At the same time, we should agree that America doesn't need a great enemy to be a great country. And if the end of the Cold War has given us a chance to weave our former adversaries Russia and China into the global community as stable, peaceful, open, law abiding states, we should do everything in our power to seize it. To do that, we need to see both Russia and China with a sense of realism. The question we face about Russia is no longer whether we will be threatened by its strength, but whether it will become too weak. Realism tells us the road ahead is full of such obstacles for Russia and that only Russians can travel it.
Internationalists can differ about the best strategies for encouraging that transformation.
But we should not lose faith in our capacity, despite all the difficulties, to help achieve it, nor can we abdicate our responsibility to try. In fifty years, I seriously doubt anyone will say we did too much to support the emergence of a stable, democratic Russia. They are more likely to say we did too little. As for China, realism cautions us to be prepared for a future in which this emerging power emerges as a threat. But we should not presuppose that outcome, or make it more likely by acting as if it has already happened.