What is America's foreign policy? Three things: No ethics, no morality and all realism. America's foreign policy wants to achieve two things: first, to keep America the top most hegemonic power in the world with or without the consent of others. Second, to keep America at the top of the economic ladder, once again, with or without the consent of others.

America itself is two things: first, it is the planet's most potent military power. The Stockholm International Peace Research Institute estimates the country's global military expenditure to be around $1.339 trillion. Of the 192 UN-member states, 191 collectively spend some $700 billion on defence while America just by itself spends the rest.

For 2009, the base budget of the US Department of Defence stands at $500 billion. Additionally, emergency discretionary spending, supplemental spending and stimulus spending add up to $150 billion. Defence-related spending outside of the US Department of Defence comes up to at least $200 billion. Add them all up and we have a colossal figure of $850 billion.

America's land area is less than seven per cent of the globe but it spends more than 50 per cent of the global expenditure on defence, and that's why it is the planet's most potent military power. Compare that with The People's Republic of China which is $63 billion, Russia $38 billion, India $24.7 billion and Pakistan $4.2 billion (all figures are from the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute database).

Second, America became the single largest economy on the face of the planet more than a hundred years ago and it continues to be so. The country has 4.5 per cent of the world's population but it produces more than 25 percent of the global GDP.

What are the two things that the US wants the most? First, it wants to remain the planet's most potent military power. Second, it wants to remain the single largest economy in the world.

Geographically, Canada in the north is docile and Mexico in the south is subservient. Atlantic Ocean in the east has five super carriers of the United States Navy while the Pacific Ocean has six (the only operator of super carriers is the US Navy).

What then threatens America? Two things: first, a nuclear attack on the mainland and second, a terrorist attack. The country has strengths as well as weaknesses. It knows what it wants from Pakistan; our help to neutralise its own threats. However, what is it that we want from America?

We must undertake a strategic SWOT analysis of our strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats. Our strength is our army and our geography (the supply route to NATO troops). Our weaknesses are many: the economy plus enemies both internal and external. Then there is this whole platter of opportunities for us to choose from, the foremost of those being economics. Also, the world wants to help us get rid of our internal enemies. It will be up to us to convince the world to help us neutralise our external threats as well.

From an economic standpoint, the world may be willing to bridge our twin deficits of trade and budget but, over the long haul, we must learn to live within our means. From a strategic standpoint, we must contain our regional ambitions to match our tendons or our connective tissues will not be able to withstand the tension.

Do we have a plan as to how we want to spend $1.5 billion? Do we have a plan as to where we want to spend $1.5 billion? If we don't then we shouldn't be complaining. Remember, 'no injury can be complained of by a consenting party'.



The writer is the executive director of the Centre for Research and Security Studies (CRSS). Email: farrukh15 @hotmail.com