Technology has played a critical role in the revival of the United States military capabilities. Nearing the end of the Second World War, the United States demonstrated to the global society that it was moving a step ahead of the rest in military development when it used the first atomic weapon against a major power, Japan. The atomic weapon brought the war to its conclusive end and the United States emerged as the superpower.
However, this did not stop the United States from making further military developments. In fact, it motivated it to enhance military capabilities using the most advanced technologies. During the Cold War, the United States was strongly convinced that it may be inevitable to go to war with the Soviet Union, the other superpower at that time. As such, it used its scientific development to come up with more powerful tools of war.
Davis (55) says that the United States emerged as a stronger nation in the development of fighter jets. These jets were important in identifying and hitting the target using atomic bomb with great precision. According to Johnson (22), the United States led the arms race and was the leading nation in the development of nuclear weapon. Nuclear weapon emerged as the ultimate weapon that a country could use to completely destroy its enemies in case of war (Spohr 42).
The country experienced rapid technological development in the field of military as it came to understand the concept of nuclear war better than any other nation in the period leading to the September 11, 2001 terror attack. In this century, it is believed that the United States still has the most advanced military capabilities that are yet to be matched by the emerging powers.
According to Kolodziej and Kanet (90), inasmuch as the United States has superior military capabilities, there are limitations on exercising this power in this 21st century. The main impediment is the emergence of the concept of sovereignty. The United States has unmatched military capabilities, but it is bound by the international laws to respect the sovereignty of other countries. It means that although the United States has the capacity to destroy a country it considers a threat, it is bound by the law to respect the sovereignty of such a country unless there is a justifiable reason that makes it necessary to go to war. The government of the United States, with all its military capabilities, also cannot remove a government of another country from power using its own forces because of the existing international laws.
According to Lebovic, technology itself is another hindrance that limits the ability of this country to exercise its powers (78). Other countries such as Russia and China have also advanced their nuclear weapons. In fact, it is believed that currently Russia has more nuclear warheads than any other country in the world (Bacevich 44). China is also spending more in its nuclear development.
In case the United States goes to war with Russia, then it is believed that the two countries, and probably the rest of the world, will be completely destroyed and human race may be brought to an end in a matter of hours (Johnson 24). Technology has advanced to the level where any major war may mean end of human race. This is the most inhibiting factor that restricts the United States from exercising its powers.
Works Cited
Bacevich, Andrew. The Limits of Power: The End of American Exceptionalism. New York: Metropolitan Books, 2008. Print.
Davis, Carmel. Power, Threat, or Military Capabilities: Us Balancing in the Later Cold War, 1970-1982. New York: Springer, 2011. Print.
Johnson, David. Military Capabilities for Hybrid War: Insights from the Israel Defense Forces in Lebanon and Gaza. Santa Monica: RAND Corporation, 2010. Print.
Kolodziej, Edward, and Roger Kanet. From Superpower to Besieged Global Power: Restoring World Order after the Failure of the Bush Doctrine. Athens: University of Georgia Press, 2008. Print.
Lebovic, James. The Limits of U.S. Military Capability: Lessons from Vietnam and Iraq. Baltimore [Md.: Johns Hopkins University Press, 2010. Print.
Spohr, Readman. Building Sustainable and Effective Military Capabilities: A Systemic Comparison of Professional and Conscript Forces. Amsterdam: IOS Press, 2004. Print.