America - No Longer the Rebuilding Father - by Dr. Babak Shafiee

 

Source: Guardian

America - No Longer the Rebuilding Father

Dr. Babak Shafiee

PhD in Geopolitics, Kharazmi University, Tehran, Iran

The world today is witnessing the decline of the United States’ role as the “rebuilding father” that once lifted Japan and Germany from the ashes of World War II to economic heights. The Marshall Plan established America as the architect of the liberal order, but now the country has shifted from reconstruction to confrontation and suppression of rivals. This shift is evident in its policies toward Afghanistan, Israel, Turkey, and Qatar, which it may abandon in the future, much like Britain, the former superpower, abandoned Australia and Singapore after World War II.

In its heyday, Britain, as a superpower, lost its empire after World War II due to economic and military exhaustion. The fall of Singapore in 1942 to Japan and the abandonment of Australia, which turned to America, marked Britain’s decline. Today, America shows similar signs. In Afghanistan, the chaotic 2021 withdrawal, after two decades of investment, left the country to the Taliban, proving America no longer has the capacity or will for rebuilding. The U.S. Department of Defense, once a guardian of global order, has become a “ministry of war,” employing coercive tools.

This trend may extend to Israel, Turkey, and Qatar. Israel, receiving billions in annual U.S. military aid, could face reduced support. If America, like Britain in the past, reallocates resources due to strategic fatigue or a focus on the Indo-Pacific (e.g., the AUKUS pact), Israel, heavily reliant on Washington, would be vulnerable. Turkey, despite NATO membership, has distanced itself from the U.S. with regional ambitions and Russian arms purchases. If Washington reduces support, Ankara may lean toward Russia or China. Qatar, despite hosting Al Udeid Air Base and mediating in the Middle East, could also be sidelined in America’s strategic priorities, especially if Washington shifts focus to East Asia. These relationships, centered on U.S. interests, lack the spirit of reconstruction.

These signs point to the decline of America’s rebuilding role. Yet, some argue that with a $20 trillion economy, an $800 billion defense budget, and technological superiority, America will remain a superpower for the next 50 years. However, strategic fatigue, internal polarization, and the rise of rivals like China, which fills the void with initiatives like the Belt and Road, have weakened this role. Just as Britain abandoned Australia and Singapore, America may first abandon Afghanistan, then Israel, Turkey, and Qatar due to shifting priorities.

The world is in transition. America, though powerful, is no longer the rebuilding father. Its superpower status rests on confrontation, not cooperation. For Israel, Turkey, Qatar, and others, this reality demands new strategies. The future of these shifts will shape the global order.