Oddly,the end of the Cold War has when the imbalance between one and the elevated the importance of the military rest is great,catching up is difficult. component in American foreign policy. French leaders especially bemoan the Thus,William J.Perry and Ashton B. absence of multipolarity and call for Carter,former secretary and assistant sec- greater European strength,but one can- retary of defense,have recently offered not usefully will the end without willing the concept of“preventive defense'”asa the means.The uneven distribution of guide to American policy.Preventive capabilities continues to be the key to defense is conducted by American defense understanding international politics. officials engaging in"security and military America continues to garrison much dialogue with regional states";it calls for of the world and to look for ways of keep- "a more robust defense to defense pro- ing troops in foreign countries rather than gram."Indeed,in many of the successor withdrawing them,as one might have states of the Soviet Union,and in some expected it to do at the Cold War's end.12 other parts of the world as well,our The 1992 draft of the Pentagon's Defense defense personnel carry out what Planning Guidance advocated "discourag- American policy there is. ing the advanced industrialized nations The United States continues to spend, from...even aspiring to a larger global too,at a Cold War pace.In real terms, or regional role."The United States may America's 1995 military budget approxi- at times seek help from others,but not too mately equaled the 1980 budget,and in much help,lest it lose its leading position 1980 the Cold War was at its height.The in one part of the world or another.The fact that most other countries have document,when it was leaked,provoked reduced their budgets more than the criticism.In response,emphasis was United States has heightened its military placed on its being only a draft,but its dominance.Some say that the world is not tenets continue to guide American policy. really unipolar because the United States often needs,or at least seeks,the help of Discontent in the Caboose others.The truth,however,remains:the stronger have many more ways of coping N A SYSTEM of balanced states, with adversities than the weak have,and the domination by one or some of the latter depend on the former much them has in the past been pre- more than the other way around.The vented by the reaction of others acting as United States is the only country that can counterweights.The states of Europe organize and lead a military coalition,as it held each other in balance through the did in Irag and in the Balkans.Some states first three hundred years of the modern have little choice but to participate,partly state system.In the following fifty years, because of the pressure the strong can bring to bear on the weak and partly Perry and Carter,Preventive Defense:A New because of the needs of the latter.West Security Strategy for America (Washington,DC: European countries and Japan are more Brookings Institution Press,1999),pp.9,11. dependent on Middle Eastern oil than is 12Hans Binnendijk,for example,has urged the United States,and Western Europe is Americans to develop a case for leaving more affected by what happens in Eastern American troops in South Korea even if the Europe than is the United States. North should no longer be a threat.See As expected,the beneficiaries resent Strategic Assessment 1996:Instruments of U.S. their benefactor,which leads to talk of Power (Washington,DC:National Defense righting the imbalance of power.Yet University Press,1996),p.2. The National Interest-Spring 2000. Copyright 2000.All rights reserved.Copyright © 2000. All rights reserved