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Introduction

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  16 December 2021

Thomas H. Henriksen
Affiliation:
Hoover Institution on War, Revolution and Peace, California
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Summary

The Introduction sets the stage for the book by explaining the impact of Soviet Union’s collapse in 1991 had on America’s role in the world. Without the perils posed by the USSR, the United States behaved as a liberal hegemon with little constraint. Inspired by Wilsonian idealism and its own post–World War II success, America tried to make the world a better place by militarily invading in a host of nations beset with civil wars, ethnic cleansing, brutal dictators, or devastating humanitarian conditions. It installed democracy and promoted human rights by force of arms for peace and US security interests. So, interventions, regimes, and insurgencies characterized the post–Cold War era. The 9/11 terrorism led America into large-scale incursions and occupations to secure its safety from further assaults by al Qaeda in Afghanistan and from phantom nuclear arms in Iraq. One difference between Cold War era and its immediate aftermath stemmed from the means used by Washington to rid itself of pesky dictators. Before the Berlin Wall disappeared the United States did not want to face a direct confrontation with a nuclear armed Soviet Union. So it turned to the CIA to remove anti-American strongmen in Iran, Guatemala, and Chile with covert operations. When CIA efforts failed to oust dictators after Soviet disappearance, Washington turned to military invasions.

Type
Chapter
Information
America's Wars
Interventions, Regime Change, and Insurgencies after the Cold War
, pp. 1 - 14
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2022

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  • Introduction
  • Thomas H. Henriksen, Hoover Institution on War, Revolution and Peace, California
  • Book: America's Wars
  • Online publication: 16 December 2021
  • Chapter DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/9781009053242.001
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  • Introduction
  • Thomas H. Henriksen, Hoover Institution on War, Revolution and Peace, California
  • Book: America's Wars
  • Online publication: 16 December 2021
  • Chapter DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/9781009053242.001
Available formats
×

Save book to Google Drive

To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Google Drive.

  • Introduction
  • Thomas H. Henriksen, Hoover Institution on War, Revolution and Peace, California
  • Book: America's Wars
  • Online publication: 16 December 2021
  • Chapter DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/9781009053242.001
Available formats
×