Understanding the International Influence of the USA
Explore the extensive international influence of the USA, focusing on its role in global organizations, relationships with other world powers, economic and military impact, membership in international bodies, involvement in recent conflicts, and diplomatic relations. Learn about the significance of the USA's power and influence globally and how to analyze and evaluate its impact on international relations.
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The International influence of the USA
What will I learn? To describe the international influence the USA has To identify the international organisations that the USA is a member of To examine the relationships the US has with other world powers
Success Criteria Describe the international influence the USA has Identify the international organisations that the USA is a member of Examine the relationships the US has with other world powers
International Influence of the USA The USA is regarded as being the most powerful country in the world It is huge geographically, has a large population, a powerful military and a strong economy This means that the US has significant influence internationally
In the exam If this topic comes up in the exam the range of questions you can be asked are fairly limited. The next slide has a few possibilities of questions you might get
In the exam To what extent does a world power you have studied have influence in international relations? 20 marks Analyse the role a world power you have studied has in international relations. 12 marks Evaluate the influence the world power you have studied has in international relations. 12 marks To what extent does a world power you have studied cooperate with other world powers? 20 marks
We will look at 1. Economic influence of the USA 2. Military influence of the USA 3. US membership of international organisations 4. US Involvement in recent conflicts 5. US relations with other countries
Research It is crucial that you carry out your own research to find out up-to-date examples of US international influence Think about what will help you with essays HARD FACTS names, dates etc. ANALYSIS - find out about different views, the relative significance of issues etc. EVALUATION - come to conclusions about the extent of the US s influence
Economic Influence of the USA
Economic Influence GDP the US has the highest GDP (Gross Domestic Product) in the world This is a measure of economic output USA s GDP is $16.2 trillion http://www.bbc.co.uk/ news/business- 13200758 - GDP clip
Economic Influence The US has an abundance of natural resources, a well developed infrastructure and high productivity The USA is the 3rd largest producer of oil and the largest natural gas producer It is the second largest trading nation in the world behind China It is the world s largest manufacturer Of the world s 500 largest companies, 132 are headquartered in the USA The New York Stock Exchange is by far the largest in the world
Economic Influence Many of the world s biggest companies are American, including: Exxon Mobil, Wal-Mart, Chevron, Ford, General Motors, Hewlett- Packard, Apple, Microsoft etc.
Economic Influence Analysis The economic might of the USA gives it tremendous influence internationally. Many of the world s biggest companies are American or are based there. The economy of virtually every other country in the world is affected by the US economy.
Economic Stagnation (lack of growth) However, the US economy is currently embroiled in the economic downturn which followed the financial crisis of 2007 08, with output still below potential. GDP fell by 5.0% from the spring of 2008 to the spring of 2009. Household incomes have stagnated and in 2015 unemployment stood at 5.1%. Households living on less than $2 per day before government benefits, doubled from 1996 levels to 1.5 million households in 2011, including 2.8 million children. The wealthiest 10% of the population possess 80% of all financial assets. Total public and private debt was $50.2 trillion at the end of the first quarter of 2010, or 3.5 times GDP.
Economic Stagnation List of countries by debt:
Economic Stagnation The US is close to losing its status as the world s largest economy, and may fall behind China within a few years. The US has been the world s largest economy since overtaking the UK in 1872. Many economists previously thought that China would leapfrog the USA in 2019.
Trump Turnaround? Since Donald Trump assumed office in 2017, the US economy has been improving In the third quarter of 2017 the US economy grew by 3.6% The US stock market is trading well with share prices rising, helped by Republican tax cuts As of December 2017, unemployment is at 4.1% and is projected to fall as low as 3.9% in the coming months (the best figure since 2001) However, wages have not grown much under the current administration suggesting that ordinary Americans are not benefiting and also the US trade deficit is increasing (this means the US is importing more than it is exporting)
Economic Stagnation Analysis Arguably the US s economic influence has weakened as a result of the economic downturn. In addition, it is in danger of being leapfrogged by China as the world s biggest economy. However, the US economic outlook has improved somewhat since the beginning of the Trump administration with the economy growing and unemployment on the slide. In saying this, perhaps major companies are benefitting more than ordinary Americans.
