The U.S. Is Losing Its Global Dominance Because of the War with Iran — The Atlantic
The war with Iran has laid bare problems that may signal the end of the U.S.’s long-standing dominance in the global security system. Historian and national security expert Phillips Payson O’Brien believes that it is becoming increasingly difficult for Washington to simultaneously support its allies in Europe, contain China, and defend its own military facilities.
The author cites the reduction of the U.S. military presence in Europe as one manifestation of this trend. The Pentagon plans to withdraw about 5,000 troops from Germany, while the Donald Trump administration insists that European countries take on greater responsibility for their own defense. Against this backdrop, Berlin is considering the possibility of cooperating with the United Kingdom in the area of nuclear deterrence.
At the same time, the U.S. is having to redeploy forces among different regions. In particular, the aircraft carrier USS George Washington left Japan last month and headed for the Arabian Sea, where it replaced the USS Abraham Lincoln. According to O’Brien’s assessment, this weakens the U.S. military presence in a region that is critical for containing China.
Changes are also taking place among U.S. allies. Pakistan, Turkey, and Saudi Arabia have formed their own defense pact, Oman is drawing closer to Iran, and South Korea is cooperating more actively with China. Riyadh, which has long relied heavily on American weapons and security guarantees, is also reevaluating its approach.
A separate challenge for Washington is military-industrial capacity. According to data cited by O’Brien, China produces about half of the world’s ships and controls about 80% of drone production. The U.S., meanwhile, has significantly fewer capabilities in civilian shipbuilding.
The war has also significantly impacted U.S. stockpiles of high-tech weapons. This includes, in particular, missiles for the THAAD and Patriot systems, as well as Tomahawk missiles. Restoring these stocks to their previous levels could take years, according to estimates.
Another challenge has been the damage to U.S. military infrastructure in the Middle East. Some facilities remain unrepaired following the Iranian strikes, and certain bases may not be rebuilt due to the high cost of repairs and ongoing threats. In particular, Admiral Daryl Codle stated that the U.S. military has no plans to return to its base in Bahrain in the near future.
O’Brien believes that the combination of these factors indicates not merely a temporary weakening of the U.S. position, but a possible structural shift in the global balance of power. In his view, to maintain American influence, Washington will have to rebuild manufacturing capacity, replenish weapons stockpiles, and strengthen the trust of its allies.
Source: The Atlantic
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