Robert Gates: Is Anyone Still Afraid of the United States? | The Foreign Affairs Interview

Foreign Affairs invites you to listen to its podcast, the Foreign Affairs Interview. This episode with Robert Gates was originally published on February 8, 2024.
Last fall, former U.S. Secretary of Defense Bob Gates took to the pages of Foreign Affairs to issue a warning: with America facing the most dangerous geopolitical landscape in decades, dysfunction in Washington threatened to turn that danger into disaster.
Today, Russia and China are testing the international order. Iranian proxies are attacking U.S. forces on a daily basis. And, as Gates writes, “at the very moment that events demand a strong and coherent response, America cannot provide one.”
Gates worries that such dysfunction at home could prompt America’s foes to make risky bets-with catastrophic consequences for both the country and the world.
Sources:
“The Dysfunctional Superpower” by Robert M. Gates
www.foreignaffairs.com/united...
“A New Strategy Can Save Ukraine” by Stephen J. Hadley and Matthew Kroenig
www.wsj.com/articles/a-new-st...
“The Overmilitarization of American Foreign Policy” by Robert M. Gates
www.foreignaffairs.com/articl...
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[@markb8468]

Totally agree with this man. Why would anyone trust the US after the lack of resolve we have demonstrated in Ukraine? This is a failure of foreign policy on a generational scale.

[@GoldNugget138]

The correct word is, "RESPECT". Does anyone or country respect the USA anymore! The answer is NO! Respect is earned and not forced upon another person or country.

[@user-kg4fr9jr7v]

If every four years you have U-turn in international policy how it is possible to count on you? Who knows maybe by next winter Putin will have been your next best friend

[@retrospectivestudios]

It would have been interesting to hear Dan push Gates more about his own contributions to the current state of play. There's been a lot of water under the bridge since 2006-2011, but it's not ancient history either. Gates' accomplishments are commendable, but even the title of his article suggests a belief that US foreign policy was more "coherent" when he was involved, which is certainly debatable.

[@jennyfromtheblock.7153]

Good discussion, depressing but informative. I wish we could get ourselves together. We’re looking bad on the world stage and l see nothing better coming anytime soon.

[@alacazaba]

Sanguine points, Mr Gates. You were point man on a lot of the nation's efforts during the Far Occident Wars (Iraq, Afghanistan, GWOT), an unique time, where the unipolar peace we expected was promptly disrupted by far flung, fragile agitations that found a way to be suddenly effective. Despite the popular narrative that our efforts to stamp out what we considered coalescing threats were largely a failure, it would be great to hear someone address the nature of the American response and how that may have negatively affected or ameliorated our geopolitical situation currently. I believe it generally aided things in our favour, though perhaps our strategy became a bit hollow and our geopolitical disposition was in need of some reform by 2007/2008 (changes in the financial world, Russian aggression, growing power of Iraqi militia issue) and this was the case certainly by the era of the Arab Spring in 2013/2014. Cheers.

[@mvs9122]

US needs to get the memo, empire time is over. The idea that other countries should afraid of US is absurd.

[@alacazaba]

@@mvs9122 you're late to the party, the US told Britain and france, and the rest of Europe that they couldn't keep their empires, and it told as much to the Soviet Union as well. The Soviets didn't listen, and it looks like the Russians aren't going to listen either. It will end far worse for the Russians than the Soviets, however. Bring tissues for that fall, it's going to be a real tear jerker.

[@douglassauvageau7262]

I speculate that Secretary Gates plays a brilliant game of chess. I especially appreciate his capacity to speak in coherent / pedestrian terms I can understand.

[@mvs9122]

Why does US feels should be afraid of it. If china adopts the same policy towards its neighbors or the world, how would we like it. The era of empires are over.

[@jacobgordon7998]

Tell that to expansionist Russia, presently waging a war of aggression against Ukraine while pursuing imperialist ambitions.

[@JonathanACarr]

Is that the goal? Fear? Is that the only form of leadership that we have? It would make it easier to win without fighting if we also strengthened our efforts to lift everyone's material resources and strengthened our cultural leadership. His solution for Iran is regime change? Oy! The old Cold Warriors never learn.

[@coachtaewherbalife8817]

Our goal should be to offer an economic deal that benefits the country better than what they get by not cooperating.

[@Sabu113]

Solid interview as usual. Always wonder with these vets what war Americans can't fight for someone else's security.

[@cdes68]

Did the United States want to intimidate all as doctrine?

[@zacnewman7140]

Pretty much, yeah. In the aftermath of WWII we declared that we would protect all international shipping as a bribe to get Western Europe to get their economies back into shape so we'd have someone between us and Stalin, but you can't make that kind of promise if people don't think you can back it up. That's why it's _also_ been US policy that our military needs to be able to defeat the next two most powerful countries on Earth at the same time since 1945 or so.

[@jacobgordon7998]

Too bad we wasted so much for two wars we had no reason to be in only to waffle in support for a genuinely important cause we need to support in Ukraine.

[@waichui2988]

You should have applied that connectivity of issues concept before the war started in Ukraine. Once the Ukraine war started, you are in for years, consuming huge quantity of resources. If the Ukraine war benefits China, then you should have done everything to prevent it in the first place.

