Its diplomatic feat of restoring relations in the Middle East reflects less its position as a rising power than the startling decline of American regional credibility.
There is probably no better evidence of how poorly the War on Terror demonstrated its stated goal of the rule of law than the little-noted use, and misuse, of security contractors.
Cities devastated, untold thousands dead, and the global economy, with its epicenter in Asia, left in ruins—a war would be ruinous to the region and the world.