But there is more
to the claims of a coalition than PR bluff. The US elite's
efforts not to be seen to be going it alone on the international
stage, instead clinging on to a questionable coalition, reveal
a deeper sense of uncertainty within modern America.
In the run-up to the war, the Bush administration appeared
desperate to avoid doing its own thing in Iraq. Behind their
bellicose rhetoric, US leaders seem ever-more cautious about
launching firm unilateral action in international affairs.
So having failed to get UN agreement for the war in Iraq,
Bush officials now seem to be taking comfort in a bogus coalition,
claiming to be one nation among 46 rather than anything like
an imperialist power taking selfish action against a weakened
state.
This coalition-talk over Iraq points to America's uncertainty
about asserting itself and engaging its power around the world.
Consider a subtle but striking shift that has taken place
in US political circles in recent months. Officials have moved
away from talking about 'American power' on the world stage,
to 'American primacy'. As the Financial Times reports, across
US departments the word 'primacy' is taking the place of the
word 'power', which is now seen as old-school and imperialistic.
The different meaning of these two words captures something
of America's view of itself. Where power is 'strength or force
exerted or capable of being exerted', 'the ability or capacity
to perform or act effectively', primacy is simply 'the state
of being first or foremost'. Where discussions of 'American
power' suggested some knowledge of what America stood for
and support for the assertion of its interests, the new-fangled
focus on primacy is far more passive, almost suggesting that
America is the boss by default rather than desire. Primacy,
the state of being foremost, implies that America doesn't
really know what it represents in the modern world - it just
knows that it's at the top of the pile.
It is this elite crisis that drives America to make the nonsense
coalition 'its No.1 talking point' over Iraq - not because
it has any newfound respect for Poland, Bulgaria, Nicaragua
(yes, that's also on the list) or anywhere else, but because
it is uncertain of itself and its own mission. Condoleezza
Rice talks about the coalition having a combined population
of 1.23 billion people because the isolated US elite is defensive
about acting alone. Colin Powell says America is just 'a nation'
among 46 because the US elite is uncertain of its unipolar
position as the nation that dominates the world.
The 'coalition of the willing' is a comfort blanket for a
US elite that appears increasingly unwilling to take decisive
action on its own.
Submitted by, Joseph
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