Is America Still A Global Superpower?

Throughout the 20^th century, the United States was hailed as a global superpower. The reasons it held this well deserved title were many, but three stood out among all others:

• The US was an economic beacon of hope for people all over the world
• It was a respected international leader in times of crisis, and
• It had a military second to none with no fear of using force to defend its interests and the rights of people who were being victimized.

But what is the state of these virtues today, in 2015?  Beginning in the late 2000’s, the economy took a hard dive from which it is still struggling to recover. The media (and certainly the incumbent presidential administration) are eager to tell us the recession is over and the economy is improving, but for millions of Americans still struggling to find a job in order to provide for themselves and their families, that news is both little comfort and hard to believe. And while impartial statistics do show that unemployment is down compared with a few years ago (the heart of the recession), they also show that the jobs that have been created are of poor quality. Most people are earning less than they were before, and in many cases, not enough to get by. More people than ever are relying on costly government programs like food stamps to survive, along with more regulations proposed by too many politicians who do not understand how the economy really functions. To improve the economic picture, less government interference is required, not more, with businesses allowed to operate and thrive on their own.

What about being a world leader? There was a time when America was looked to for guidance after global crises, like World War II and the rise of communism in the Soviet Union. The wisdom and character of the people directing it made it such. But today, under the ill-advised stewardship of President Barack Obama, the United States has grossly mismanaged the dangers of the Middle East, leading to greater and greater threats. By pulling out of Iraq precipitously and prematurely, Obama created a power vacuum that was filled by the terrorist group ISIS, and that organization has now expanded to occupy not only much of Iraq but parts of Syria as well. This group is, for all intents and purposes, pure evil. It demands that people live according to its interpretation of dogmatic religious doctrine, providing severe punishment and even death for Christians and many others who refuse to bow to their will. They have slaughtered scores of innocent men, women and children across their dominion. It was the American presence in Iraq, which served to suppress radical elements like these, which kept such bands from rising in prominence. By failing to understand this important function, Obama created the ideal breeding ground for these monsters. Yet he still cannot bring himself even to adequately acknowledge the problem, refusing to speak of “Islamic extremism”– which is embodied by terrorists like ISIS.

Surely, however, the United States can still lay claim to the world’s finest military. In this instance, there can be no argument: America’s armed forces remain unmatched in the world, both in their technological capabilities and in the bravery and tenacity of their men and women. Unfortunately, any military is only as good as its leaders, and once again Obama is sorely lacking. His refusal to allow the military to do its job in Iraq resulted in the disastrous rise and promulgation of the evil ISIS; now, he will barely let them lift a finger to fight this group. Instead, he speaks of “pinprick air strikes” against ISIS, to which the organization has already adapted and from which it has recovered. He fails to realize that the U.S. military does not do pinpricks – it does the job, correctly and efficiently and unmistakably, but only if the people directing it get out of its way and let it.

Is it any wonder the American people today are angry? They want a real leader, someone with the character of Ronald Reagan or the courage of George W. Bush. Someone who will not worry about hurting the feelings of people who slaughter the innocent, and who will call evil by its name. We no longer have the luxury of tolerating “politics as usual” in the U.S. government; we need true leadership again, someone who will tear down this wall of cowardice and political correctness that has paralyzed what was once the most powerful nation on Earth, and which can and should be again.