Levi Novey

Like Atlas, the U.S. must now either take the world upon its shoulders alone or drop the ball. I say let's drop the ball on most issues.

Anne Applebaum, who writes for Slate and The Washington Post, has just published an excellent column where she persuasively argues that “no one wants America to be the sole global superpower, but no one wants to share the load.”

She uses Obama’s recent trip to China and Europe’s election of a new president and foreign minister as her primary evidence that no one really wants to engage the major foreign policy issues the Obama administration cares about. In China’s case, Applebaum writes that Chinese officials claim they are still a “developing country” that needs time before partnering on foreign policy issues with the U.S such as the Iraq and Afghanistan Wars, and North Korea and Iran’s nuclear weapon ambitions.

Europe’s case is a little more puzzling from a psychological and practical standpoint. (more…)

Read Full Post »