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Is the US Ready for War?

Since the end of the Cold War, the United States has been the world’s only superpower – a status ensured by the country’s powerful military. But great-power competition is making a comeback, raising questions about US preparedness.

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Transcript

Elmira Bayrasli: Welcome to Opinion Has It. I’m Elmira Bayrasli.


Is the US military losing its competitive edge? When the Soviet Union collapsed in 1991, the United States became the world’s only superpower.

Archive Recording: Good evening. I’m Gene Randall in Washington. We are standing by for an Oval Office address by President Bush, as he contributes to a day even historians may have trouble describing.

Archive Recording, President George H.W. Bush: This is a victory for democracy and freedom. It’s a victory for the moral force of our values. Every American can take pride in this victory.

EB: With the world’s strongest military and largest economy, the US seemed to be untouchable. It became the leader and defender of global institutions and the world’s policeman.

Archive Recording, President Barack Obama: In an uncertain world full of breathtaking change, the one constant is American leadership.

EB: But great-power competition is making a comeback.

Archive Recording: It’s definitely a new chapter in superpower relations.

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