Waterloo was a close-run thing, 1815.
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, Columnist
In an Age of Superpowers, Geography Is Still Destiny
We continually hear that technology has obliterated distance, but earth’s contours set the deeper rhythms of our world.
The world is a battleground again. The post–Cold War moment of great-power peace and borderless globalization has ended. Fracture, rivalry and disorder are defining themes of our age.
In recent years, ghastly wars have upended crucial regions. Freedom of the seas and the sanctity of borders are under assault. Aggressive autocracies are challenging the US and its democratic allies. America’s commitment to leading a prosperous, stable international system is itself in doubt.