By Peter Harris
Despite their differences, Democrats and Republicans can agree on one thing: The United States has entered a period of great power competition with China and Russia. The bipartisan push to counter Chinese influence in the Indo-Pacific has been building for years. Now, in the wake of Vladimir Putin’s unprovoked invasion of Ukraine, political attention will be firmly fixed on the threat posed by Moscow in Europe, too.
Competing with two powerful adversaries will be hard enough for the United States. But to successfully manage relations with Russia and China over the long term, leaders in Washington must do something even harder: They must relearn the art of meaningful compromise. In today’s domestic climate, the task of finding common ground with America’s adversaries will make great power competition look like the easy part.
Blending elements of competition and compromise into an effective grand strategy is challenging at the best of times. Veer too far in the direction of competition — especially in the military sphere — and leaders risk sleepwalking into unwanted and unwinnable wars with powerful foes. Lean too much on compromise, however, and a president becomes vulnerable to charges of weakness, negligence and appeasement.
This piece was originally published in Stars & Stripes on March 9, 2022. Read more HERE.