Military Influence of the USA
Military Influence The USA has the most powerful military in the world In addition to having nuclear weapons, it has a combination of manpower, resources, sophisticated weapons, financial muscle, land, air and naval power and a strong infrastructure The US spends a huge amount on its military (see the table on the right) This puts the US in a commanding position internationally The US is the founding and most influential member of NATO, the world s biggest military alliance. Essentially NATO actions are always in the interests if the US. Defence spending in US Dollars 2013 ($)
Military Influence Currently, the US has over 7,000 nuclear warheads, more than any other country (Russia is second) This is much reduced from the 1960s In 2010, Barack Obama signed a treaty with Russian President Medvedev to reduce nuclear arsenals further However, The Obama Administration, in its release of the 2012 defence budget, included plans to modernise and maintain the nation s nuclear weapons arsenal
Military Influence The USA has military bases around the world, including bases in the following countries: South Korea Afghanistan Australia Bahrain Brazil Cuba Greece Spain United Arab Emirates Bulgaria Germany Israel Italy Japan Kosovo Kuwait UK US air base in Germany
US intervention abroad since the 1990s 1991 - Gulf War (Kuwait, Iraq) 1990s UN humanitarian relief in Somalia, US helicopters shot down ( Black Hawk Down ) 1994-95 Haiti 1995 Bosnian Serb Conflict 1998 cruise missile strikes on Afghanistan and Sudan 1996 CIA sponsored failed coup in Iraq to depose Saddam Hussein 1999 NATO bombing of Yugoslavia 2001 response to 9/11 attacks bomb targets in Afghanistan 2003 invasion of Iraq 2011-present US drone attacks on terrorist targets in Pakistan and Yemen 2011 provided air power in Libyan Civil War Present involvement in Colombia and other Latin American countries
Military Influence Analysis The US is the world s biggest military force. It is arguably the only military superpower in the world and this gives it huge influence internationally. The US has military and strategic interests all over the world and its huge nuclear arsenal also cements its dominance. It also dominates NATO, the world s biggest military alliance. US air base in Germany
Lack of influence? The US has attempted, along with the UK and other world powers, to prevent other countries from developing nuclear weapons. The U.S. government has officially taken a silent policy towards the nuclear weapons ambitions of Israel, but is vocally against proliferation of nuclear weapons by Iran and North Korea. It may be the case that the US have failed to prevent Iran and North Korea from becoming nuclear powers. Even if these countries do not have nuclear capabilities at the moment, some commentators say that it is likely that they will have soon. The rise in military prominence over other world powers, notably China and Russia, also threaten the United States dominance.
Lack of influence? Analysis Although still currently the world s most powerful force militarily, its status as the world s only superpower is under threat from other world powers, particularly China. The US s inability to prevent so-called rogue nations like North Korea becoming nuclear powers underlines that the US does not always get its own way. In addition, the international credibility of the US has suffered following military action in Iraq, Afghanistan and its involvement in the Arab-Israeli conflict (see later slides)
Task To what extent is the USA the most influential military power in the world? Write two HARD FACTS to support this statement Write two HARD FACTS to oppose this statement Write a mini-conclusion for the question above.
Membership of International Organisations
The United Nations (UN) ( and its specialised agencies) The USA is a member of the UN and a permanent member of the UN Security Council The UN was created with the hope of creating global peace and stability Since 1948, the UN has attempted to end conflicts and create stability through peacekeeping operations in many countries, including Cambodia, El Salvador, Guatemala, Mozambique, Namibia and Tajikistan. At times, the UN has been unable to resolve conflicts and has also been ignored by the USA and other major powers The US is also involved with UN Specialised Agencies, including: The World Health Organisation (WHO), The Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO), UNICEF and UNESCO
The US and the UN When the UN was created in 1945, there were a number of global powerhouses which exerted influence Recently, the US has become the undisputed world superpower and so conflict between the US and other UN member states has increased The US has at times flexed its economic muscle by effectively refusing to pay its dues to the UN because the UN refused to agree with its wishes The US currently owes millions of dollars to the UN
The UN Security Council Permanent members China, France, Russia, the UK and the USA Members of the Council vote to decide on potential action The permanent members each have the power to veto proposed UN action This is a group of 15 countries, 5 permanent and 10 non-permanent The primary role is to maintain global peace and security Generally the Security Council will try to resolve conflicts peacefully but it may also impose sanctions or use force http://www.un.org/depts/dhl/r esguide/scact_veto_en.shtml - veto list
The North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) Formed in 1949, NATO is a security alliance of 28 countries from North America and Europe. NATO's aim is to safeguard the freedom and security of its members by political and military means. It creates a situation whereby the security of North America and Europe are linked. NATO is essentially the most formidable military force in history as it includes powerful countries such as the USA and the UK which have strong armed forces and nuclear weapons. NATO has intervened in numerous global conflicts since the 1990s, including the conflicts in Bosnia (1992-2004), Serbia and Kosovo (1999) and Afghanistan (2001-present). It has been criticised by some who see it as being too powerful and dominated by the USA.
The Group of 7 (G7) (Formerly G8) http://www.bbc.co.uk/newsround/22937970 - clip The G7 is a group of seven of the most powerful countries in the world. Its aim is to try to tackle global problems by discussing big issues and planning what action to take. The leaders of the countries meet every year in a different member country (called a G7 summit). Made up of leaders from Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the UK and the USA. The leaders of these countries take it in turns to be president of the G7, with the leader of the host country acting as the president that year. In 2013 David Cameron was president of the G8 and the G8 summit was held in Northern Ireland In 2014, the G8 summit was suspended as a result of the Crimean Crisis and Russia has since been excluded from the G8 The remaining 7 countries, the G7, met most recently in May 2017 in Italy
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank The International Monetary Fund and the World Bank were both created in 1944. They are organisations which are connected to the UN The goal of these organisations is to encourage economic cooperation and development that would lead to a more stable and prosperous global economy. Essentially these organisations exist to ease the financial burdens of their members and to tackle poverty and create economic stability The US is an influential member of both organisations and the HQs of both are in Washington, D.C.
