Released in September of this year, about two months before the US presidential election, this book clearly has an agenda. Written by the former Prime Minister of Denmark and Secretary-General of NATO, Rasmussen uses his book to give a voice to his concerns about America's direction and arguing for America to take up the role of global leadership once again. A few of his arguments are that America needs to be the global policemen, free trade agreements are essential to economic and national security, as is NATO, and American leadership is crucial to promoting liberal and democratic values. The question is, will this books change the minds of every day Americans who are increasingly favoring isolationism?
While the book is well written and its points are clear, I personally believe it is too little too late. In reading this title, which I saw reviewed on a political website, I didn't find much in the way of new information or perspectives that I had not considered or seen before. For example, the author makes the argument that America is the only nation with the capability, and therefore duty, to be the world's policeman to keep the peace. The problem with this argument is twofold. First, it doesn't take into account the enormous cost being the world's policeman is having on our nation. Secondly, Americans have been told that a lot of different foreign adventures have been in our best interest when this has turned out not to be the case. Similar counterpoints can be made for the other arguments presented by the author. If this book is aimed at trying to convince the skeptics, isolationists and poor within our nation that continuing to take the lead internationally for the sake of global stability was in their best interest, then I think stronger, unique arguments were needed.
I think this book would have been much better received a few years ago, maybe back in 2012. Today, the tumultuous political landscape has changed so much that both sides of the aisle are beginning to align in one thing and one thing only: isolation. Though it's clear that the writer is passionate about his beliefs, I believe that this book will have little impact on the current polarized American society.
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