The former politician further explains that the US now has “a lot less relative military and economic power [than] it enjoyed in the twentieth century.”
Hence, he says, the Americans should understand that “the days of being able to smash foes militarily or intimidate them economically have largely vanished, yet the country’s political leadership persists in its bombast.”
These new realities should be explained to ordinary Americans, the author adds.
With all the above in mind, Washington should understand that it is simply unable to act alone. Hence it needs allies, which “means having a strategy that accounts for their interests as well as for America’s.”
The former politician then explains what it means in example of Russia, China and its anti-terrorist crusade in the Middle East.
With regards to Russia, he says, the best way is to “treat Russia as a great power in return for tangible Russian cooperation in the Middle East and in combating nuclear proliferation and terrorism.”
With regards to China, “the trick is to prevent Beijing from intimidating its neighbors, and no one has yet devised a good formula for doing so,” Gelb says.
“China’s strength is based on its leading role in trade and investment in the area. And on its borders, Beijing holds military superiority over its neighbors and the United States,” he acknowledges.
The way out, he finally suggests, is to accept the reality and try to work with every country.
