Great Powers Commentary

The Era of Nation Cultivation

The concept of nation building has brought nothing but trouble. It's time for a paradigm shift.

NATO Muddles Through in Chicago

An anticlimactic summit revealed most of the allies lack the will and the wallet to fulfill NATO's lofty promises.

The New Great Game

Once the U.S. withdraws from Afghanistan, Washington will no longer set the rules in Southwest Asia.

The Chinese Are Coming!

Beijing is building schools and stadiums in the Caribbean. Washington should avoid the temptation to overreact. 

Small-Stick Diplomacy in the South China Sea

A recent action off the Phillipines has all eyes on China's rising naval prowess. But non-naval services also support Beijing's maritime strategy.

Think Like the Dragon

To understand Chinese military strategy, you must first understand Chinese history and culture.

A Radioactive Situation

An Israeli attack on Iran would draw America into a war that is neither affordable nor in its interests.

The China Bluff

Forty years after the Shanghai Communiqué, Nixon’s former interpreter says Obama’s Asia pivot must account for new realities.

Might Is Right in Syria

Saving Syria necessitates overhauling the entire Middle East. A new political map is in order.

Understanding America's Fall

U.S. decline may be inevitable. But that doesn't mean there's nothing Washington can do about it.

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May 27, 2012