New World Order and Globalization

Discussion focuses on the later years of the Cold War, particularly the 1980s, alongside political, social, and economic developments.

Emphasis on Reaganomics:
- Economic policy aimed at reducing the role of government in the economy.
- Significant increase in defense spending to combat perceived threats, particularly regarding the Soviet Union.
Soviet Union as the "Evil Empire":
- Reagan described the Soviet Union as the main “focus of evil in the modern world”.
- The Reagan Administration believed the U.S. had military supremacy over the Soviets as crucial for winning the Cold War.
Continued U.S. efforts to combat communism in:
- Latin America
- Middle East

New Leadership in the Soviet Union:
- Introduction of Mikhail Gorbachev, who announced the Soviet Union would respect the sovereignty of all nations associated with the Warsaw Act (1989), marking a significant change in Soviet policy.
- End of communism in Eastern Europe
- End of the Soviet-Afghan War
- USSR dissolved (1991)
Global Protests for Nuclear Disarmament:
- Widespread unease about nuclear weapons in both the U.S. and globally, leading to protests advocating for disarmament.
Fall of Communism in Eastern Europe:
- Gorbachev's policies led to the end of communism in Eastern Europe and ultimately the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991.
Post-Cold War conflicts and issues:
- The naive expectation that all global issues would resolve with the Cold War's end was proven incorrect.
End of Cold War = New World dynamics and issues/conflicts
The world was no longer split (from the American Perspective) between capitalists and Communist nations and their allies
Post-Cold War = Globalization

Cooperation replaced economic and political rivalry between Capitalists and Communists nationscapitalist
Globalization:
- “extension of economic, political, and cultural interconnections among nations through commerce, migration, and communication”
- Growth of multinational or transnational corporations
Definition of Globalization:
- Described as the extension of economic, political, and cultural interconnections among nations through commerce, migration, and communication.
Growth of Multinational and Transnational Corporations:
  - Examples include:
    - McDonald's: Expansion into former Soviet territories, indicative of American corporate reach; 1,000 fast food restaurants
    - Walmart: Opened 1,200 stores overseas.
    - KFC: Similar expansions.

- BBC
- American Programs

Increase in access to American entertainment and products:
- American television programs such as Friends, Cheers, and news by CNN became available internationally.
- Spread of brands like Adidas and Nike into new global markets.
Formation of the Group of Eight (G8): (industrialized countries)
  - Major countries included:
    - Japan
    - USA
    - France
    - Canada
    - United Kingdom
    - Italy
    - Germany
    - Russia
  - Despite comprising only 14% of the global population, they produced 60% of the world's economic output.
Annual Meetings and Discussions:
- Topics included trade, global health, energy, environmental issues, and social development.

Decline of organized labor and labor unions due to:
- Manufacturing jobs are relocating to developing countries, resulting in a loss of American jobs.
Rise of unethical labor practices:
- Issues included sweatshops, child labor, and unhealthy working conditions.
Environmental concerns: Increasing pollution, deforestation, and fossil fuel dependency.
Emergence of public health issues, such as the HIV/AIDS epidemic, due to increased global mobility.

Introduction of the Weinberger Doctrine (1984):
- Established criteria for military engagement:
- Could not commit forces to combat unless the vital national interests of the US or its allies are involved
- US troops should only be committed wholeheartedly with the clear intention of winning. Otherwise, they should not be committed
- Troops should not be committed to battle without “reasonable assurance” of the support of US public opinion and Congress
Goldwater-Nichols Act (1986):
- Aimed to reduce inter-service rivalry and improve military effectiveness through:
- Need to restructure – too much inter-service rivalry, budget overlap
- Creates combat commands
- Gives the Chair of Joint Chiefs’ own staff, role in command structure, and direct access to the President- Much more powerful than ever before

Iraq's Invasion of Kuwait (1990):
- 100,000 Iraq troops invaded Kuwait (1990)
- Ended the relationship between America (Bush) and Iraq (Saddam Hussein)
Reasons for U.S. intervention:
- Protect the global oil supply
- Oil rich nation
- Possible disruption of global oil market
- Threat to Saudi Arabia
- Disrupt power balance in Middle East
- Rumors of nuclear weapons
Saddam Hussein's Perspective:
- Wanted access to Kuwaiti oil resources to recover from war debts.
- Aimed to disrupt the oil market and pursue historical claims over Kuwait.
- Oil drilling
- Iran-Iraq war debt (1980s)
- Disrupt the global oil market
- Historic claims

Coalition Forces:
- NATO involvement with economic sanctions and military readiness to retake Kuwait.
- President George H.W. Bush set a deadline for withdrawal from January 15, 1991.
Military Operations: Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm (August 2, 1990-January 17, 1991) (January 16, 1991)
- Bombing of Baghdad and other key targets in Iraq
- 500,000 ground troops launched (Feb. 24, 1991)
- NATO and American forces quickly defeated Iraq forces (Feb. 28, 1991)
- Ground war ended within 100 hours

Deaths:
- 100,000 Iraqis
- 136 American troops
George H.W. Bush resisted the pressure to continue marching all the way to Baghdad
Arab allies did not want to expand the war
Military Strategy (National Security Directives):
- Political objectives
  - Withdrawal of Iraqi forces
  - Restore Kuwaiti government
  - Protect American citizens
  - Promote security/stability of Persian Gulf
- Military objectives
  - Defend Saudi Arabia
  - Preclude SCUD attacks
  - Destroy CBN capabilities
  - Eliminate Republican Guard
  - Drive Iraqi forces out of Kuwait
- Says nothing about removing Saddam Hussein
- Recognizes the fragile stability of the region

Tested:
- All Volunteer Force
- Weinberger Doctrine 1984
- Goldwater-Nichols Act 1986
  - US Central Command (CENTCOM)
Helped Americans overcome the Vietnam War syndrome
Preserved the America’s national oil interests in the Persian Gulf
Ability to organize a coalition of nations
Created a foundation for H.W. Bush to help settle other conflicts

The session covered critical impacts of the Cold War's conclusion and the emergence of globalization alongside the testing of military doctrines.
Future readings include discussions on leaders like George Clinton in relation to globalization and their respective speeches on the new world order.
Encouragement for a productive week ahead and engagement in further learning activities.