Pulling from the Cold War playbook

Under its seasoned Cold Warrior, the White House's diplomatic posture on Ukraine is starting to look more 1972 than 2022.

The United States is now digesting the implications of having to invest in a new Cold War—a long, costly and intractable rivalry for influence—on two fronts, Europe and the Pacific. The U.S. will thus need to be able to demonstrate its overwhelming ability to defeat Russia or China individually, but also as a combined force. Whether or not Washington se…