Post-American World

Mon. May. 5, 2008

IslamOnline.net & Newspapers

CAIRO — The world is turning over the page of American dominance when it controlled global economy, orchestrated geopolitics and its icons were looked upon by people of other countries as heroes and pioneers, the Newsweek says in its new edition.

"We are living through the third great power shift in modern history," writes famed reporter, columnist and foreign policy analyst Fareed Zakaria.
"At the military and political level, we still live in a unipolar world. But along every other dimension — industrial, financial, social, cultural — the distribution of power is shifting, moving away from American dominance."

Zakaria believes that the demise of US dominance is evident around the world, repeating the pattern of falling empires throughout history.

"In almost every industry, in every aspect of life, it feels like the patterns of the past are being scrambled," he says.

"For the first time in living memory—the United States does not seem to be leading the charge."

He notes that the tallest building, biggest dam, largest publicly traded company, biggest refinery, largest passenger airplane, biggest movie industry, largest investment fund, and even the biggest gambling casinos and shopping malls are outside America.

"Only ten years ago, the United States would have serenely topped almost every one of these categories."

Zakaria notes that while Americans are still debating the nature and extent of anti-Americanism other people have moved on and are now far more interested in other, more dynamic parts of the globe.

"The world has shifted from anti-Americanism to post-Americanism."

National Heroes

The famed American reporter and analyst sees a whole new world being reshaped not just a few countries emerging on the world scene.

"This is something much broader than the much-ballyhooed rise of China or even Asia," he says.

"It is the rise of the rest—the rest of the world."

In each of the new rising powers, there is a trend of nationalism and disinterest in American icons and heroes.

Zakari, born in India, recalls that during visits to his homeland in the 1980s Indians were fascinated by American business magnate Donald Trump.

"He symbolized the feeling that if you wanted to find the biggest and largest anything, you had to look to America.

"Today, outside of entertainment figures, there is no comparable interest in American personalities."

Zakaria notes that there are dozens of Indian businessmen who are now wealthier than the Donald.

"Indians are obsessed by their own vulgar real estate billionaires. That newfound interest in their own story is being replicated across much of the world."

He explains that the economic growth is always accompanied with a new sense of national pride.

"Imagine that your country has been poor and marginal for centuries. Finally, things turn around and it becomes a symbol of economic progress and success. You would be proud, and anxious that your people win recognition and respect throughout the world."

Can America Adapt?

Zakaria contends that all traditional mechanisms of international cooperation need an overhaul.

"The UN Security Council has as its permanent members the victors of a war that ended more than 60 years ago.

"The G8 does not include China, India or Brazil — the three fastest-growing large economies in the world… By tradition, the IMF is always headed by a European and the World Bank by an American," he notes.

"This 'tradition,' like the segregated customs of an old country club, might be charming to an insider. But to the majority who live outside the West, it seems bigoted."

The question that remains, according to Zakaria, is how would the US, the longtime sole power of the world, fit in the new world order.

"Americans — particularly the American government — have not really understood the rise of the rest.

"Washington has gotten used to a world in which all roads led to its doorstep."

But now in the new post-America world, Zakaria believes, the US ought to go forward as being the "chairman of the board."

He says that "the American parochialism" - particularly evident in foreign policy – would also need serious checking.

"If the world that's being created has more power centers…Rather than narrowly obsessing about our own short-term interests and interest groups, our chief priority should be to bring these rising forces into the global system.

"To bring others into this world, the United States needs to make its own commitment to the system clear."

He believes the "flexible" American society can adapt with the new globalized world.


"But can the American government?"


Link

Original article:

http://www.newsweek.com/id/135380

Boy, sis. Can you say, 'Anti-Americanism'? This subject just consumes you , doesn't it ? But then again, after reading through this site, I wouldn't expect anything less. Now, firstly, the author of this article is an idiot. Donald Trump? He wasn't ever even close to being the richest guy in the U.S. Why would he be used as some sort of 'measuring stick' ? And the whole 'tallest building, biggest dam, largest publicly traded company, biggest refinery, largest passenger airplane, biggest movie industry, largest investment fund, and even the biggest gambling casinos and shopping malls' thing is silly. So what SINGLE country are they all in now ? The answer ? None. No single country will EVER be what the U.S. is. Thirteen million illegal aliens can't All be wrong. Name another country that people are dying to get into like they are America. You can't. When I see someone like yourself and the others on this site go so far out of their way to put down the U.S. I know we're doing something RIGHT. Now sit back and watch China or India lead your 'new world'. HAHAHAHAHA !!

