Last December, U.S. Rep. Andy Ogles summed up the “alpha ” mindset of U.S. foreign policy by declaring that the United States is “the dominant predator across all landscapes.”

Ogles’s choice of an ambiguous word like “landscapes” aligned with the fact that the United States has global reach, far-flung allies, massive influence, and the military might to dominate landscapes in any hemisphere. One word from the president, and a U.S. cruise missile can land on any square foot of any country. A nod of the head, and thousands of superbly equipped soldiers can be shipped and flown across any ocean.

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