USA: Leadership at Risk?

The United States is at a critical point in its history; it is losing its privileged place in the world.

It has exercised economic and political dominance on the global scene since the post-war period, helped in the rebuilding of Europe and, with its growing economy, supported development in much of the world; however, the U.S. model of democracy, once considered to be an example for the globe, is going through a bad stretch.

Excessive polarization and division have caused its loss in leadership, unity and authority. Implausible scenes such as the attempted takeover of Congress in January 2021 leave the United States without superior authority for making demands of some countries — as it does — for democracy.

It is staggering to see the fights in Congress over the election of the speaker of the House or over support of the administration’s foreign policy. In the case of Ukraine, Joe Biden wasn’t given the support for economic aid he had hoped for, even though it is known that if Russia wins the war, with the triumph of this historical enemy, Europe’s stability would be placed at risk.

In terms of domestic politics and in light of next year’s presidential election, the unthinkable is happening in the United States: A former president is under investigation, being questioned, and yet is handily winning the candidacy of his party. If Donald Trump is not convicted, he will be the Republican candidate. If the country isn’t careful, he will be president again.

The paradox is that the U.S. would be the first to criticize and impose sanctions if, anywhere in the world, a candidate under serious investigation and the potential for conviction were the nominee.