What the World Needs Is Old-School Realism

Today’s world is a toxic blend of nationalist emotions and divergent interests. The spillover from the Syrian civil war is making conflict between NATO member Turkey and Russia increasingly likely. ISIS poses an existential threat — in Paris, Jakarta, and Beirut — to civil society. Advancing a strategy of confrontation, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has spent the past few days testing ballistic missiles, executing his army chief, and cutting links with South Korea. As former Defense secretary Robert Gates recently remarked, “My worry about Kim Jong Un is not just that he’s dangerous, but that he might not be very smart.” The risk of conflict is significant. Remember, in 2010, at the height of President Obama’s deterrent credibility, Kim sank a South Korean navy vessel and shelled a South Korean island. Since then, Syria has been choked, Europe has been invaded, and Iran has dominated the Middle East.