Forthepastweekorso,theUnitedStateshasbeeninthegripoframpantparanoiaoverwhatithastermedasa"Chinesespyballoon"andtheallegedsightingofseveralother"unidentifiedflyingobjects".Asashowofforce,andinadisplayofdomesticpoliticaltheater,theJoeBidenadministrationhasbeenshootingthemdown.

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Theseobjects,portrayedasthreatstothenationalsecurityoftheUnitedStates,arebeingusedtoweaponizemasshysteriawithaviewtopushasporadicanti-Chinaagenda,astheBidenadministrationstrivestopushUSdefencespendinguptounprecedentedlevels,andropeinalliestomilitarilyandstrategicallycontainBeijing.

RecognizinghowtheUSweaponizesfear,masshysteriaandparanoiainpursuitofitsgoalsiskeytounderstandingUSpoliticsasawhole.Whileintheory,theUSisadecentralizedfederaldemocracywithmanylayersofgovernment,thehistoricaltrajectoryofthelasthalfofthe20thcenturyhasconditionedadramaticcentralizationofpowerinlieuofthechallengesthecountryfacedwhileemergingasahegemonicstate,includingtheColdWar,thecounterculturalrevolutionofthe1960s,the"globalwaronterror",andnowthestruggleagainstChina.

Simplyput,inordertostrengthenunityandbuildaconsensusontheUS"internationalgoalsinadeeplydividedcountry,Americanstatecrafthasveeredtowardweaponizingfearandmasshysteriatosustainitsagendaandpoweramidtheriseofmassmedia.TheUS,afterall,isapopulousanddiversecountrywhich,throughoutitshistory,hassoughttoholdtogethertheentirepopulationunderoneideologydespitethevastsocioeconomicandethnicfracturesthatwereonceenoughtotriggerafull-blowncivilwar.

ThesefactorshavecreatedastructuralarrangementthroughwhichtheUSleadershipstrivestocentralizepowerinadecentralizedcountry,andlikewisemustsecuredemocraticconsentforpolicieswhich,byandlarge,arehegemonicincludingthosepromotingendlesswarsandencouragingpoliticalinterferencesinothercountries"internalaffairs.

Andtodoso,USpoliticianshavelearnedtocultivateparanoia,dramaandmasshysteriaasameanstodrivethepoliticalagendaandconsensusesintheirdirection,bycreatingconstantfearofagiven"other"whichineachscenario,threatensthe"exceptional"ideologyandvaluesoftheUS.

Indoingso,theUSconstantlyexaggeratesandamplifiestheperceivedthreattoitsnationalsecurity,interferenceinitsinternalaffairsby,ortheillintentionsof,itsdesignatedopponentsinabidtomandatepublicconsentforitsaggressiveforeignpolicies.Thisincludeshighlydubiousallegationsofspying,espionageandsubversion.

TheUSportraysitsenemiesasall-powerful,all-threateningandomniscientactorsfarbeyondtheirrealcapabilities,whichitusestospreadpanicamongAmericans,promptingthemtobelievethey"mustactnow"againstit.SuchportrayalsincludemanufacturednewssuchasSaddamHusseinpossessing"weaponsofmassdestruction",theDemocraticPeople"sRepublicofKoreaplanningto"launchanuclearstrikeagainsttheUS","RussiainterferinginUSelections"and"ChinapurportedlyspyingontheUS"inawholerangeofareas.

Thespy-balloonandUFOdramaisbeingusedbytheadministrationandthePentagontomanufacturesupportforincreaseddefencespendingandmassmilitarization.Lastyear,theBidenadministrationweaponizedtheeventsinUkrainetoreorientitsforeignpolicytomuchmoreaggressivelycontainChinamilitarily.

TheBidenadministrationplacesgreateremphasisontheencirclementofChinabydeepeningitsallianceswithothercountries,whichismorebelligerentandprovocativethanthepolicyoftheDonaldTrumpadministration,whichdespiteits"AmericaFirst"policywasnotsomilitaristic.Thishelpstheadministrationtoseekdomesticsupportforevenhighermilitaryspending,andspreadthesameparanoiaandfearintoothercountriestolockthemintothestrategicagendaitissetting.

TheUShasfoundintheballooncontroversytheperfectpitchforsuchanarrative,remindingusonceagainthatthecalibrationoforchestrateddramaandfearisacriticalaspectoftheUS"hegemonicforeignpolicy.Usingthisfear,theUSstrivestoraisethestakesofideologicalconfrontationandpretendeveryforeignpolicyissueisa"doordie"momentforthecountry.

ThishastransformedUSpoliticsintoahotbedofparanoia,irrationalityandinstabilitywhichposesriskstothesecurityandstabilityoftheworldatlarge.

TheauthorisaBritishpoliticalandinternationalrelationsanalyst.Theviewsdon"tnecessarilyreflectthoseofChinaDaily.

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