The core weakness of U.S. foreign intervention isn't a lack of military or economic power, but a lack of seriousness about the aftermath. The U.S. lacks the patience, humility, and stamina for the difficult, unglamorous work of post-conflict planning and nation-building, dooming interventions to failure.
American military operations often begin with impressive displays of technological and operational excellence, much like a Bond film's opening scene. However, they frequently devolve into confusion and mediocrity due to a lack of coherent long-term strategy, leading to costly and disastrous outcomes.
The author argues that the American left suffers from a 'moral paralysis' when oppressors are non-Western, as in Iran. This selective silence on human rights abuses prevents a unified national stance and leads to squandered opportunities for regime change, such as during the 2022 women-led protests.
Unpredictable foreign policy, like threatening to attack a NATO ally over Greenland, erodes international trust. This directly endangers a key U.S. economic vulnerability: its reliance on foreign nations to buy its debt. Such actions could make it 'unpopular to buy or hold U.S. debt,' weaponizing capital against America.