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The article discusses the debate over the declining power of the U.S. The main concern is over a failure of government. The debate originated from certain political issues, such as anxiety over the policy of detente and the weakening power of the U.S. as compared to Russian power. The issue has been discussed by Norman Podhoretz in his pamphlet "The Present Danger." The U.S. faces the question of how much of its wealth should be devoted to improving its military strength and preparedness. The U.S. needs to take its enemies and allies into consideration to be able to maintain its power as a great nation.

Focuses on Soviet writer Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn's views about the West. Excerpt from a Solzhenitsyn's writing which reflects the sacred belief of Russians that they will be the salvation of mankind; Views expressed by writer Ronald Hingley about the difficulty of the Russians to adjust to Western life in his book "The Russian Mind"; Author's comments on Solzhenitsyn's criticisms of the decadence of western civilization; Need for Solzhenitsyn to be asked to be specific in his apocalyptic visions.

Focuses on a British diplomat George F. Kennan views on the foreign policy of the U.S. Opinion of Kennan that the U.S. should improve its relationship with the Soviet Union; Opposition of Kennan to the view that the Soviet Union poses an immediate military threat to the U.S.; Proposal of Kennan for series of private gatherings in which would be included not only high-level policy-makers of the moment but leading members of the opposition, that is, the U.S. Committee on the Present Danger; Reference of Kennan's proposal as the politics of senility; View that his lack of confidence in democratic institutions and his natural preference for spheres of interest has led him to make some outlandish proposals.

Focuses on a British diplomat George F. Kennan views on the foreign policy of the U.S. Opinion of Kennan that the U.S. should improve its relationship with the Soviet Union; Opposition of Kennan to the view that the Soviet Union poses an immediate military threat to the U.S.; Proposal of Kennan for series of private gatherings in which would be included not only high-level policy-makers of the moment but leading members of the opposition, that is, the U.S. Committee on the Present Danger; Reference of Kennan's proposal as the politics of senility; View that his lack of confidence in democratic institutions and his natural preference for spheres of interest has led him to make some outlandish proposals.

Focuses on the policy of French government towards United States and her allies, with respect to the invasion of Afghanistan by the Soviet Union. Criticism of the French policy to stay neutral on the invasion issue; Assessment of the historical character of France that reflects falsehood in its reputation as strong power in Western Europe; Argument that France has waged more wars of brutal conquest than any other nation in the West; Opinion that France's allies have to understand that French nationalism is not a reasonable force as it is in most other nations.