PROVIDENCE – The United States has rediscovered its inner imperialist. An American-Israeli war against Iran is underway, and Venezuela is now a satrapy to be run by whoever cuts a deal with the White House. The fate of its former dictator is a warning to any American satrap that if you don’t measure up, you will be removed, too. In such a world, security apparently lies in taking land before other powers do, rather than in alliances and multilateral institutions. Hence, Greenland will be American, and Chinese influence in Latin America will be stamped out. The project of dividing the world into spheres of security, backed by rival technology stacks and energy sources, is advancing fast. The only international law now is the law of the jungle, where the strong prey on the weak.

© Project Syndicate