Was the US better off when it had the Soviet Union as a rival or now without an established superpower rival?

Question

Since the collapse of the Soviet Union, many current/former allies which depended on the US for military support, aid, etc. now regard Americans as imperialistic bullies. Soviets were as much if not more an enemy to many Islamic nations and the US was relatively spared from fundamentalist terrorism while the Soviet Union was suppressing/fighting the islamic fundamentalist movement. Any thoughts?

Answer 1

The U.S. was probably better off when the Soviet Union was intact. We believed ourselves to be the democratic, benevolent world power against the "tyrannical" communists. In fact, the former Soviet citizens now suffer more crime, hunger,energy shortages, tribal/religious warfare than before. It happened in the former Yugoslavia. The Soviet Muslims are not fighting a "fundamentalist" war; they are fighting for freedom from oppression and an independent state (where Russian oil was processed). It's a political war.

Power corrupts and America have always had imperialistic tendencies. Many Hawaiians and many Puerto Ricans want independence from the U.S., but for our need for strategic outposts. And what about our military position in the Philippines?

China is the oldest, continuing civilization in the world -- an established superpower that the U.S. people have assisted with their purchasing power, to become THE industrial power. The Chinese govt is brilliant in allowing N. Korea to pursue their nuclear goals and "threaten" the U.S. It's an excellent distraction away from the policies of China. The management of 1/5 of the world's population can only be accomplished well by a totalitarian govt (communist). Democracy could not work there, and we should not export it.

China has the world's SECOND highest Muslim population (after Indonesia) in the world. The Muslims are not restricted to one-child policy like the majority 95% Han Chinese. They were the only Muslims who did not "act up" in regards to the Dutch cartoon. These Muslims and the Chinese population do not harbor any anti-American sentiments.

Our problem stems from our insatiable oil dependency, and our need to insure that we have access to the supply by installing Middle Eastern govts (dictators) that we believe are pro-American and love the dollar more than we do. It's this oil apetite that threatens our way of life. We should pray for $4 a gallon gas.

Answer 2

Alas,time is never still but the moral etc. collapse of the Soviet Union was a good thing for many people and as history constantly shows us when a nations corrupts itself the collapse is not far behind. The present Terrorist acts against the U.S.
actually began with Al Quida and the circumstances that spearheaded this was the US actually aiding a Muslim nation against the threat and invasion of another Muslim nation-the US prevented Iraq from invading Kuwait with American soldiers being on Muslim lands-Desert Storm. This is what maddened Bin Laden that American soldiers-the infidel invaded his holy Muslim lands and this is what he is attempting to accomplish -to drive all infidels from Muslim lands.

Answer 3

I believe the US was better off. It was more powerful, kept on its toes, and was able to excert more influence in the world as a counter balance to a semi-agreesive Soviet Union.

Answer 4

it was betterwith the Soviet Union as a rival,for now we're contributing to its revial as a partial capitalism nation, whereas now China will have the opportuntiy to became the greatest threat to our way of life - while we provide the method with our need to sell our goods to them ,giving more opportunty than we would the soviets.

Answer 5

I didn't like the nuclear scare, but at least "world problems" were nicely remote. Aye!

Answer 6

Has anyone tried a united prayer force?