Putin s New World Disorder – WSJ

The post-Cold War order has depended on U.S. economic and military power, not on the illusion that the international community can enforce world order. Could there be a better display of United Nations impotence than Russia presiding on Wednesday over a Security Council session on Russia s invasion?

Mr. Biden and his advisers continue to believe in this community of nations fantasy, but this is a time for sturdier alliances of conviction and interests. If Mr. Putin consolidates control in Kyiv, he will surely increase the threats against NATO s border countries. The alliance will have to fortify its eastern front, and Europe in particular will have to rearm. The political war on fossil fuels needs to end.

Some Americans will want to concede Russia this sphere of influence and say it s Europe s problem. But a world in which Russia dominates Eastern and Central Europe, Iran dominates the Middle East, and China dominates East Asia will not be safe for U.S. interests. Regional powers have a habit of becoming global threats, especially when they work in concert as Russia, China and Iran are already doing.

We can debate if Mr. Biden s weakness on Afghanistan caused Mr. Putin to believe he could invade Ukraine, but you fight a new Cold War with the President you have. Mr. Biden now has to rally the world and the American public to understand the stakes in Ukraine and counter the rapidly increasing threats to America.

via www.wsj.com