In his powerful and comprehensive survey of global political history, Francis Fukuyama explains how liberal democracies have managed to achieve what he calls the “miracle of modern politics”: balancing state power, the rule of law, and accountability to citizens. But past results, he warns, are no guarantee of future success.

NATO’s operation in Libya has rightly been praised for saving lives and ending a tyrannical regime, write the U.S. permanent representative to NATO and its supreme allied commander for Europe. But to replicate the success, member states must reinforce their political cohesion and improve the burden sharing that made the mission work.

Chinese cyberattacks are stealing priceless intellectual property and crucial military secrets from companies and governments around the globe. Negotiations with Beijing are unlikely to help, since China has little interest in cracking down on hacking. So Washington must focus on defenses, not diplomacy.