by James A. Baker III

About the author: James A. Baker III was the U.S. secretary of state under President George Bush.

With the eclipse of communism and the collapse of the Soviet Union, the United States has, in a real sense, lost its paradigm for international affairs. As we look to the future, we must learn to do without the explanation of international affairs that the Cold War provided and the tool for problem- solving, known as “containment,” that saw us through ultimate victory in it.

From Disengagement to Engagement

Today, I believe, we are moving into the century’s third great period in American foreign policy.

The first lasted until 1941, with a brief interregnum during World War I. During this period, American foreign policy was guided...