Trump’s Iran Policy Embodies Imperial Overstretch

by Sina Toossi In his seminal 1988 book The Rise and Fall of the Great Powers, renowned historian Paul Kennedy posits that dominant powers throughout history have succumbed to the same perennial affliction: imperial overstretch. Whether the British Empire or… Continue Reading

China and the U.S. Are Spawning a New Great Power Naval Rivalry

by Alfred McCoy Amid the intense coverage of Russian cyber-maneuvering and North Korean missile threats, another kind of great-power rivalry has been playing out quietly in the Indian and Pacific oceans. The U.S. and Chinese navies have been repositioning warships… Continue Reading

Washington’s Great Game and Why It’s Failing

by Alfred McCoy For even the greatest of empires, geography is often destiny. You wouldn’t know it in Washington, though. America’s political, national security, and foreign policy elites continue to ignore the basics of geopolitics that have shaped the fate… Continue Reading

Washington’s Great Game and Why It’s Failing

by Alfred McCoy For even the greatest of empires, geography is often destiny. You wouldn’t know it in Washington, though. America’s political, national security, and foreign policy elites continue to ignore the basics of geopolitics that have shaped the fate… Continue Reading

The Desperate Plight of a Declining Superpower

by Michael Klare Take a look around the world and it’s hard not to conclude that the United States is a superpower in decline. Whether in Europe, Asia, or the Middle East, aspiring powers are flexing their muscles, ignoring Washington’s… Continue Reading