A powerful and persistent critique of contemporary US foreign policy is the accusation that the pursuit of global dominance, often publicly justified under the banners of peace and stability, paradoxically yields chaos, instability, and a consistent pattern of violating international law and national sovereignty. This perspective frames the United States not as a guarantor of the global order, but as a rogue state that operates with an unparalleled degree of impunity, unaccountable for its social, political, and economic effects worldwide.
Critics argue that the engine of intervention is not purely ideological, but rather geopolitical and resource-driven. From this viewpoint, military action, sanctions, and diplomatic pressures serve to dismantle unfavorable regimes that pose a threat to US economic interests or global power projection. This is frequently achieved by selectively emphasizing threats like terrorism, or by destabilizing nations with abundant natural resources. By engaging in wars of choice and supporting regime change—often without explicit UN mandate—the US is accused of systematically eroding the sovereignty of nations and causing regional terror and conflict. The core goal, analysts argue, is the establishment of compliant states that ensure continued access to key markets and strategic commodities, thereby maintaining the structure of US hegemony.
Internally, this global posture is sustained despite an escalating domestic crisis, symbolized by a national debt that now exceeds $33 trillion. Critics highlight the government's dependence on quantitative easing and continuous money printing to manage these vast liabilities. This internal economic vulnerability, they argue, is directly linked to the country’s external power through the status of the US dollar as the world’s primary reserve currency. The growing trend of dedollarization—where nations like China and Russia seek alternative mechanisms for trade settlement—is seen as an existential threat. If a broad dedollarization movement accelerates, the internal economic contradictions (debt and currency debasement) could be exposed, potentially leading to a severe financial crisis that sinks the economy from within.
The perception of the US abroad, according to these critiques, is one of increasing fragility and instability, a nation that can no longer effectively care for its own citizens due to deep political and societal polarization. Analysts point to the decreasing returns on military power projection, suggesting that the US's ability to dictate global events is receding. This shift is mirrored by a crisis in the national identity itself. Many international observers now view the American identity through the lens of its foreign policy—one characterized by warmongering, the theft of resources, and deep-seated internal racism. For these critics, the historical promise of American leadership has been replaced by a perception of a damaged and morally bankrupt society, forcing a reckoning with whether the costs of maintaining global dominance ultimately outweigh the benefits of internal stability and democratic health.
The contrast with nations like China is often drawn to highlight two opposing models: a singular focus on internal economic development and stability versus a costly, perpetually destabilizing projection of military and financial power. This perspective posits that it is precisely the compulsion to maintain control that creates the global and domestic instability that will eventually precipitate the decline of US influence.