Introduction

The post-Cold-War era is primarily characterized by an international order dominated by one superpower, the USA. While US primacy has been unabashedly flaunted, particularly after 9/11, it had been apparent well before the promulgation of the US War on Terror. Not surprisingly, the unilateral pursuit of US economic, political and security interests became more possible than ever with the demise of the Soviet Union and the end of the Cold War.