First Things Podcast The Realities of Empire (ft. Nathan Pinkoski)
Jan 15, 2026
Nathan Pinkoski, a reviewer and commentator on international relations, dives into the complexities of U.S. foreign policy with R. R. Reno. They explore Paul Schroeder's skepticism about the Gulf War and the economics of geopolitical leverage. Pinkoski contrasts hegemony and empire, arguing that post-war power dynamics reveal troubling realities. He warns of moral escalation from economic coercion and examines the impact of this on domestic governance, questioning whether the republic can reclaim its purpose amidst growing globalism.
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Gulf War Skepticism And Economic Alternatives
- Paul Schroeder critiqued the Gulf War as a mistake despite its military success.
- He favored economic exclusion and association as an alternative to force.
Association And Exclusion Explained
- Schroeder's 'association and exclusion' means building attractive economic rules to draw states in and expel rule-breakers.
- Nathan warns this treats political choices as automatic responses to incentives and underestimates coercion's reality.
Hegemony Versus Empire
- Pinkoski distinguishes 'hegemony' (persuasion, first among equals) from 'empire' (coercive power).
- He argues the U.S. has long exercised imperial forms, even during the Cold War.
