In the 1990's, American foreign policy is facing a whole new set of challenges which never existed before. From the late 1940's to the late 1980's, the primary concern of U.S. foreign policy was the containment of Soviet influence. The United States and the Soviet Union were seen as being the two major "superpowers" of the world. As such, the two nations spent most of their time trying to control the acquisition of nuclear arms on the other side. In the late 1980's, the Soviet system of Communism began to crumble, and the Cold War which had existed for forty years came to an end. In place of the two great superpowers which had existed before, the world suddenly became a place filled with a variety of small, regional powers. This change has required an important shift in U.S. foreign policy. For example, it is now apparent that global power in the future will be focused on economic rather than military concerns.
Despite this fact, the need for military security continues to be an important concern among American politicians. In the words of Stephen E. Ambrose: "A strong military is essential to implementing an activist foreign policy." The need for military security is directly related to the importance of economic concerns. In this regard, Peter McGrath has noted that the economic future of the United States depends upon such factors as maintaining access to oil and other resources, as well as maintaining access to the open seas. Because of these factors, military security continues to be important in insuring the future strength and prosperity of America. Military strength is also important for the purpose of protecting the lives of Americans and their Western allies. Although the threat of the Soviet Union has diminished in recent years, the threat of regional imbalances has increased. Many American politicians are worried about the possibility of an unstable Third World nation obtaining nuclear weapons. The cons...