Read the following excerpt from President George H. W. Bush's speech in 1991, on the eve of the Gulf War to oust Saddam Hussein from Kuwait. The Gulf War was the first United Nations operation with American support following the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1989.

Question

"Clearly, no longer can a dictator count on East-West confrontation to stymie concerted United Nations action against aggression. A new partnership of nations has begun, and we stand today at a unique and extraordinary moment. The crisis in the Persian Gulf, as grave as it is, also offers a rare opportunity to move toward an historic period of cooperation. Out of these troubled times, our fifth objective—a new world order—can emerge: A new era—freer from the threat of terror, stronger in the pursuit of justice and more secure in the quest for peace. An era in which the nations of the world, east and west, north and south, can prosper and live in harmony."

Based on this excerpt, cite evidence to explain how the role of the United States evolved after the collapse of the Soviet Union.

A) The United States and the Soviet Union created spheres of influence in the Middle East and the world in general.
B) The United States secured the containment of Communism in the world.
C) The United States strengthened its superpower status and control within the United Nations.
D) The United States created a Security Council to legitimize its military operations.

Answer 1

Based on the excerpt from President George H. W. Bush's speech, the most appropriate choice that reflects how the role of the United States evolved after the collapse of the Soviet Union is:

C) The United States strengthened its superpower status and control within the United Nations.

Evidence to support this choice can be found in the phrases that highlight the "new partnership of nations" and the emphasis on a "concerted United Nations action against aggression." This suggests that the United States was taking a leading role in shaping international cooperation and exerting its influence within the United Nations framework, particularly as it involved military actions such as the intervention in the Gulf War. The notion of a "new world order" indicates an evolution in U.S. foreign policy where it supported and sought to define a new cooperative global landscape after the decline of Soviet power, thereby reinforcing its superpower status.