Will the US mend itself to face new challenges?

The last-minute deal between the Republicans and Democrats to avert the superpower defaulting on its debts and continuing the government shutdown raises the old argument of historian Paul Kennedy that the United States is finally entering its “imperial overstretch.”
In his voluminous 1987 book "The Rise and Fall of the Great Powers," Kennedy argued that history shows that great powers are doomed when their global aspirations and commitments outstrip their resources. That happened to Rome, Spain and Victorian Britain. The United States would not be an exception, he argued.
However, a year after the publication of his book, the political winds blew in favor of the US with the collapse of the Berlin Wall and, in effect, the end of the Cold War. That led to a barrage of studies on the triumph of liberal democracy and the market economy.
While this may be true, the issue of global burdens have to be addressed. The end of the Cold War helped reduce Washington’s defense spending that peaked in the 1960s during the Vietnam War, when it averaged 9 percent of the country’s Gross Domestic Product. It was cut to 6 percent during President Ronald Reagan's build-up to fight what he termed "the Empire of Evil."
Currently, defense spending is around 4.4 percent, which still amounts to the combined spending of 14 western countries. This is still manageable and the US is not expected to be overstretched and thus jeopardize its commitments worldwide.
While the standoff on the budget highlights how politicians manage the country’s affairs, mainly the economy, it raises other more serious questions about the direction being taken and whether the system is so dysfunctional it has started to hurt the country's national aspirations.
The Republican-Democrat standoff is not the first of its kind. Almost two decades ago, Newt Gingrich, the speaker of the House of Representatives, managed to overcome the moderate leadership of the Republican Party and forced a three-week shutdown during the first Clinton administration. The Republicans wanted the size of the government reduced and to virtually outlaw the deficit. The present Tea Party is inheriting this position, which means the standoff will be repeated in three months time. Added to this is the clear weariness of Americans in tackling seemingly endless world troubles. This has clearly started to tax the American way of life and seen a growing sense of isolationism in the country. The two terms of President George W. Bush and his wars in Afghanistan, Iraq and the continuous one on terror have had a significant political and economic impact on the lives of Americans.
There is a tendency now to focus on domestic issues, fueled by the relative supremacy of the United States after the end of the Cold War and the resurgence of domestic oil and gas supplies, which reduces Washington’s need to secure foreign energy supplies.
There is also the question of whether the system is really working. Lobby groups and vested interests are shaping the US political agenda. And with elections every two years to control Capitol Hill or the White House, the country seems unable to forge ahead with any long-term plan in any area.
This is expressed in events on the ground. For example, US students are falling behind their peers in developed countries in mathematical and technical skills. Even in terms of infrastructure, many American writers have declared that by looking at developments in certain Asian countries, the US is becoming like a Third World country.
While this is happening, the openness of the US system to welcome and accommodate foreigners wanting to achieve the American Dream will continue to infuse the country with eager young talent. It remains to be seen whether the system will mend itself to face new challenges. The world, including the Middle East, will be watching. It is still too early to write off the Americans.

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