22/4/2015 The Geopolitics of Richard Nixon | The Diplomat
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Image Credit: Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum
The Geopolitics of Richard NixonIn two important books, the
former president foresaw the end of the Cold War, the rebalance,
andmuch besides.
RichardNixonwasoneoftheworldsforemostvisionariesofglobalgeopolitics.Between1980and1994,theformerAmericanpresidentwrotesixvolumesoninternationalrelations,allofwhichdemonstratedhisknowledgeofhistory,graspofinternationalpoliticalrealities,andinsightintofuturetrendsininternationalpolitics.ThemostinsightfulofthosebookswereTheRealWar(1980)andBeyondPeace(1994).InTheRealWar,NixonexaminedthegeopoliticalfoundationsoftheColdWarandrecommendedpoliciesthatoverthenextelevenyearsledtothedefeatandbreakupoftheSovietUnion.InBeyondPeace,heforesawtheU.S.pivottoAsiaandtheimportanceofthestrugglewithinIslamto21stcenturyglobalpolitics.
WhenNixonwroteTheRealWar,theSovietUnionwasonthegeopoliticaloffensiveinthewakeofAmericasdefeatinIndochinaandtherisetopowerofPresidentJimmyCarter,whoinhisfirstmajorforeignpolicyaddresstoldAmericansthattheyhadaninordinatefearofcommunism.SovietproxiesgainedpowerinNicaragua,Grenada,Angola,MozambiqueandSouthYemen.TheSovietsinvadedAfghanistantopropupatotteringfriendlyregime.TheUnitedStateslostakeyallyinIranastheShahfellandwasreplacedbyafundamentalistIslamicregimethatheldhostageU.S.embassystaffersandpromotedaglobalIslamicrevolution.ThestrategicnuclearbalancewasshiftingintheSovietsfavorduetoanemergingfirststrikecapabilitythatthreatenedtounderminetheU.S.strategyofextendeddeterrence.
NixoncalledforaU.S.responsetotheSovietchallengethatwouldintegratelongtermandshorttermmeasures,andwouldencompasseconomic,military,diplomaticandpoliticalpower.EchoingthegreatBritishgeopoliticaltheoristSirHalfordMackinder,NixonviewedtheSovietUnionastheworldsdominantlandpowersituatedinthecenteroftheEurasianheartland,andcalledtheUnitedStatesanislandcountrythatreliedprimarilyonseapowertoprojectitsinfluencearoundtheworld.TheSovietscouldprojectpowerinalldirectionstowardEurope,theMiddleEast,andtheFarEast,whiletheUnitedStatesneededtosupportalliesinkeyregionsabuttingtheSovietheartland.
EchoingtheAmericangeopoliticaltheoristJamesBurnham,NixondescribedtheU.S.SovietconflictasWorldWarIIIthatbeganevenbeforetheendofWorldWarII,andwasthefirsttrulyglobalwar.Nocorneroftheearth,hewrote,isbeyonditsreach.TheUnitedStatesandtheSovietUnionhavebothbecomeglobalpowers,andwhateveraffectsthebalancebetweenusanywhereaffectsthatbalanceeverywhere.Theconflictiswagedonalllevelsoflifeandsociety,Nixoncontinued.Militarypower,economicpower,willpower,thestrengthofanationsgalvanizingideasandtheclarityofitssenseofpurposeeachoftheseisvitaltotheoutcome.
ThemostinsightfulpartofTheRealWarwasNixonspolicyrecommendationsthathadaremarkablesimilaritytothepolicies
By Francis P. SempaApril 22, 2015
22/4/2015 The Geopolitics of Richard Nixon | The Diplomat
http://thediplomat.com/2015/04/the-geopolitics-of-richard-nixon/
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pursuedbytheReaganandGeorgeH.W.BushadministrationsthatresultedintherelativelypeacefulbreakupoftheSovietEmpire.
First,NixonrecommendedasignificantbuildupofU.S.nuclearandconventionalforcesandtheneedtomaintainclearcutnavalsuperiorityvisvistheSoviets.Second,heemphasizedthattheU.S.shouldcontinuetonurtureitsstrategicrelationshipwithChinaasacounterweighttoSovietlandpowerinAsia.Third,NixoncalledforthereinvigorationoftheNixonDoctrinetoprovidemilitary,economicandpoliticalassistanttoalliessituatedinkeyareasoftheglobe.Fourth,headvocatedprovidingU.S.assistancetogovernmentsundersiegebySovietproxiesintheThirdWorld,foreshadowingtheReaganDoctrine.Nixonurgedpolicymakerstorecognizetheimportantdifferencesbetweenauthoritarianandtotalitarianregimes,echoingthesentimentsofReagansU.N.AmbassadorJeaneKirkpatrick.Fifth,headvocatedwagingamoreaggressivepropagandawaragainsttheSoviets.Sixth,headvocatedsupportingliberationmovementsinsidetheSovietsphereorasheputit,WeshoulddeclarethathenceforthwewillconsiderourselvesasfreetoforageontheSovietsideastheyhavebeentoforageonours.Seventh,NixonurgedtheU.S.anditsalliestoexploitSovieteconomicandpoliticalvulnerabilities.Finally,hebelievedthattheUnitedStatescouldachievevictorywithoutwarbycombiningalloftheabovewithskillfuldiplomacyandnegotiationspreciselywhatReagandidinthefinalyearsofhispresidency,andwhatPresidentGeorgeH.W.BushdidinsuccessfullymanagingtheendoftheColdWar.
