Don't Wait For The Next War: Rethinking America's Global Mission

Can America have a real national strategy and move forward together without the focus of war? In the twentieth century, America came together to become the "Arsenal of Democracy," and emerged from World War II as the greatest power in the world. We shaped a global civilization in our own values, first with international institutions and our allies, then triumphing over our long-term adversary, the Soviet Union to emerge as the world's lone superpower. But in losing our adversary, America's leadership has founded. We have not replaced our post-World War II strategic vision with something appropriate for a postwar role. In Syria, and more broadly across the Middle East, bellicosity has not served us well and we look adrift in the face of that region's turbulence. Guns and swords don't seem to help.