Chapter 6 >The Changing Geopolitical Landscape > Overview

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Overview: The Changing Geopolitical Landscape

The terrorist attacks of 9/11 and their aftermath have significantly altered how Americans view key countries and U.S. relationships with them around the globe. The new sense of vulnerability and the imperative of coun-tering terrorism have heightened the importance of old friends and allies, altered the perceptions of foes and threats, and raised awareness of new players and risks.

One marked response is a “huddling impulse,” a greater priority attached to long-time, reliable partners, especially principal U.S. allies in Europe and Canada. A very notable addition to the “huddle” is Russia. A nation seen as the principal threat to the United States only little more than a decade ago is now thought to be an important and reliable friend.

There have been dramatic shifts related to countries directly connected in American thinking to the terrorist threat, particularly Afghanistan, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, Iran, and Egypt. These nations are seen by large majori-ties as being of vital interest, but as generally unlikable and in some cases of questionable support to the United States.

Countries that may be considered possible counter-weights to terrorism and to states sponsoring it, such as India and Turkey, are also seen as more important, even though general feelings toward these countries remain unchanged. September 11 also raised the salience to Americans of conflicts in regions where terrorism is rampant, particularly the Arab-Israeli and India-Pakistan conflicts.

At the same time, Americans are not so preoccu-pied with terrorism that they do not sense other impor-tant geopolitical changes. A uniting Europe, a rising China, a less competitive but also less influential Japan, and a struggling Africa are all part of the changing American worldview.