Great-power rivalries are recurrent in history, and once in place, they endure until one side gives up the fight (e.g., the Soviet Union) or is defeated in a war (e.g., Kaiser’s Germany). The risks associated with such competitions often lead to an understandable temptation: Why remain locked in a struggle when perhaps a grand bargain may be possible? Understandable, yes, but dangerous and to be resisted.The temptation is to believe that the sources of the tensions perhaps can be negotiated away; some common interests might be found; possibly, a rival can help to solve a challenge in a distant region; …read more
Source: The American Interest
