My colleague Andrew Lee and I both served in the US military, deployed overseas in high-stakes environments where American hard power was on full display. As veterans who have seen hard power up close, we’ve also seen its limits. It can compel, but it doesn’t build trust. It delivers presence, not partnership. I saw it in Iraq, where the United States wielded unmatched military strength to impose stability from the top down. The effort was immense and yet fragile.
