Policemen of the World

A few countries around the world, particularly the United States and numerous other European nations, have exercised great authority and influence over others. These countries have the resources to provide aid and funds to countries in need, and they may thereby dominate and influence global politics. Following the Civil War, the United States assumed responsibility for global welfare and was so dubbed the “global policemen” (Berkin, Miller & Cherny, 2013). This newly acquired act of obligation that came with the job of addressing the affairs of other nations has resulted in increasing duties. Among these tasks is safeguarding world peace and the rule of law. America has so far played the Policemen of the world role impeccably with the top cases of their performance being the duties they performed in Afghanistan and Iraq (Berkin, Miller & Cherny, 2013). This paper will discuss some international events that have occurred in the past five years that are related to a foreign policy founded after the civil war and the consequences the US face due to its status as the “policemen of the world.”

International events involving the US military

America assumed some precautionary measures to prevent the world from future wars among them being the implementation of policies that inhibit nuclear development. Although America holds atomic power, it has forbidden other nations from developing the same (Rosita & Scott, 2010). This is a part of the strategy aimed at ensuring that America maintains its dominance over other nations. To conserve this dominating position, America has also implemented some foreign policies, such as:

Action against nations that pose a threat to global security including Iraq, Afghanistan, Korea, and Iran.

Inhibiting nuclear missiles advancing programs in other nations such as N.Korea, Syria, Iran, China, and Venezuela.

The Strategic Defense Initiative

The above examples are among the most basic, yet very effective steps that America took to secure its place as commanding global Policemen. The steps that the country took to curb bombings were essential in maintaining her integrity (Nikou, 2014). After America experienced incidents that claimed several lives, it was evident that the nation’s security was ineffective. Antiterrorism policies saw the country raise the levels of checking measures applied against immigrants. Both American citizens and non- Americans had to undergo extensive security clearances, and immigration policies were revised (Nikou, 2014).

Aspects of United States history since 1865 making it become a world superpower policeman

Before becoming the Policemen of the Globe, United States needed first to create some pulverized rules that enabled the country to implement control strategies properly. These strategies were aimed at controlling weapon production as well as the production of military equipment. There have been some international events that reflect America’s role as a world superpower (Nikou, 2014). These events include the introduction of anti-terrorism policies; the transformation of immigration policies; and the introduction of strict laws that govern the production and advancement of nuclear weapons.

From the above examples, it is clear that since the Civil War, America has always worked towards being a world superpower. It has guarded against the development of nuclear power by other countries since it is afraid that if other countries have similar capabilities as it does, there will be competition. America also understands that dominance is not circumscribed to access to nuclear power and it had to take precautions to ensure that countries with programs on weapons for mass destruction, such as Iraq and Korea, would not pose a threat to global security (Rosita & Scott, 2010).

International incidents where the US has taken the role of policing since World War II

One of the international incidences that occurred to make U.S. take the role of world police is economic interest that it has received from the around the globe. One notable and significant event is the Spanish American war where the US played an imperative role in this conflict. By the time the war was ending, the influence of United States was spread in the entire Caribbean region and Latin America where it economically supported the eradication of Spanish rule.

The civil war in Somalia is another event that made the United States assumes the role of policing in the world. The United States together with the United Nations peacekeeping forces undertook the task of maintaining peace in 1992 in Somalia during the civil war (Wolfe, 2012). The UN together with the United States formed the UNITAF (unified Task Force in 1992 in Somalia with the aim of saving lives that were being lost as a result of the conflict. The UNITAF had to use all means possible to make sure that peace returns to the troubled country.

Another notable event is when the United States strongly went after Al-Qaeda and Osama Bin Laden the main culprits of the 2001 September attacks that claimed many lives. The Taliban government which held Osama Bin Laden refused to surrender him, and this made the United States together with the United Nations forces to venture into Afghanistan deploying strong attacks as they searched for Bin Laden (Rosita & Scott, 2010). Many camps in Afghanistan were destroyed, and the Taliban government was defeated which led to a war further increasing the policing role of the United States. Another incidence is The Vietnam War where the United States was the main ally of the South Vietnam when they were fighting with North Vietnam in 1954 to 1975 (Wolfe, 2012).

For a few decades after the Second World War, the United States of America did play a key role in influencing and improving International policies like in a situation where the FBI is known to be the global Policemen. Drug Enforcement Administration together with the FBI is acknowledged for their global participation (Wolfe, 2012). They, the DEA and FBI, are well- recognized for their co-operation with the World Narcotics and departments of Drug restriction.

Several driving forces that fueled international policy decisions in the various international incidents

The driving forces that powered worldwide policy resolutions concerning the global community are Saddam Hussein attack of Kuwait, that led to the Persian Gulf War, Osama bin Laden’s al-Qaeda Network in Afghanistan and the surrounding Arab States, and the disorganized and broken Iraq after the invasion that the remains of al-Qaeda and Iraqi insurgents starting ISIS, a “JV Team.” (Solomon, 2011). Following the invasion of Kuwait by Saddam Hussein’s military forces into Kuwait stating that the Kuwaiti government was siphoning crude oil from the oil fields. The policing action lasted 42 days with the Iraqi forces being defeated, surrendered, or retreated. It wasn’t until the 2001 World Trade Center attack, Americans did not know about Afghanistan other than it was Russia’s Vietnam. Only a handful of people knew who Osama bin Laden was, the barracks bombings, embassies, USS Cole bombing, were small items until the Sept 11 (Solomon, 2011). The immediate response to Afghanistan after the attacks fueled spiritism in America and at the time people believe in America. This action led to a two-war front with the Afghanistan War and the Iraqi Invasion and occupation. With al-Qaeda no longer a threat, a new threat emerges from al-Qaeda and other factions, creating ISIS. This next stateless army has craved part of Iraqi and Syria to create a state of anarchy, genocide, and religious killings in the name of God, or in this case, a jihad. This terrorist network has carried out attacks in Paris and California, which are the most recent ones to date. This new threat is highly trained, some of them are trained by our forces during the buildup of the Iraqi military, and with extremist from around the world that are willing to do in the name of jihad.

Conclusion

Ever since the world war concluded, other Nations have escalated their efforts to rule the world as superpowers and the world’s policemen. Even though, the United States of America has since secured this rank for a good period. And furthermore, the United stated of America has been perceived by the people as being in the front-runner. The USA policies and measures have managed to shape up several developments externally as well as internally around the globe, which has therefore led to prosperity the USA.

References

Berkin, C., Miller, C., Cherny, R., (2013).Making America: A History of the United States, Volume 1: To 1877, Cengage Learning; 6 edition. Retrieved from http://www.amazon.com/Making-America-History-United-States/dp/1133943276

Nikou, S. (2014).The United States Institute of Peace: Timeline of Iran’s Foreign Relation. Retrieved from http://iranprimer.usip.org/resource/timeline-irans-foreign-relations

Rosita, J., & Scott, J. (2010). Cengage Advantage Books: The Politics of United States Foreign Policy. Cengage Learning. Retrieved from http://books.google.com/books? id=SQjN0TpG7tAC&printsec=frontcover

Solomon, K. L. (2011). Assessment of the Potential Operational Consequences of Russia Joining NATO. Army Command and General Staff Coll Fort Leavenworth Ks School of Advanced Military Studies. Retrieved from http://oai.dtic.mil/oai/oai? verb=getRecord&metadataPrefix=html&identifier=ADA557889

Wolfe, A. J. (2012). Competing with the Soviets: Science, Technology, and the State in Cold War America. JHU Press. Retrieved from http://books.google.co.uk/books? id=KPz_8P6G_3MC&printsec=frontcover