The Power Problem
975 views · Published 24 July 2009 · 1:40:10 · Indexed 20 September 2026
Channel: New America · 2009 · News & Politics
One of the defining features of international relations in the 21st century is the unparalleled dominance of the American military. The United States spends more on its military than the next 45 countries combined, at a clip of more than $700 billion annually. But does this military dominance weaken rather than strengthen the United States? Does America's immense military tempt policymakers to overreach by dangerously expanding how they define the country's vital national interests? Is American diplomacy being replaced by American militarism? In his provocative new book The Power Problem Christopher Preble explores these questions, as he looks at the aims, costs, and limitations of the use of America's military power and argues that Washington's eagerness to maintain and use an enormous and expensive military is corrosive to American democracy and actually undermines American security.
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