Shimko (2017) posits that understanding American national interests is defined by circumstances that are strictly imperative in safeguarding and enhancing Americans' well-being and survival in a free and safe nation. If these conditions were to be compromised, they would impair the U.S. government's ability to defend and promote the American people's well-being in a democtratic and protected nation (Shimko, 2017).
According to Sanger and Schmitt (2021), the national interests of the United States that are at stake are geopolitics, non-proliferation in the spread of nuclear weapons and technologies, and strategic geography.
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Threats to the United States
To understand the threats facing the U.S., Shimko (2017) asserts that individuals should consider the role and position of the U.S. as a global leader, defense and promotion of international order, protection and promotion of human rights, democracy and freedom, and the preservation the division of power in Eurasia. Anything that hinders the achievement of the above vital elements is considered a threat to the United States.
Sanger and Schmitt (2021) posit that by helping Saudi Arabia with military aid and tactical advice with its war in Yemen has produced the world's largest humanitarian predicament with the U.S. being held liable in aiding and promoting war crimes – this is a threat to the U.S. interests in promoting human rights and democrac (Sanger & Schmitt, 2021) y. American bombs have been used in airstrikes in weddings, funerals, and mosques resulting in killing innocent Yemeni citizens, making it impossible for humanitarian aid to reach the country. Yemen is of geostrategic importance to the U.S. as it is positioned at the convergence point of the Gulf of Aden and the Red Sea, which is a strategic key route for oil. Route disruptions could restrict the flow of oil to Europe and the western hemisphere, rising world oil prices.
Sanger and Schmitt (2021) also state that China's growing ambitions and rising technological sophistication and Russia's aggressive actions in interfering with the U.S elections, poisoning its citizens, and increasing cyberattacks are threats to the interests of the U.S.
Tools and the Interests of the United States.
The U.S. possesses unparalleled military strength and distinguished economic and political influence. What tools to choose is informed by intelligence resulting from the collection, processing, evaluation, analysis, integration, and interpretation of data on hostile forces and foreign nations; surveillance, which involves the observation of people, surface/subsurface areas, aerospace, things by electronic, visual, or photographic means, and cyberspace; reconnaissance which is performed to obtain information about the resources and activities of an adversary, visual observation through various detection methods, and securing data concerning the geographic characterizes of an area (Shimko, 2017) . These methods are used to create awareness of the threats to the U.S. and inform the nation's ability on the appropriate tools to be used.
Sanger and Schmitt (2021) discuss the use of diplomatic alliances in protecting the interests of the U.S. The shift to diplomatic partnerships resulted from a failed war strategy used by previous administrations before President Biden's inauguration into office. Military power is also used to protect the interests of the United States. This will be achieved by President Biden's directive of not withdrawing 12000 soldiers stationed in Germany, which is the foundation of the post-World War II order.
For more than half a century, strategic diplomatic alliances have been vital in protecting the interests of the United States. Over the years, strategic diplomatic partnerships have been used as a shared approach to societal problems such as climate change, trade disputes, and security (Sanger & Schmitt, 2021) . These challenges can only be met through strong international partnerships. Military use in countries allied to the United States is strategic in discouraging hostilities and preventing destructive nationalism.
I would recommend that the U.S. employs the use of strategic diplomatic alliances in maintaining its national interests. This is because partnerships exist to advance members' collective interests by combining their abilities – finance, military, or industrial – to achieve trade, military, and political success. Diplomatic alliances have been critical in protecting the interests of the U.S. since 1941 by preventing war, controlling rivals and allies, controlling the world's military power, and enhancing international legitimacy.
References
Sanger, D., & Schmitt, E. (2021). Biden Signals Break with Trump Foreign Policy in a Wide-Ranging State Dept. Speech . New York Times. Retrieved 17 February 2021, from https://www.nytimes.com/2021/02/04/us/politics/biden-foreign-policy.html.
Shimko, K. (2017). The foreign policy puzzle: interests, threats and tools . Oxford University Press.
