Weary policeman : American power in an age of austerity / Dana H. Allin and Erik Jones.

Includes bibliographical references.

Introduction / Dana H. Allin and Erik Jones -- Power and restraint in American history -- Barack Obama and the limits of superpower -- Politics, polarisation and American exceptionalism -- The causes and consequences of austerity -- Power, influence and leadership -- Realist dilemmas.

Also available online.

The struggle not just to define but also to preserve American power is no modern phenomenon: questions of intervention and projection have dominated the nation's politics from the days of the Founding Fathers. Then, as now, the old centers of power were shifting. Nor is economic stress an unfamiliar factor for policymakers. As another presidential election looms, America's role in global affairs and security has emerged as one of the campaign's great battle lines. But in 2012, domestic political and economic problems are compounded by the ongoing financial crisis in Europe, which, together with the overstretch and fatigue from two wars, has sapped the strength of America's chief allies. While it may urge its NATO partners to shoulder more of the security burden, the US finds them less willing and occasionally unable to share the strain. This Adelphi examines the myriad challenges America must confront if it is to uphold and spread its values and interests.