War in Ukraine. Fighting in Gaza, and across the Middle East. Risky air naval incidents in the South China Sea. Worries about a potential Taiwan conflict. All of it wrapped in visibly growing tensions between China and Russia on the one hand, and the United States and its allies on the other.
So much for the end of history and a lasting peace dividend. Once more, rival geopolitical blocks are maneuvering for advantage, competing directly and through proxies. Once more, economics is playing second fiddle to geopolitics as countries seek to secure their supply chains and ramp up military spending.
Is a war among the great powers possible? Could we be stumbling towards something that looks more like the hot and cold world wars of the 20th century than almost anyone thought possible?
Philip Zelikow is an American diplomat and a scholar with decades of frontline experience, thinking about and working on the great issues of war and peace. Listen as he discusses his fear about the future in this episode of New Thinking for a New World.
Do you think that the United States, China, and Russia are heading towards conflict? Tell us what you think in the comment section below.
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Philip Zelikow recently published a deeply insightful article entitled Confronting Another Axis? History, Humility, and Wishful Thinking in The Texas National Security Review.
ABOUT OUR GUEST
Philip Zelikow is the Botha-Chan Senior Fellow at Stanford University’s Hoover Institution.For 25 years he held a chaired professorship in history at the University of Virginia. For seven years before that, he was an associate professor at Harvard University.
In his scholarship, Zelikow focuses on critical episodes in world history and the challenges of policy design and statecraft. His most recent book is The Road Less Traveled: The Secret Turning Point of the Great War, 1916-17 (2021).
An attorney and former career diplomat, Zelikow’s federal service includes work across the government in the five administrations from Reagan through Obama, and is a strategic consultant for the current Biden administration. On the NSC Staff (1989-91) he took part in the diplomacy to unify Germany and end the Cold War. As Counselor of the Department of State (2005-07) he had deputy-level policy responsibilities on issues around the world. He is one of few Americans to have served on the President’s Intelligence Advisory Board for presidents from both political parties.
Zelikow has also directed three successful and bipartisan national commissions: the Carter-Ford commission on federal election reform (2001), the 9/11 Commission (2004), and the Covid Crisis Group. That group’s acclaimed report, Lessons from the Covid War, was published in April 2023.
I am A Black Afro-American who considers herself an informed political activist. As I have watched the situation in Gaza intensify , I am concerned that this area of the world poses the most immediate danger of world war III. I see an advancing crisis that can bring the United States and other countries into a full world war.
As a Nigerian having an outsider’s perspective, I’ve come to the same conclusion as you.. America, Israel and most of the west seem to want full scale all encompassing war for some reason that defies Reason and Common Sense
Firstly, hats off to these two Men for this greatly entertaining and informative discussion that I could listen to for days
I’ve learnt Deeper complexities about the Current World Order and the reasons why war is almost inevitable in the future which is something I’ve been struggling to understand for years now so a special big thank you to Mr Philip for enlightening me
There’s still a chance that Peace may prevail over War but that depends mightily on the decisions the leaders of both sides take and I hope to God they choose right and at the right times
“There are 3 types of war.
1. War against other nations.
2. War within society
3. War within one self. (A battle to achieve moral integrity). The third one is the hardest.” John Chrysostom. I agree with him. And the solution for the problems we are facing will be to focus on people Moral integrity. The responsibility of government, spiritual Leaders, and individual should be moral integrity. Then instead of concentrating on materials, it will change to people, so that we can live together by sharing, respecting each other. Because we have enough resources in the world.