Membership of International Organisations Analysis The fact that the US is an influential member of the UN, NATO, the G8 and other international organisations underlines its global influence. NATO is the most influential military alliance in the world and is dominated by the USA. Although in theory the US could be limited by other countries within the UN, the fact that it is able to veto actions also shows its power. Furthermore, when the UN rules against the US (as it did in relation to the Iraq War) the US has enough power and influence to ignore its wishes. In a military sense, the US acts with impunity. In addition, the headquarters of the UN and IMF are in the US.
Membership of International Organisations Analysis However, it could be argued that if the US continues to ignore the UN and other organisations in pursuit of its own agenda then its influence may in the future may deteriorate and it may become more embroiled in conflict. In addition, it is not the only permanent member of the UN Security Council. Other members such as the UK and Russia can also exert huge influence internationally through the UN.
US Involvement in International Conflict
The Iraq War The US went to war in Iraq in 2003, without approval from the UN Security Council In this sense it has been regarded as an illegal war 9 votes from security council members would have been required for the war to be sanctioned by the UN only four countries the USA, UK, Spain and Bulgaria indicated they would support intervention The French foreign minister stated that: We think that military intervention would be the worst possible solution Russia s view: Russia deems that there is no evidence that would justify a war in Iraq
The Iraq War Analysis - The Iraq War is perhaps the best recent example which highlights the USA s SUPERPOWER status. In spite of huge international opposition, the US invaded Iraq anyway and stayed there for over a decade, leading to hundreds of thousand of civilian deaths. Although the reason President Bush gave for the conflict was the believed existence of weapons of mass destruction (WMDs), others argue that the real reason was because of US oil interests in the region which would be crucial to the nation s sustainability. The US also ignored the UN in relation to the invasion.
The Crimean Crisis The US has condemned the Russian involvement in the 2014 Crimean Crisis Crimea is an area of the Ukraine which recently broke away to join Russia following weeks of unrest and a heavily criticised referendum Former President Obama and former US Secretary of State John Kerry claimed that the referendum was illegal and did not recognise Crimea as being part of Russia The UN has also condemned Russian involvement in the crisis The US and other countries have imposed sanctions on Russia following the crisis Analysis US imposed sanctions have hurt Russia financially which show the US s influence. However, the US is reluctant to engage militarily in this region in case the situation escalates. This show that US power is limited.
Drone Strikes The US has in recent years used unmanned aerial vehicles (drones) to attack targets in Pakistan and other countries Targets are Taliban and al-Qaeda militants Strikes have been successful in neutralising some militants
Drone Strikes in Pakistan Hugely controversial due to civilian casualties Condemned by Pakistani government and civilians 286-890 civilians have been killed since 2004, 168-197 of them children Amnesty International has found that many victims were unarmed and so the strikes could be classified as war crimes The UN has also expressed concern Analysis The fact that the US is able to launch drone strikes on foreign soil in pursuit of its own interests highlights its influence and power. However, it is coming under increasing pressure to end these strikes because of the loss of innocent lives.
The US and the Middle East The USA is very much involved in the Arab-Israeli conflict. In basic terms, the US backs Israel although it has in recent years sought to bring about peace in the region. However, Israelis and Palestinians continue to fight. In July-August 2014, hostilities heightened and over 2000 Palestinians were killed (according to UN figures) following an Israeli offensive in the Gaza Strip. Around 70 Israelis were also killed. Although Obama condemned the violence and eventually helped to bring about a ceasefire, the US defended Israel s right to defend itself against rocket attacks from Palestinian militants.
The US and the Middle East Since Donald Trump has assumed office, the US has hardened its view of Palestine and solidified its support for Israel He recently decided that the US would recognise Jerusalem as the capital of Israel instead of Tel Aviv, angering Palestinians and heightening tensions in the region.
The US and the Middle East The US has given billions of dollars worth of aid to Israel since the 1980s. In addition to financial and military aid, the United States also provides political support to Israel, having used its United Nations Security Council veto power 42 times with respect to resolutions relating to Israel, out of a total 83 times in which its veto has ever been used. In most of these cases, the US has been the only state to veto and has done so in defence of Israel. The US has vetoed resolutions which condemn Israeli aggression in the region. For example, in 2011, the US vetoed a resolution condemning Israeli settlements in Palestinian territory.
The US and the Middle East Relations have evolved from an initial US policy of sympathy and support for the creation of a Jewish homeland after WW2 to an unusual partnership that links a small but militarily powerful Israel, dependent on the United States for its economic and military strength, with the American superpower trying to balance other competing interests in the region. Others maintain that Israel is a strategic ally, and that US relations with Israel strengthen the US presence in the Middle East. The US defence of Israel in spite of sympathy for Palestine from other countries around the world emphasises its international influence.
The US and the Middle East Analysis The US has shown its influence by supporting the state of Israel consistently since the 1940s. In spite of the fact that it is a Jewish country surrounded by Arab nations, Israel continues to prosper, largely as a result of US backing. However, many other countries have condemned recent Israeli action against Palestinians and so it could be that in the future the US may find itself increasingly isolated in its support for Israel.
US relations with other countries