[@iamyoda66]

US infrastructure is crumbling while we spend more and more on MIC. Sad....

[@mediastudiesnetwork]

Damn I was due one of these.

[@laopang91362]

Ukraine hoped to turn the clock back 2 years without Blinken and Johnson.

[@andyreznick]

Love your work, folks. Thank you.

[@ImperiumVita]

Why would the people's elected legislator's not passing a particular bill be labeled a "dysfunction" rather than "functioning as intended"?

[@j.k.1239]

They still living in 90's.

[@richarddean3154]

The United States shouldn't seek to instill fear in other countries. First, it should clearly articulate what it considers acceptable behavior and activities. Second, it should detail the specific consequences of conducting unacceptable behavior. In this way, all countries know where they stand and what activities they may conduct. The trouble is that no one speaks clearly anymore and as a result, intolerable behavior is rampant throughout the international system. It is a dangerous time.

[@genelarson6849]

In the economic realm Taiwan is extremely important in regards to the manufacturing of hi end computer chips

[@glennmitchell9107]

Poor analogy. There were no nukes prior to WWI.

[@joshuap9580]

i have to disagree with the premise. its more that our rivals, such as china, are much more capable then they were, and our clout is diminished economically as well, again because of china. so if China wants to capture Taiwan, its really just a dare to see if the US will intervene. we dont have economic clout. I mean china and the soviets enabled north vietnam to defeat the US directly, so this is not unheard of. with russia this is a repeat of the cold war, the only difference so far is our GQP is not up for deterrence.

[@petersmith-yg7me]

Kissinger was correct in one respect. To be America s enemy is dangerous, to be America s friend is fatal.

[@strangetrip837]

With all due respect, Europe would be mad to rely on the choice of an American President for our security. Too often the US has encouraged people to fight only to pull out later, leaving them to pay for the consequences. I believe your nation will suffer for its new isolationism, your global markets will shrink and your influence will diminish. You are facing an end of empire moment and your nation looks increasingly unstable.

[@zacnewman7140]

Maintaining the US position as a security guaranteer has the not insignificant issue that we, the American people, have voted for the candidate less interested in foreign policy in every presidential contest since 1996.

[@mikem668]

Lost in Iraq. Lost in Afghanistan. I say that as a veteran, son of a WWII vet, and great-grandson of a Union vet. And someone who mistakenly supported these fiascos. We can't and shouldn't fight three wars. Ukraine is by far the least important to our own security, which is the only thing that matters. Taiwan is unwinnable without massive American casualties and risks. And maybe not even then. Israel should be helped, but our soldiers shouldn't be used as trip-wires, and should be withdrawn from the Middle East. Let Europe defend the Red Sea. The trade goes to Europe, not us. Gates is right about one thing. The initiative is with Russia, Iran, and China. The world is changing. It's mostly tired of being lectured and exploited by the West. A multi-polar world is inevitable. We need to put our own house in order. Fortunately we have the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans.

[@KatyYoder-cq1kc]

Well said

[@douglassauvageau7262]

These sentiments resonate in my own consciousness. Unfortunately, isolationism or even a sentient approach is a recipe for eventual disaster.

[@MG-ye1hu]

Over and over in history overstretch was the main reason for a great power's demise. Also Germany in world war 1, at the time the greatest military power, thought it could easily handle multiple conflicts at the same time. It is so obvious that China and Iran are just waiting for a Nato escalation in Ukraine because this will be their chance to act. Do we never ever learn anything from history?

[@glennmitchell9107]

Why would obviously intelligent and knowledgeable people, who constantly scorn Trump's hyperbole and bombast, also hyperanalyze Trump's rhetoric regarding public statements on domestic or foreign policy? Deeds, not words.

[@willgates8383]

What is your definition of “International Order” ??? If you mean the conventions agreed upon by nations on the UN charter or Do you really mean obeying US orders??? Don’t confuse the two!!! US order is not “International Order” !!!

[@TheLabecki]

Only a tyrannical nation wants to be feared by other nations.

[@Userkzb20253]

Why US wants to risk a mortal wound fighting for a land that’s part of China (per one China policy) and occupied by Chinese. It makes no sense other than we can (as No.1). It’s the home turf of China, if it can’t today, it’ll take it tomorrow. It’s inevitable just a matter of time. It’s much wiser for US to think long term and peace, and spend more money on Americans than overseas, else we risk a civil war. A civil war risk at home and provoked China abroad is not a good mix. Gates and the likes need to rethink smarter strategies, to truly make America great again, internally and externally.

[@spiritofgoldfish]

When America was great, the marginal tax rate was 91%. Between 1954 and 1963 there were 24 brackets (compared to 6 today) and the top rate was 91 percent, with the rates in 19 of the 24 brackets higher than the current top rate of 35 percent.

[@jron20r51]

Sad and out of touch. What was 20 years ago is no more. The world has moved on from this non sense, GenZ doesn't want to fight a war for fay cats like Gates....Retire and go fishing Bob

[@amunra5330]

Not really. Hypersonic missiles and low orbit satellites makes the US military obsolete