The United States faces the task of reshaping the global economic and geopolitical order as a new American grand strategy. Geography matters because location shapes power, an argument originally posed by Sir Halford Mackinder.
Historical precedents for maritime control include Sparta occupying the Dardanelles during the Peloponnesian War in the fifth century BC. Modern vulnerabilities in a globalised economy are exposed by the closure of the Strait of Hormuz and potential disruptions to maritime traffic through Bab-el-Mandeb.
The post-war international order was constructed by the US and its allies around the twin principles of primacy and restraint. During the Cold War, the containment of communism provided a strategic purpose for the US, while the global war on terror offered another organising framework for American power.
Washington's defence and security strategies have identified China as a major geopolitical challenge of the 21st century. The US and its allies face difficulties in deterring Iran and are reluctant to confront Russia directly.
Marco Rubio stated, "we must fight to defend Western civilization with the same passion as our forefathers did." Civilisationalism is proposed as a potential theoretical framework for understanding a less hegemonic and more pluralistic world.
