The Return of Great Powers: Russia, China, and the Next World War

by Jim Sciutto

In brief, Milley argues that the choice for world leaders today is between a system of albeit imperfect rules, or no rules at all and what he describes as a “Hobbesian . . . dog-eat-dog world.” “My concern today is that the international system is weakening that potentially could make great power war more likely rather than less likely,” he continued. “And we have to guard that system very jealously, or you’ll have problems in the future.” To add to the danger, this dissolution of the old order is happening, as the great powers have far greater weapons at their disposal and far fewer agreements to limit them. “Great power war today is exponentially more dangerous than it was in World War I or World War II because of the advent of nuclear weapons, but not just nuclear weapons,” said Milley. “The conventional weapons—they are unbelievably more powerful than they were back in those days.”