America: an Empire at Risk

Is the sun setting upon the American Empire? We show a lot of the classic signs of a degenerating superpower, from crumbling infrastructure to our economic influence worldwide.

We won the cold war and weathered 9/11. But now economic weakness is endangering our global power.

“But if the United States succumbs to a fiscal crisis, as an increasing number of economic experts fear it may, then the entire balance of global economic power could shift. Military experts talk as if the president's decision about whether to send an additional 40,000 troops to Afghanistan is a make-or-break moment. In reality, his indecision about the deficit could matter much more for the country's long-term national security. Call the United States what you like—superpower, hegemon, or empire—but its ability to manage its finances is closely tied to its ability to remain the predominant global military power. Here's why:” Go to NewsWeek to read the rest.