Renowned historian and economist Niall Ferguson, in an exclusive conversation with India Today, said the problem with the United States has been that it does not like to be involved in far-away problems, yet has its troops positioned everywhere.
Speaking to Kalli Purie, Vice Chairperson and Managing Director of the India Today Group, and Rahul Kanwal, News Director – Aaj Tak and India Today, in Davos, Switzerland, Ferguson said, “Back in 2011, I was talking about fundamental problems of American power and western civilisation. But now, there is a problem with American power, and the problem is that the United States does not really want to run the empire and yet it finds itself deploying troops all over the world, with a fundamental lack of political enthusiasm.”
“We’ve had two Presidents – Donald Trump and Joe Biden. No matter who the President is in 2024, they have the same problem. They would like not to be involved in far-away places with problems, whether it’s Ukraine, Israel, or Taiwan. They just walk away,” Ferguson told India Today.
The conversation comes on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum (WEF), having thrust climate change into the limelight as leaders grapple with the pressing challenges outlined in the WEF’s Global Risks report.
Ahead of the annual meeting, climate activists took to the streets, blocking the road to the WEF venue and causing an 18-kilometer traffic jam, news agency ANI reported.