China's Rise Questions US "Cowboy" Military Tactics

Is the era of unchallenged American military power ending? Analysts now ask if rivals, like China, could replicate aggressive U.S. operations. This includes complex state-sponsored captures, like the recent detention of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his wife. It also extends to remote assassinations by drone, acts critics label state terrorism. These drone strikes often kill civilian bystanders. They also breach the sovereignty of other nations. The United States has demonstrated it can conduct such operations globally. Such tactics are described by observers as "Hollywood-style cowboy militarism." This approach, once a unique symbol of U.S. power, is now a potential blueprint for others.