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On Friday, Secretary of State Hilary Clinton publicly pressured China to agree to new sanctions on Iran. China relies on Iran’s natural resources to fuel its growing economy and is hesitant to endanger that relationship. This diplomatic tug-of-war is one example of the rise of what my next guest describes in detail in his new book, After Empire, the Birth of a Multipolar World. Author and analyst Dilip Hiro examines the complex economic and political developments that have led to the end of a Superpower nation, and the rise of an international system with multiple powers. Hiro’s analysis is informed by an astute understanding of history, economies, and diplomacy. The book examines the ideologies, diplomatic relationships, and needs of major world players, including China, Venezuela, Iran, India, and the United States. Using history as a guide Hiro is able to draw logical conclusions about what this multipolar world will look like in the years to come. Hiro’s earlier books include Inside Central Asia: A Political and Cultural History of Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyz, and Blood of the Earth: The Battle for the World’s Vanishing Oil Resources.

GUEST: Dilip Hiro, author of After Empire: The Birth of A Multipolar World