Ah denial tsk tsk (IMG:style_emoticons/default/laugh.gif)

No denial, just a bit of truth. Something that I find lacking in my short stay on this site. I don't think you can name a country that has accomplished as much as the U.S. in such a short amount of time. Can you ? Nah !! I don't think your 'Death To America' glasses will allow you to see that fact. Maybe YOU need to deal with your denial.

Hey blanchemonge ...please stop impersonating Muslims. The fact is history has shown us that many empires such as the Roman Empire had grown, reached the peak and then declined. And they become a part of history. It is a life cycle of an empire and USA is just a part of history.

So in your opinion, a Muslim has to be nescessarly anti-American?

If yes,is it a duty for muslims to be Anti-America because America supports the terrorist state of Isreal or merely a cultural phenomena?

I know blanchemonge is not a Muslim and I will not tell you how I know.

I am a Muslim who respect and love American people as long as they love peace and respect the rights of Muslims and non-Muslims and I never hate USA. I know that there are good Americans and bad Americans. However, I hate the US regime that has invented lies and fairy tales as a pretext to attack Muslim countries. And now the US regime is illegally invading and occupying Muslim countries such as Iraq, Afghanistan and Somalia, attacking and destroying civilian targets and terrorizing and massacring defenseless and innocent Muslims. And the Americans who support Bush and the Zionist NeoCons are responsible for the war crimes that are being committed by the US regime, the US forces and their allies!

I wish I was as perceiving as you and also wish I was granted powers to see through the lies of conservatives who pretend to be Muslim through the Internet, or very good connections that would allow me to stalk people more efficiently.

A sensible and moderate position. It is very good that you make this statement, else somebody who isn't aware of the USA neo-satanism may mistakenly think that you are anti-american.

I agree with you. There are a lot of neo-conservatives/neo-satanists in the USA

Indeed, UN laws should be respected by all.

Espescially in the case of Afghanistan, where the US is clearly in violation of international law.

Considering that nearly half of the American populace voted for Bush and 90% of it supported the invasion of Afghanistan, would you say that you hate nearly half of the American populace? Or is that only 90% of it? What is the ratio of good/bad americans?

Allahu akhbar!

Dartagnan

USA is an advanced country and many of Americans are educated. Is ignorance a good excuse to support Nazi, Fascism, Communism, Zionism, American imperialism, British imperialism etc?

Lets us assume that half of the German populace voted for Hitler and 90% of it supported the invasion of Europe, would you say that you hate nearly half of the German populace? Or is that only 90% of it? What is the ratio of good/bad Germans?

Then how come do they support Zionism?

So if I understand your position, brainwashed people are guilty despite being a puppet of the medias.

Should we hate brainwashed people or not?

Well, I am merely a student, it is not to me that you should ask the question. After this is an Islamic forum not a "slander Islam, support USA" forum. Although I have my own opinion, I think that stating it so openly would preclude me from learning from the Islamic point of view(my opinion is most likely being poisonned by Zionist agitators, anyway).

These are nonetheless good questions.What are the answers you have to provide?

Should you hate the German populace because they voted 90% in favour of Hitler? and how about Bush?

We know that Zionists are controlling most of the media so it is the Zionists who shape the mentality and opinion of the Americans by publishing anti-Islamic articles, news, books etc and producing anti-Islamic videos, films etc to slander and insult Islam and promote Zionism.



Muslims believe that God has given human beings freewill. This means that they can choose right or wrong and that they are responsible for their choices.



Do you see what am I doing now? I am educating the people of the world by exposing the truth and refuting the Zionist media and propaganda.



Why do you support the US regime that has terrorized the world and tortured, raped, murdered or massacre millions of innocent people all over the world in the name of the US-Zionist imperialism?


Americans can choose right or wrong and that they are responsible for their choices.



Americans and Germans can choose right or wrong and that they are responsible for their choices. What are your answers?

Post American? We'll still be here. Are we currently living in a post-british society?

You comparing Americans to the Nazis Wiseguy ?

You TOO can choose right from wrong ....AND are responsible for YOUR choices.

Or do you think that it is onlt "the other people " in the world that are doing wrong ?

p.s. YOU ARE TEACHING NOTHING

Actually in a sense, The United States of America is a post British society.

Post British Society ? Nueveau British Society , rejection of the King anf his state religion , Hmmmm , interesting thought ,and British society , post pax Romana or post Saxon ...?

LOL....looking at the UK today , I would say what I see is the beginning of a post British Society.

"Post American World " in the "wiseguy" mindset , could have a number of meanings , but in reality , if there is a "post mortem " America , then .......alot of people will starve to death and die of disease world wide .

But we can always blame the ziiiiiooooonnnistas !!