All this would seem to portend the dawn of a much more peaceful era. However, only a year after the end of the Cold War, the United States and most of the other world powers were involved in a major war in Iraq. Also, while the chances of major power warfare may have been reduced, we have seen the continuation of smaller conflicts in Kuwait, Somalia, Angola, the former Yugoslavia, Rwanda, and elsewhere. Long-standing efforts to bring peace in the Middle East and Northern Ireland have made some progress but the progress is fragile and could quickly become unraveled. We have also seen the continued growth of the gap between the rich and poor nations of the world, compounded by rapid population growth within the poor countries.
Many states continue to mistreat their own citizens.
Environmental problems abound with little signs of the international cooperation necessary to cope with them. The world is a human community whose members are increasingly dependent upon each other for survival, peace, and prosperity. As Americans, we have a particular responsibility for understanding this interrelation because the United States is the only remaining superpower. As the world's leading economic and military power, the United States has tremendous impact on the world. It has been said that if the U.S. sneezes, the world catches cold.