the hopes of many governments around the world that there would bea change of guard in the White House. These governments would havepreferred a United States that was more willing to listen to theirconcerns and less intent on taking the unilateralist path, as theBush administration did even before 9/11. Though most countriesbacked the US after 9/11, and supported its actions in Afghanistan,subsequent American actions in Iraq and elsewhere, again takenunilaterally indicate that the US is taking on the avatar of aglobal hegemon, intent on using its power to further its nationalinterests. This presents some difficult choices for governmentsaround the world.
This book compiles nine national perspectives on what a second Bushterm means for the world. Taken on one yardstick, five of thecountries chosen (including the US) are members of the SecurityCouncil; using another, four are members of the BRIC quartet,emerging economies whose potential is such that they are expectedto dominate the world economy in the years to come. All thesecountries have a difficult job of fashioning their foreign policyresponses to the US while keeping in view their own nationalobjectives as well as a host of other factors
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