Second Chance: Three Presidents and the Crisis of American Superpower
Encyclopedia
Zbigniew Brzezinski
was President Carter's
National Security advisor and
remains a scholar of American foreign policy as a professor at
the School of Advanced International Studies at Johns Hopkins University
.
In Second Chance, Dr. Brzezinski writes about the last 15 years of American foreign policy
where the U.S., emerging as the "victor" in the Cold War, has been the
lone "superpower." He writes about how the last three presidents, George H. W. Bush
, Bill Clinton
, and George W. Bush
, have demonstrated leadership
and wielded power in the last decade and a half as the leader of a
virtually unchallenged world power.
Brzezinski sets the book up by giving his history of the Cold War, and
how it was a combination of presidents, not just Ronald Reagan
, and
international events that lead to the demise of the Soviet system. He
describes the two emerging views of the world as the "Globalization
" view
and the "Neoconservative" view. In each of the next three chapters, he
describes the president, his foreign policy team, and the events and
people which shaped that president's foreign policy. He focuses on three
main factors, the "Atlantic Alliance," nuclear non-proliferation, and the
Israeli/Palestinian conflict, but discusses other foreign policy issues
(e.g. the environment, emerging South American nationalism, and the rise
of China and India).
In the middle three chapters, "The Original Sin" (Bush I), "The Impotence of Good
Intentions" (Clinton), and "Catastrophic Leadership" (Bush II), he compares
the presidents and the decisions made or not made by their foreign policy
teams. He is equally critical of Bush I and Clinton and rates them nearly
the same, but with different strengths and weaknesses. He is harshest on
the Bush II administration, particularly with regard to its treatment of
the Atlantic Alliance, the Middle East, and the environment.
In the chapter titled "After 2008," Dr. Brzezinski suggests the next president must strengthen
the Atlantic Alliance; reform lobbying; demonstrate leadership in the Middle
East, particularly with regard to Israel/Palestine; foster consensus on
the environment; and formulate a better strategy with regard to the emergence
of China both as a world power and a force in the Middle East. He warns
that America will have a second chance after 2008, but there definitely
won't be a third chance.
Zbigniew Brzezinski
Zbigniew Kazimierz Brzezinski is a Polish American political scientist, geostrategist, and statesman who served as United States National Security Advisor to President Jimmy Carter from 1977 to 1981....
was President Carter's
Jimmy Carter
James Earl "Jimmy" Carter, Jr. is an American politician who served as the 39th President of the United States and was the recipient of the 2002 Nobel Peace Prize, the only U.S. President to have received the Prize after leaving office...
National Security advisor and
remains a scholar of American foreign policy as a professor at
the School of Advanced International Studies at Johns Hopkins University
Johns Hopkins University
The Johns Hopkins University, commonly referred to as Johns Hopkins, JHU, or simply Hopkins, is a private research university based in Baltimore, Maryland, United States...
.
In Second Chance, Dr. Brzezinski writes about the last 15 years of American foreign policy
where the U.S., emerging as the "victor" in the Cold War, has been the
lone "superpower." He writes about how the last three presidents, George H. W. Bush
George H. W. Bush
George Herbert Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 41st President of the United States . He had previously served as the 43rd Vice President of the United States , a congressman, an ambassador, and Director of Central Intelligence.Bush was born in Milton, Massachusetts, to...
, Bill Clinton
Bill Clinton
William Jefferson "Bill" Clinton is an American politician who served as the 42nd President of the United States from 1993 to 2001. Inaugurated at age 46, he was the third-youngest president. He took office at the end of the Cold War, and was the first president of the baby boomer generation...
, and George W. Bush
George W. Bush
George Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....
, have demonstrated leadership
and wielded power in the last decade and a half as the leader of a
virtually unchallenged world power.
Brzezinski sets the book up by giving his history of the Cold War, and
how it was a combination of presidents, not just Ronald Reagan
Ronald Reagan
Ronald Wilson Reagan was the 40th President of the United States , the 33rd Governor of California and, prior to that, a radio, film and television actor....
, and
international events that lead to the demise of the Soviet system. He
describes the two emerging views of the world as the "Globalization
Globalization
Globalization refers to the increasingly global relationships of culture, people and economic activity. Most often, it refers to economics: the global distribution of the production of goods and services, through reduction of barriers to international trade such as tariffs, export fees, and import...
" view
and the "Neoconservative" view. In each of the next three chapters, he
describes the president, his foreign policy team, and the events and
people which shaped that president's foreign policy. He focuses on three
main factors, the "Atlantic Alliance," nuclear non-proliferation, and the
Israeli/Palestinian conflict, but discusses other foreign policy issues
(e.g. the environment, emerging South American nationalism, and the rise
of China and India).
In the middle three chapters, "The Original Sin" (Bush I), "The Impotence of Good
Intentions" (Clinton), and "Catastrophic Leadership" (Bush II), he compares
the presidents and the decisions made or not made by their foreign policy
teams. He is equally critical of Bush I and Clinton and rates them nearly
the same, but with different strengths and weaknesses. He is harshest on
the Bush II administration, particularly with regard to its treatment of
the Atlantic Alliance, the Middle East, and the environment.
In the chapter titled "After 2008," Dr. Brzezinski suggests the next president must strengthen
the Atlantic Alliance; reform lobbying; demonstrate leadership in the Middle
East, particularly with regard to Israel/Palestine; foster consensus on
the environment; and formulate a better strategy with regard to the emergence
of China both as a world power and a force in the Middle East. He warns
that America will have a second chance after 2008, but there definitely
won't be a third chance.