The western world today—the United States and Europe—finds itself in a position similar to that of  the late Roman Empire. Despite renewed threats from Russia and an ascendant China, the chances of another great power or world war are small. Technological advances and the realities of a global economy upon which all the great powers depend make such unpalatable, even for the most bellicose. While we ought to be prepared for the possibility of such a conflict, it cannot be the primary focus.