Is America Still Capable of Enforcing the World Order?

In the Wall Street Journal yesterday:

Is America Still Capable of Enforcing the World Order?

As the Iran war drains vital stockpiles of missile interceptors, American allies increasingly question Washington’s capacity to wage multi-front conflicts

By 

Yaroslav Trofimov

"Ever since President Trump’s return to office, America’s allies have been fretting about Washington’s intentions. Now, after the inconclusive war against Iran has eroded U.S. weapons stockpiles and laid bare the limits of American hard power, they also worry about American capabilities.

"Can America still defend its friends, if it wants to?"

"The question that officials in allied—and adversary—capitals are asking themselves is whether industrial decline, strategic incoherence and political dysfunction have weakened the U.S. to the point where it would no longer wield decisive force in a multi-front conflict that may encompass Europe, the Middle East and Asia. It is a concern shared by many in Washington, too." "

 “Unofficially, we all know that they won’t risk their security for the sake of the Baltic states, or for the sake of Germany,” said retired colonel Roderich Kiesewetter, a lawmaker from Germany’s ruling party. “The American nuclear umbrella is gone.” "

Luckily Russia is not going to invade Nato countries any more than the Soviet Union would ever have done. Mr Trofimov, who is Ukrainian-Italian, might not see that. 

The interesting questions are how long will the global south tolerate US control by way of sanctions, tariffs, weaponising currency rates and debt traps (the sin of which the MI6/CIA adjacent press accuses China), how long will dollar hegemony and the petrodollar system continue and will the Europeans make terms with Putin and China (and Iran)?