The world is no longer afraid of America - and that should worry Washington | WION Decodes

For nearly eight decades, the United States did not merely dominate the global order. It psychologically defined it. Countries feared American sanctions, American aircraft carriers, American intelligence networks and American military retaliation. Even rivals calibrated their actions carefully because Washington cultivated an image of overwhelming capability and political will. That same fear shaped the post-Cold War world. But today, that fear is visibly eroding, and that should be something Washington worries about.

Wait, has America lost its power?

This sudden change is not because America has suddenly become weak. In fact, in raw numbers, America remains unmatched. According to the latest data from the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), the country still spent nearly $954 billion on defence in 2025, more than any other country by a massive margin. The US, China and Russia together accounted for 51 per cent of global military spending.

For decades after the Soviet Union collapsed, American supremacy appeared absolute. NATO expanded eastward. The dollar became the backbone of global trade. US military interventions in Iraq and the Balkans reinforced the image of an unstoppable superpower.

The numbers still reflect enormous American influence.

The US dollar continues to account for 56.77 per cent of global foreign exchange reserves, according to the latest IMF COFER data. No other military possesses America’s worldwide logistical reach. No rival alliance structure comes close to NATO’s scale. Yet the issue for Washington is not whether it remains powerful. The issue is whether the world still believes America can decisively enforce its will.

Because that distinction matters.

Kabul changed global psychology

The 2021 withdrawal from Afghanistan was not merely a military exit. It became a geopolitical spectacle watched across every capital. After two decades of war, the Taliban returned to Kabul within days of the US-backed government collapsing. Allies privately questioned American planning and long-term strategic consistency. Rivals saw something else: fatigue.

For years, America projected itself as a country willing to sustain global commitments indefinitely. Afghanistan disrupted that image. It showed that domestic political exhaustion could override long-term geopolitical goals.

Rivals are becoming openly defiant

The clearest sign of declining fear is behavioural.

Russia absorbed sweeping Western sanctions after invading Ukraine and still refused to back down. The world thought it would backfire on Russia, but something opposite happened.

Russia’s economy contracted initially, but stabilised faster than many expected. According to the IMF, Russia’s economy grew by 3.6 per cent in 2024, outperforming several European economies despite sanctions. Moscow redirected oil exports towards China and India while continuing the war.

Iran-backed militias repeatedly targeted US-linked assets in West Asia despite direct American warnings. China has intensified military pressure around Taiwan while aggressively expanding its influence across the Indo-Pacific.

A decade ago, many of these moves would have been considered dangerously escalatory against Washington. But in present, they increasingly appear calculated rather than reckless. This is not because rivals believe they can defeat the US militarily. It is because they increasingly believe America may lack either the political appetite or strategic coherence for prolonged confrontation.

Moreover, according to recent reporting by The Washington Post, European NATO allies are increasingly discussing military self-reliance amid fears of fluctuating US commitments and troop reductions in Europe.

Alliances function on trust as much as capability. Once allies begin preparing for strategic unpredictability, the architecture of global influence slowly changes.

The trend is visible beyond Europe.

China understands the moment best

No country has exploited this psychological shift more effectively than China. Beijing’s strategy is not simply about surpassing the US economically or militarily. It is about convincing the world that American primacy is fading and that a multipolar order is inevitable.

Chinese President Xi Jinping repeatedly frames global politics around “multipolarity” and resistance to Western dominance. The language resonates across parts of Asia, Africa and Latin America, where countries increasingly prefer transactional partnerships over ideological alignment. Meanwhile, China’s military expenditure continues to rise rapidly. SIPRI estimates Beijing spent around $336 billion in 2025, second only to the US. India ranked 5th globally with military spending crossing $92 billion.

There is a shift in Europe, too. French President Emmanuel Macron has repeatedly pushed for “strategic autonomy” for Europe, arguing the continent should reduce dependence on Washington. This clearly means, even allies are preparing for a world where America may not always be reliable, predictable or dominant.

That is not rebellion. That is insurance. And countries buy insurance only when they perceive risk.

Why Washington should worry

A world that no longer fears America is not necessarily a world that respects international stability more.

Historically, moments when dominant powers appear politically divided or strategically uncertain often encourage risk-taking by rivals. Miscalculations become more likely. Regional conflicts intensify. Proxy wars multiply. The danger for Washington is not immediate decline. The US remains too wealthy, too technologically advanced and too militarily capable for that narrative to hold.

The real danger is slower and more subtle: the collapse of deterrent psychology.