The New American Imperialism : Bush's War on Terror and Blood for Oil

Questions the global supremacy of the United States.

When the Soviet Union collapsed in 1991, the Cold War slowly gave way to a new world order in which the United States was left as the lone superpower.

But the organising principle that would characterize the early 21st century was as yet unclear, until the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001.

Now it is clear that the long war on communism has been replaced by a perpetual "war on terror." Regardless of how long American troops remain in Iraq, and irrespective of further military actions, George W.

Bush will continue to be a wartime president whose foreign policy is dominated by the Pentagon. And yet, the authors argue, this neo-imperialistic phase, with its emphasis on Eurasian oil supplies, is but the latest development in a line of thinking and acting in the world that was established by such men as Dean Acheson and Paul Nitze after World War II.

The authors argue that the United States, with its thinly stretched military and deficit-laden economy, does not possess the means to reconstruct the countries it conquers.

Instead, the U.S. is simply depleting the developing world's natural resources, compelling the rest of the developed world to remain dependent on American management of the global economy. This situation is ultimately untenable, the authors argue, and as a result, the United States is entering a period of deep crisis.

The best policy for American neo-imperialists to adopt to avert their worst nightmare - a strategic and economic alliance among Europe, Russia, China, and OPEC - would be the securing of the orderly withdrawal of American power before it is too late for the human and environmental security of the world as a whole.