BeyondPeacewasNixonslastbook,writtenin1994shortlybeforehisdeath.ItwasforwardlookinginaworldnolongerdominatedbytheU.S.Sovietrivalry.AttheoutsetofthebookhewarnedAmericansthattheendoftheColdWardidnotmeantheendofconflictorthebeginningsofpermanentpeace.Theworld,heremindedreaders,isnotablankcanvasonwhichwecanpaintourvision.
Russia,warnedNixon,remainsvulnerabletoextremenationalistsandreactionariesintentonreversingfreemarketanddemocraticreformsandmaintainsthecapacitytoonceagainbecomeathreateningpower,whileAsiaisthreatenedwithconflictbasedoncompetinginterestsandtraditionalrivalries.ThePersianGulfandthebroaderMiddleEast,henoted,remainedrifewithconflictbasedinpartonreligiousandethnichatreds.RuthlessandaggressivedictatorshementionedSaddamHussein,KimIlSung,andMuammarQaddafistillposedthreatstotheirneighboringcountries.
Morespecifically,NixonpredictedthataRussiathatrevertedtoauthoritarianismwouldlikelyseektoextenditspowerandinfluenceoverUkraineandothercountriesinEasternEuropepreciselywhathashappenedunderPutin.HecalledforareinvigoratedNATOasinsuranceagainstarenewedthreatfromtheEastintheeventthatextremeRussiannationalistscometopower.
China,Nixonwrote,willbecomeaneconomicandmilitarysuperpowerinthenextcentury.HeanticipatedthattheinevitableriseofChinawouldresultinadelicatebalancingactamongJapan,Russia,ChinaandtheUnitedStatesthatwilldeterminethePacificRimsfuture.TheU.S.mustplayastrongbalancingroleinAsia,hewrote,fortodootherwisecouldtriggervolcanicregionalinstability.Clearly,Nixon,thepresidentwhoforgedtheU.S.strategicrelationshipwithChinaintheearly1970s,envisionedtheU.S.pivottotheAsiaPacificinthe21stcentury.
Finally,inBeyondPeace,NixoncalleduponU.S.leaderstotakeasophisticatedapproachtotheMuslimworld.TheU.S.hewrote,mustlearntoviewtheMuslimworldnotasaunified,radicalgeopoliticalforcebentonconfrontingtheWestbutratherasadiverseculturalandethnicgroupingboundedbyafaithinIslamandalegacyofpoliticalturbulence.TheMuslimworld,henoted,sitsastridekeyareasoftheglobesuchasthePersianGulf,theStraitofHormuz,theSuezCanal,andtheStraitofMalacca.HeexpressedconcernthatthroughouttheMuslimworld...therearerapidlygrowingfundamentalistmovements...whosefirstloyaltyistotheextremeMuslimfundamentalistreligionwithitsrootsinIran.ThemajorlongtermthreatintheMuslimworld,wroteNixon,isIran.TheU.S.mustnotonlycontainIransinfluence,hecontinued,butalsobepreparedtoassistethnicandreligiousfactionsinIranthatopposetheTehranregime.
WeareinaclashofcivilizationswithaportionoftheMuslimworld,Nixonexplained.FundamentalistIslam,hecontinued,isastrongfaith.Itsappealisreligious,notsecular.Itappealstothesoul,notthebody.SecularWesternvalues,hefurtherwarned,cannotcompetewiththisfaith.Nixonbelieved,however,thatifthepeoplesoftheIslamicworldareabletocharttheirowndestiny,insteadofsubmittingtotheruleoffundamentalistregimeslikeIransthatseektoturnbacktheclocktothetwelfthcentury,thenIslamicextremismwillnottriumph.
Inthesetwogreatgeopoliticalworks,RichardNixonchartedapathtovictoryintheColdWarandforesawtheworldthatwouldemergefromtheendofthatconflict.
FrancisP.SempaistheauthorofGeopolitics:FromtheColdWartothe21stCentury(TransactionBooks)andAmericasGlobalRole:EssaysandReviewsonNationalSecurity,GeopoliticsandWar(UniversityPressofAmerica).HeisalsoacontributortoPopulationDeclineandtheRemakingofGreatPowerPolitics(PotomacBooks).Hehaswrittenonhistoricalandforeign
