Protesters gather outside the White House in Washington, D.C. to demonstrate against US and Israeli attacks on Iran on March 7, 2026. Photo: VCG

Since the US-Israel military strikes against Iran, the ongoing turmoil in the Middle East has drawn global attention. While the international community hopes for an early end to the conflict, it is also asking: why was a war launched on Iran? The concept of "predatory hegemony," proposed by Stephen Walt, a professor of international relations at Harvard University, offers a new perspective for understanding the logic of US foreign policy.

"Predatory hegemony" refers to the US using its privileged position in the international system to extract concessions, tributes and compliance from allies and adversaries. In short, it treats all bilateral relationships - not just with adversaries, but also with partners and allies - as a zero-sum game, attempting to extract maximum benefit from every interaction. "What's mine is mine and what's yours is negotiable" is its core principle.

The US' actions have laid bare its predatory hegemony. From recklessly withdrawing from international agreements and abandoning international responsibilities, to using international rules selectively; from attempting economic blackmail through tariffs and trade wars, to now readily using or threatening to use force against sovereign states and ruthlessly seizing resources and claiming territory... all of these clearly demonstrate that the US is rapidly degenerating into a system where "might makes right."

This "degeneration" manifests on two levels. First, there is a degradation of its role. After the Cold War, while the US retained its hegemonic nature, it, at least superficially, maintained an image of a "responsible country": maintaining alliances, providing certain international public goods and dominating the formulation and implementation of international rules. Now, this mask has been rapidly peeling away, and the US has completely degenerated into a "rules-breaker" and a "cooperative saboteur," relying instead on the naked "law of the jungle" to maintain its hegemony.

Second, there is a decline in strategic mindset. The relative decline of its hegemony has triggered deep anxiety in the US. According to World Bank data, the US' share of global GDP has fallen from approximately 40 percent in 1960 to about 25 percent in 2023. This unease stemming from the relative decline in power makes Washington increasingly unable to accept global changes. The further development of economic globalization and the collective rise of the Global South have become a major concern for some American politicians. They believe that maintaining the existing international system is not worthwhile, and coupled with the rise of domestic populism and intensified political polarization, their mindset has degenerated into "America First," pushing them further down the path of unilateral hegemony.

"Predatory hegemony contains the seeds of its own destruction," Walter wrote in Foreign Affairs magazine. Why did he make such a judgment?

First, "predatory hegemony" confuses the essential difference between power and influence. True international influence is built on shaping common interests and upholding the credibility of rules. When a major power begins to justify its predatory actions with a "victim narrative" and frequently threatens the international community with withdrawal from treaties and agreements, it is actually overdrawing its international credibility. As a result, its international influence will inevitably decline "gradually, then suddenly."

Second, "predatory hegemony" falls into the cognitive trap of zero-sum thinking. When every interaction aims to extract the "maximum benefit," allies will no longer feel secure, and neutral parties will be forced to seek alternatives. Currently, for US allies, the trend of being placed on the "hegemonic table" is becoming increasingly apparent. Accelerating strategic autonomy has become a necessary option for these countries to protect their own interests, and "trust in US great power politics has been lost." A recent global poll released by the US polling agency Gallup shows that in 2025, the US approval rating in 44 countries plummeted by more than 10 percentage points, especially among NATO allies. The US is losing friends at an alarming rate, which is the cost of "predatory hegemony."

Furthermore, the notion of "predatory hegemony" underestimates the resilience of a multipolar world. An article published in the US magazine The National Interest points out that the US understands power the way a 19th-century strongman did - territory seized, resources extracted, rivals crushed." Times have changed; this mindset no longer has a basis in reality. What the world needs today is leadership that promotes win-win cooperation. The evolution of the international order will not be halted by the will of any single country; on the contrary, the world will accelerate its move toward pluralism due to the self-marginalization of hegemonic powers.

The US' slide toward "predatory hegemony" is tantamount to choosing to "enter the future in a regressive manner." From a "builder" of international rules to a "disruptor," from a "promoter" of global cooperation to an "exploiter," from a "trustee" of allies and partners to a "blackmailer" — this series of regressions is essentially a self-imposed exile driven by the US' anxiety about hegemony. Walter offers a sharp and sobering assessment: In the short term, "predatory hegemony" may extract some "benefits," but in the long run, the US will become poorer, less secure and gradually lose its influence.

Breaking free from the logic of hegemony, opening our eyes to the world and truly embracing multilateralism and international cooperation is the right path for any major power.

Zhong Sheng is the People's Daily international news commentary column. opinion@globaltimes.com.cn