Leading foreign policy expert Gelb offers guidelines on how American power actually works and should be wielded in today's tumultuous world. He argues that Washington risks losing the essential lifeblood of its national security--its power--unless American leaders relearn the lessons of how to use that power. The United States remains far and away the most powerful country in a world where power remains sharply pyramidal. But the U.S. is not the dominant power, and it can't dictate to others. Gelb persuasively shows that America's future power must be based on the principle of mutual indispensability: Washington is the indispensable leader because it alone can galvanize coalitions to solve major international problems (and all nations know this), while other key nations are indispensable partners in getting the job done. The reality is this: succeed together or fail apart.--From publisher description.

pt. 1. Power in the new world. The revolution in world power ; What power is, and what power isn't ; Power in the American century ; The new pyramid of world power -- pt. 2. Rules for exercising power. Strategy and power : mutual indispensability ; Intelligence and power ; U.S. domestic politics and power ; Military power ; Economic power ; Stage-setting power -- pt. 3. Policy and power. Foreign policy power ; U.S. policy and power in the Middle East ; Necessity, choice, and common sense.