What happened to that "peace dividend?"

Remember back in '89 when the Soviet Union collapsed and the bipolar world resolved in favor of the west? Remember thinking that all those trillions of dollars that purchased this new world order could now be re-directed to making our lives better instead of positioning the world for mutually assured destruction? Whatever happened to that?

"In sum, from our present vantage point, it becomes apparent that the “Revolution of ‘89” did not initiate a new era of history. At most, the events of that year fostered various unhelpful illusions that impeded our capacity to recognize and respond to the forces of change that actually matter.
Restoring the American compass to working order won’t occur until we recognize those illusions for what they are. Step one might be to revise what “this idea called America” truly signifies."

https://www.juancole.com/2020/01/miseries-america-squandered.html

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