Opinion | Only the U.S. Can Restore World Order

Chaos is spreading throughout the world as a direct consequence of America’s failure to deter Russia, Iran and China. The balance of power in key regions is faltering, leading to instability and global disorder. Like it or not, the U.S. is the only force that can restore equilibrium.

In a global conflict, as the Yale political scientist Nicholas Spykman (1893-1943) observed, success or failure in one region has “immediate and determining effect on the others.” Spykman emphasized the importance of preventing the rise of hegemonic powers whose “principles and ideals are opposed to the whole course of Western civilization.” This effort to check power in key regions of the world has been a mainstay of American foreign policy since the Cold War.