In the Shadows of the American Century - Alfred W. McCoy

A well-researched catalogue of all the conditions and geopolitical shifts that are easing the U.S. out of its position of dominance.
- a brief examination of how the US become so powerful after WW II (economics in a fractured world)
- fracturing of social cohesion at home
- American loss of status and credibility through support for oppressive regimes, use of torture, covert operations harmful to the populations of other countries
- over reliance on military threat to force other countries to acquiesce the US lead / interests
- decline in economic performance (education failure, investment failure)
-decline in share of world economic activity as other countries' economic performance grows

The sections on China are very interesting.   They have a completely different approach to foreign relations.  They use their enormous reserves to build infrastructure partnerships with other countries and improve economies for both partners.   Some of the infrastructure projects are huge:  rail lines to Europe,  high speed rail lines to Europe (China to Berlin in 2 days!)  Infrastructure to link Europe, China and Africa in one large trading block. 

McCoy spends time at the beginning of the book exploring an old idea - Central Asia as the strategic key to world dominance.  If you can control or create a network linking this area with Europe, the East and Africa, then you have the dominant economy in the world.  He sees much of China's foreign policy as working towards this goal.

A book to reread, as there are many threads.