Jack Watling, Statecraft: The New Rules of Power in a Divided World (Macmillan, 2026)The war against Iran exposed a multitude of forced errors and own goals in the conduct of statecraft. The purpose of sound statecraft is the integrated application of a state’s tools and its repertoire of governmental instruments of power to gain its desired outcomes in international relations. The yet-to-be-resolved contest against the Islamic Republic of Iran reveals a litany of shortfalls in the conduct of U.S. statecraft.It is unlikely that the present U.S. government will conduct a candid assessment of it
The review of Watling's 2026 book, published in 2026, directly criticizes current U.S. statecraft in the context of the ongoing Iran War, highlighting immediate failures.
A strategic reader should care because this commentary suggests fundamental flaws in U.S. foreign policy execution, which have direct geopolitical and military consequences.
The article strongly implies a need for re-evaluation of statecraft principles, though it acknowledges the unlikelihood of immediate introspection from the current U.S. government.
- · Authors and strategists advocating for new statecraft models
- · Nations with more integrated statecraft approaches
- · Current U.S. foreign policy establishment
- · U.S. strategic credibility
Increased debate and critique within strategic communities regarding U.S. foreign policy effectiveness.
Potential for allied nations to reconsider their reliance on U.S. strategic guidance.
A long-term shift in global power dynamics if U.S. 'strategic failure' becomes a persistent pattern.
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