"The Reluctant Imperialist" by Sebastian Mallaby is a pro-imperliasm non-fiction article that encourages powerful nations such as the United States to be unapologetic imperial forces in the world. Mallaby claims that this will ultimately support a peaceful world, as he believes that nations that are not strongly ruled are prone to crime, poverty, and cycles of violence.

However, historical precedent is not on Mallaby's side, as colonization has been proven time and time again to lead to cycles of poverty and violence. When Europeans colonized South and North America, the result was the physical and cultural genocide of the indigenous peoples of the land. The people who survived were subjected to a violent eradication of their culture and autonomous means of survival. As tribes were unable to retain their cultural and economic autonomy as sovereign nations and tribes of people, rates of violence and alcoholism in these communities skyrocketed. Tribes that were once thriving communities have been reduced to poverty due to imperialist actions by the United States.

Mallaby, however, argues that imperialism, through the force of strong police, military, and economic superiority will lead to stable nations. Mallaby cites the crime rates and violence of Global-South nations as reasons for imperialism. What Mallaby does not understand is the five centuries of colonization that occurred across the non-European world from Western European countries and the United States have directly led to the destabilization of non-European nations. This has led to the cycles of violence and poverty experienced in them today.

Basically, the author is saying that the United States, even if it is reluctant, needs to go out and be an imperial power.  He says that imperialism is the best way to keep the world safe.  He says that strong nations have done it for thousands of years and it's only now that we're afraid to be imperial.

Mallaby says that all sorts of bad things come from failed states.  They breed crime and wars, in particular.  When states fail, he says, someone needs to step in.  That someone should be the US because it is the most powerful country.  (He says the US needs to lead a coalition of rich countries.)  He says that other approaches, such as foreign aid, just don't work.