The Inadequacy of American Power American supremacy-military, economic, and social-is so overwhelming it can no longer be denied. Nor can the supremacy of three ideas that have come to dominate the global system: peace, democracy, and free markets. Yet none of these three ideas is universally practiced or completely secure. And U.S. power, although good at achieving many things, may not be suited to the most important task: defending, maintaining, and expanding these goals around the world

China's Governance Crisis Predicting the outcome of China's upcoming leadership succession has become a popular parlor game in certain Washington circles But a focus on power plays in Beijing misses the real story: China is facing a hidden crisis of governance. Whoever they are, the new leaders will have to deal with a failing state, an ailing party apparatus, and rising social tensions if they wish to sustain China's economic growth

What Kind of War for Colombia? Colombia has just inaugurated a hard-line president, Alvaro Uribe, who has promised to crack down on the country's left-wing insurgents and right-wing paramilitaries. Meanwhile, U.S. aid is flooding in, and since September u, American efforts have shifted from fighting drugs to battling subversives. Peace will not come, however, until Bogotá rebuilds neglected state institutions and starts providing real security