Others describe it as the only remaining post Cold War superpower. In general it is agreed that the USA plays a leading role in most important spheres, whether military, economic, diplomatic, scientific or cultural. Its pre-eminence in terms of 'hard power' and 'soft power' is absolute and relative. The special position of the USA has been taken into consideration in most areas and has developed over time. The World Bank in Washington DC is led by an American, James Wolfensohn.
American influence is immense and that power reveals itself in many different ways.
Even if we consider further regional hegemony which has developed in the ten years since the end of the Cold War, particularly in China and India, American influence in the western world is extremely high, and must be kept in mind when US integration in the ICC is discussed. The USA should not be seen as opponent, but rather as partners and allies who fundamentally support the same ideals, such as democracy, freedom and human rights. Even if European emancipation is urgently needed in areas such as security and defence, in the field of global prosecution of crimes, such isolation could be extremely counterproductive. A global leadership role involves not only the isolationist factor of trade autonomy, but also a certain duty, bound up with the position as the only remaining hegemony. American culture, founded on the liberal American Creed, almost forces the US to take a moral stance.