The Real World Order

After every major, systemic war, there is the hope that this will be the war to end all wars. The idea driving it is simple. Wars are usually won by grand coalitions. The idea is that the coalition that won the war by working together will continue to work together to make the peace. Indeed, the idea is that the defeated will join the coalition and work with them to ensure the peace. This was the dream behind the Congress of Vienna, the League of Nations, the United Nations and, after the Cold War, NATO. The idea was that there would be no major issues that couldn’t be handled by the victors, now joined with the defeated. That was the idea that drove George H. W. Bush as the Cold War was coming to its end ....

The post-Cold War world, the New World Order, ended with authority on Aug. 8, 2008, when Russia and Georgia went to war

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Analysis: Russia sends message to region and West

Russian leaders are "sending a message," said Jeffrey Mankoff, adjunct fellow for Russia studies with the Council on Foreign Relations. "They're back, and they're willing to stand up for their interests. … And the West doesn't have a lot of options."

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