international stage. With their military intervention in Syria, they directly opposed and prevented the American policy of overthrowing Assad. Moreover, with the development of the new strategic weapons such as the SARMAT and the supersonic nuclear missile, emerging Russia is constantly challenging the U.S hegemony. Another emerging power that is starting to challenge the U.S domination is China. With the recent activities in the South China Sea, the building of military bases at the horn of Africa, the Chinese are increasingly spreading their interests on the global scene. Also, with the economic competition with the U.S puts China as one of the main factors that can threaten the United States geopolitical strategy.
2. Emerging Powers
The U.S hegemony is challenged in many parts of the worlds by some regional players. Two notable countries that pose a threat for the U.S geopolitical interests are Iran and North Korea. As Trump pulled out of the Iran deal, the tensions in the region have significantly increased. And although there have not been any armed confrontations so far, there as some proxy wars which have the potential for a further escalation. The crisis in Yemen where the Houthis are supported by Iran and the Saudi coalition by the U.S just shows that the problem may escalate more than just economic warfare. The various Iranian backed militias in Syria have been one of the main obstacles for the U.S policy of overthrowing Bashar Al Assad.
In the case of North Korea, the problem is still present. Although the recent meeting in Singapore has put the problem on the track for a peaceful solution, the threat for the U.S and the allies are still present. Kim Jong Un has shown that their ballistic program combined with the nuclear research has the potential for a serious damage to the U.S Naval bases in the Pacific.
3. Terrorism
Although many see that the issue of terrorism is partially solved, the facts show that the problem is still there. The reemergence of the Taliban and the rise of ISIL have just shown that the so-called “War on Terror” proved to be ineffective in the long term. Attacks such as the one in Benghazi and the fight against ISIL in Iraq and Syria portrayed that the U.S security and security is still combating this complex problem.
On a final note, we can conclude that the United States is constantly facing security challenges on a global level. However, with a proper defence strategy, the U.S can protect its national interests and security in the long term.