It is a riddle generally acknowledged that after the end of the Cold War, the world shifted towards multipolarity. However, after the end of the Cold War, the US emerged as a unipolar state across the world. These forms, including unipolarity, bipolarity, and multipolarity, have been a kind of riddle in this age. But beyond these forms, kleptocracy exists in power domains, no matter whether bipolar or multipolar. Similarly, Trump is one of those kleptocratic leaders who gave a new shape to the foreign policy of the US which, according to analysts, is only in the interest of the Trump administration, as Trump's family members are also part of the administration, including his son, son-in-law, and close friends. This gives a new form to the foreign policy of the US, as the US, under the Trump administration, goes where it is attracted — attracted by geography, oil, political leaders, and other developing countries.
Conflict with Iran and Unipolarity
Furthermore, his conflict with Iran is clearly pointing out the presence of United States unipolarity in the world, as after Russia and China, Iran remains an aggressive threat to US–Israeli dominance. Trump several times said, “If the US had not attacked Iran, Iran may have attacked them,” justifying its attack as a valid reason to attack another state by crossing many borders and seas. This is how a unipolar state gives evidence of being unipolar and being above all in terms of power and influence. In fact, unipolarity remains a riddle which, for both developing and under-developed states, remains an appalling question for their survival. Even China, a rising power of the coming decades, faces bounds under this unipolarity.
The Unresolved Riddle of Polarity
Moreover, the riddle of unipolarity, bipolarity, and multipolarity is not yet properly defined by many analysts: some say the world is bipolar; most say, no, it is multipolar and does not remain in the hands of a single unipolar authority like the US. All these assumptions can be judged through various domains, including the economic sphere, political sway, and power influence, which remain equally indispensable for every state in the world. No doubt, China is a rising power, but still it may take decades or so to compete with the US, a largely acknowledged powerful state of the world. Whereas Russia is also far from the United States in terms of technology and political sway. For instance, the United States largely shares its political dominance across the world. The United States not only has political influence across the world, but it also possesses air bases across the world, while Russia and China are stripped of the same privilege. So, God forbid, if war erupts, the United States is always ready to send its troops where needed.
US Bases and Political Influence
The US bases across the world point out that unipolarity is not the name of a single state possessing its military influence across the world; rather, it is the power influence of a state that decides its future not in wars alone, but also in political domains across the world. Still, the United States decides what to do and what not to do. According to some analysts, it will not matter to the US if the European Union leaves it, for the US has already strengthened its power through transactional approaches. However, the European Union's struggles are not only about being such a power free from the influence of the US, but it also wants transactional approaches with other nations, which may benefit its economy, as Trump's administration is less about the interest of its alliances and is more about gaining money, which may benefit Trump once he leaves office. In his second term, he heavily affected the foreign policy of the United States. Waging wars, however, is not in the interest of the US. But behind these wars, for Trump, there are opportunities to extract benefits from across borders.
Sadam Hussain
The writer is a freelance columnist.
