US President Obama in his address at the United Nations admitted that in spite of American military and economic might, his country was unable to run the world’s affairs single handedly.

This is a significant admission with lasting ramifications. The post-cold war era bestowed the sole super power status on the US. That seems to be eroding. There are three potential superpowers today. Fortunately this is not based on political ideology, but rather on economic supremacy, especially in China’s case.

Newer alliances and blocs based on mutual economic interests will emerge while older blocs or treaties may lose their significance.

For example South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation has lost its raison d’ etre while the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation is a dead horse as it has done nothing on Palestine, Kashmir, Iraq, Libya, Syria and Yemen crisis.

The Gulf Cooperation Council has hair-line splits emerging over the Saudi-Yemen conflict while a subtle understanding is developing between Japan, India, the United Arab Emirates and America, to checkmate the growing Chinese influence in the region.

Pakistan has aligned itself with China to build an economic corridor. However we must tread cautiously in this high stakes game.

Wing Commander(r) Khalid Ismail
Islamabad

Published in Dawn, October 9th, 2015

On a mobile phone? Get the Dawn Mobile App: Apple Store | Google Play