The limits on US unilateralism

THERE IS A paradox regarding America’s standing in the world that bears on American foreign policy after Iraq. The global credibility of American military power has never been higher. It’s unprecedented. The US is the only country in the world that can conduct major military operations anywhere in a relatively short period of time and to do so quite decisively. At the same time, however, the global political credibility of the US has never been lower.