Ãœberpower: The Imperial Temptation of America

"Lucid, literate and tough-minded."—William Grimes, The New York Times

Überpower effortlessly mixes military history with keen diplomatic analysis to provide one of the most important assessments of America's international standing in years. Josef Joffe examines the gargantuan burdens brought on by singular power, arguing that the new Bush foreign policy doctrine has failed to convert fabulous strength into consent and leadership. In contrast to most of his European colleagues, Joffe does not paddle "Mr. Big" for his new überpower status, but traces the roots of Europe's (and the world's) new anti-Americanism to envy, fear, and the failure to keep up. But history whispers that power will generate counterpower, and the handwriting is already on the wall. How can the überpower escape the fate of earlier hegemons who were all laid low by lesser nations ganging up on No. 1? Überpower promises to be discussed and debated in the corridors of power on both sides of the Atlantic.