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Why the U.S. Needs Latin America

The Obama administration regards Asia as the defining competition of the next century. But instead of looking east, the U. S. really needs to look south–it needs Latin America.
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What’s the Latest Development?

It is fashionable for pundits to say that the world’s center of gravity is shifting east. But Parag Khanna argues that “the most decisive geostrategic maneuver” would be to elevate South America to its rightful place–as the third pillar of the West alongside Europe and North America. The U.S. can’t take Latin American loyalty for granted, he warns.

What’s the Big Idea?

If the first aim of geopolitics is access to resources, well South America has an abundant supply and would be fundamental to any strategy for energy self-sufficiency. Then there’s the fact the continent is also the world’s breadbasket. “Building a new hemispheric economy is crucial to tackling not only energy independence but also industrial competitiveness,” says Khanna.

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