Aftershocks

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Two leading national security experts provide a definitive account of COVID-19's global impact and its political ramifications for the US and world order in the 21st Century. The pandemic represents the most significant shock to world order since World War II, resulting in millions infected and a severe economic downturn, with the IMF projecting a loss of over $9 trillion in global wealth. This crisis will leave many impoverished and vulnerable, further destabilizing fragile states and increasing the risk of conflict and displacement. International institutions and alliances, already strained, are on the brink, while tensions between the US and China escalate toward a new Cold War. The pandemic has exposed China's lack of transparency, undermining hopes for its role as a responsible global stakeholder. The authors present a gripping journalistic account and a thorough analysis of the pandemic's lasting effects on modern institutions and ideas. The absence of American leadership during this crisis highlights a lack of international cooperation, as nations prioritized their own interests. Despite the challenges, there are glimmers of hope, with some democracies responding effectively and a potential for the US to reassess its approach to global threats and foster collaboration with allies. Ultimately, the world will emerge from this crisis irrevocably changed.