Question

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.

“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, how did the role of the United States evolve after the collapse of the Soviet Union?

Responses

The United States and the Soviet Union created spheres of influence in the Middle East and the world in general.
The United States and the Soviet Union created spheres of influence in the Middle East and the world in general. - no response given

The United States strengthened its superpower status and control within the United Nations.
The United States strengthened its superpower status and control within the United Nations. - no response given

The United States created a Security Council to legitimize its military operations.
The United States created a Security Council to legitimize its military operations. - no response given

The United States secured the containment of Communism in the world.

Answer 1

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

Explanation: Bush’s remarks emphasize that with the end of East–West (U.S.–Soviet) confrontation, the U.S. could lead a new partnership of nations and use the UN to coordinate collective action (as in the Gulf War). The other choices are incorrect because the UN Security Council already existed (was not created by the U.S.), containment of Communism was a Cold War policy no longer central after the Soviet collapse, and the excerpt does not describe new U.S.–Soviet spheres of influence.