Hawzah News Agency- Contrary to Washington’s long-standing rhetoric of dominance, analysts say the document exposes a country struggling to maintain economic and military superiority in a rapidly transforming world.
Document Acknowledges Realities Washington Long Denied
International-affairs journalist Masoud Barati says the language of the NSS makes it clear that U.S. policymakers have overestimated America’s capacity for decades.
“They admit that previous administrations tried to sustain a massive welfare–administrative state alongside an enormous military, diplomatic, and intelligence apparatus—far beyond America’s real capabilities,” Barati notes.
The strategy goes as far as criticizing the U.S. free-trade model, blaming it for the erosion of America’s middle class and for its diminishing economic and military competitiveness. Analysts say such acknowledgements amount to an implicit admission that the United States no longer stands at the top of the global hierarchy—economically or militarily.
Barati argues that the very pillars that shaped America’s post–World War II order—and especially Washington’s dominance after the collapse of the Soviet Union—are now recognized as unsustainable.
The document also signals that Washington is turning inward, abandoning global ambitions it once pursued aggressively. Even concerning West Asia, it openly expresses relief that the region “no longer dominates” U.S. foreign policy, framing the end of U.S.-led “nation-building” wars as a positive development.
Washington No Longer Capable of Shaping the Balance of Power Alone
Another major shift highlighted in the NSS is the U.S. approach to emerging global actors. Barati explains that instead of containing rivals—Washington’s traditional strategy—the document emphasizes maintaining a balance of power with the help of allies.
“This is an admission that the U.S. cannot prevent the rise of other powers,” Barati says. “It accepts the changing global order and acknowledges that America must now focus on preventing others from becoming dominant—rather than preventing their rise altogether.”
This approach, experts say, reflects a weakened superpower adapting to a multipolar world.
Experts: America’s Decline Is Long-Running and Irreversible
Dr. Fuad Izadi, a professor of international politics, argues that the U.S. decline is neither new nor subtle. He notes that major international conferences—such as the Munich Security Conference—have repeatedly documented Washington’s diminishing global role.
Izadi cites statements by the Leader of the Islamic Revolution, who has for years described America’s decline as a historic process rooted in its policies of domination.
“The issue is not America as a country,” Izadi says. “It is the arrogance and coercive behavior that has defined U.S. policy for decades. That approach has now led America to a point of irreversible decline.”
Analysts Warn of Internal Symptoms of Collapse
Political researcher Dr. Mohammad Sadeq Khorsand says the U.S. is not merely declining—it is showing symptoms of collapse.
Pointing to findings from American think tanks, including the Atlantic Council, Khorsand says the U.S. is facing its lowest levels of social cohesion in decades.
“The United States is suffering from severe political polarization, cultural fragmentation, and economic inequality,” he explains. “These are not minor issues. These are indicators of a system in crisis.”
Khorsand notes that the international system is no longer unipolar and that powerful civilizations throughout history have experienced similar trajectories—rising, stagnating, and eventually declining.
Deep Societal Divisions Signal Troubled Future for Washington
Analysts warn that internal fractures are becoming the defining feature of contemporary America. The Atlantic Council’s recent report titled “Failed Government” states that U.S. governance, public trust, and social stability are at their lowest levels in modern history.
“Political, social, and cultural divisions will intensify,” Khorsand warns. “The United States is no longer the unified global hegemon it once projected itself to be.”
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