America's Two Cold Wars

"Alfredo Toro Hardy has written a most important and timely book on the growing Sino-American geopolitical contest. Set against America's previous Cold War rivalry with the Soviet Union, Toro Hardy provides fresh insights and much-needed balance to America's most important geopolitical relationship in the coming years". Kishore Mahbubani, former President of the U.N. Security Council, founding Dean of the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy at NUS and author of Has China Won?

"This is a most compelling and comprehensive analysis of the significant changes in the world order during the current century. Toro Hardy shows how the influence of major powers is shifting and makes a substantial contribution to the understanding of modern international policy".

Nestor Osorio, former President of the U.N. Security Council and of the U.N. Economic and Social Council.

"This book is a continuation of Toro Hardy's intellectual efforts to unravel the US-China hegemonic struggle and its emerging trajectories. It is a great addition to the ongoing debate on this subject".

T.V. Paul, James McGill Professor of International Relations at McGill University and author of Restraining Great Powers.

"Toro Hardy's excellent book provides new insights into the emerging Cold War between the U.S. and China and its impact on the international system. His solid analysis on how the key pillars of power and influence are shifting is supported by an impressive review of scholarly literature".

Francisco Villagrán de León, Professor of the George Washington University's School of International Affairs and former Ambassador to the U.S. and the U.N. (New York and Geneva). This book focuses on ascertaining what distinguishes the Cold War that the U.S. sustained with the USSR from the one now emerging with China. By comparing their characteristics, it elaborates on how well prepared the US is to undertake this fresh challenge. In doing so, the book analyses six fundamental differences between both cold wars; ideology, alliances, strategic consistency, military, economics, and containment. While the configuration of factors benefited the US during its first Cold War, they now point in the opposite direction. While the first Cold War was instrumental in projecting the US to the pinnacle, the second can only accelerate its dwindling.

Alfredo Toro Hardy is a Venezuelan retired diplomat, scholar and author. He has a PhD on International Relations and several master and postgraduate degrees, including a Master in Law degree from the University of Pennsylvania. Before resigning from the Venezuelan Foreign Service in protest for the authoritarian outreach of the government, he served as Ambassador to the United States, the United Kingdom, Spain, Brazil, Singapore, Chile and Ireland. He directed the Diplomatic Academy of his country as well as other Venezuelan academic institutions, while being Visiting Professor at the universities of Princeton, Barcelona and Brasilia. He has been a Fulbright Scholar, Academic Advisor of the University of Westminster, and a two-time Rockefeller Foundation Bellagio Center Resident Scholar. Author of twenty books and co-author of fifteen more, he has also published thirty peer reviewed papers, all of them on international affairs.

Auteur
Alfredo Toro Hardy is a Venezuelan retired diplomat, scholar and author. He has a PhD on International Relations and several master and postgraduate degrees, including a Master in Law degree from the University of Pennsylvania. Before resigning from the Venezuelan Foreign Service in protest for the authoritarian outreach of the government, he served as Ambassador to the United States, the United Kingdom, Spain, Brazil, Singapore, Chile and Ireland. He directed the Diplomatic Academy of his country as well as other Venezuelan academic institutions, while being Visiting Professor at the universities of Princeton, Barcelona and Brasilia. He has been a Fulbright Scholar, Academic Advisor of the University of Westminster, and a two-time Rockefeller Foundation Bellagio Center Resident Scholar. Author of twenty books and co-author of fifteen more, he has also published thirty peer reviewed papers, all of them on international affairs.

Résumé

This book focuses on ascertaining what distinguishes the Cold War that the U.S. sustained with the USSR from the one now emerging with China. By comparing their characteristics, it elaborates on how well prepared the US is to undertake this fresh challenge.

In doing so, the book analyses six fundamental differences between both cold wars; ideology, alliances, strategic consistency, military, economics, and containment.

While the configuration of factors benefited the US during its first Cold War, they now point in the opposite direction. While the first Cold War was instrumental in projecting the US to the pinnacle, the second can only accelerate its dwindling.

Contenu

1. Introduction.- 2. The brief history of the end of history.- 3. From hiding strengths to assertive showcasting.- 4. From ideology to efficiency.- 5. From hegemony to the squandering of alliances.- 6. From strategic consistency to zigzagging.- 7. From economic high ground to economic lowland.- 8. From reasonable containment to unattainable containment.- 9. Conclusion.