Author Archives: Christopher Layne

Is the United States in Decline?

No state stays on top of the great power pyramid forever.

Troops Now, Strategy Later?

The U.S. has exhausted its strategic options in Afghanistan.

The Big Forces of History

Can the era of America’s global dominance be sustained?

Stuck in the Middle East

Offshore balancing is the right strategy, if Obama has the courage for it.

Graceful Decline

The end of Pax Americana

Balancing Act

The U.S. could be more secure by doing less.

Iran: The Logic of Deterrence

Tehran’s quest for nuclear weapons is a rational response to a real threat, which makes diplomacy a more prudent option than regime change.

The Best of Bad Choices

Given the Iraq War’s mounting costs and impossible goals, America should transfer sovereignty and come home.

The Cost of Empire

President Bush’s war policy marks the beginning of the end of America’s era of global dominance.

Revolt of the Europeans

Paris and Berlin’s shift portends a new—and less friendly—international order.