America can still destroy the world

The decline of U.S. military power has been greatly exaggerated

U.S. Air Force F-22 Raptor fighter jet
(Image credit: (Ina Fassbender / Reuters))

The traditional image — and priorities — of the United States military have undergone a profound shift. Long thought of as organized around fleets of ships, squadrons of fighter planes, and long lines of tanks, the new public image of the armed forces is now Navy SEALs, IED protective vehicles, Reaper drones, and gunships.

At the same time, potential adversaries China and Russia have pushed on with a new generation of conventional weapons suitable for so-called "big wars," with almost monthly announcements of new fighters, surface ships, bombers, and tanks.

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Kyle Mizokami is a freelance writer whose work has appeared in The Daily Beast, TheAtlantic.com, The Diplomat, and The National Interest. He lives in San Francisco.