Enemies at the Gates

I'm going to have to do a little catching up since it's been quite a while since my last post.
Like the Roman Empire which had physically extended its borders to help protect the core republic in a physical manner, the United states has done so in an economic, diplomatic, and the projection of military power form.
Power and influence of a nation state, like the world's oceans. have an ebb and flow to them. For instance, the old Soviet Union created a buffer zone of client states between it and Western Europe and the United States after World War II. All across the world the Russians dabbled in other countries internal affairs, providing aid and armaments to any who espoused their ideals. To counter this, the United States provided help to any who said they were an anti-communist. to any one, democratic leaders to fascist dictators. (see Vietnam) Now, the soviet Union is gone and missile defense systems are being placed in former Warsaw -bloc countries. Ebb and flow.
America's influence has been squandered away by well-meaning men and women till it would not be easy to count our allies on one hand. Orly with a few countries at our side will we face the new threats in the world.
Iran. This country continues the development of its nuclear program. It's goals: becoming an even greater world player rather than a regional one. Two, to beocme the dominant country in all the middle east. Three. To destablise Iraq, stopping democratic reforms there, replacing it with a theological state. Four. Pin the US in Iraq.
N. Korea. The North's leader desperately wants to be relevant. Kept from expanding influence north (China of course), he can only look south. The south which (unfortunately for him, has a highly educated, motivated, for the most part prosperous population). Rather than admitting mistakes and opening his country up to reforms, he will keep power and try to blackmail the surrounding countries and the US with nuclear development.
Russia. Trying to gain in influence in the world again. It's trying to do this with oil politics with parts of its former federation. It will soon try to influence middle east politics from which it has been absent for a while. Just recently Putin accuses the US of starting a nuclear arms race. Is this a prelude to the real thing?
China. In a curious move, tested an anti-satellite weapons system, downing an old communications satellite. Surely their leadership knew what the world and the US reaction would be? It's hard to believe a real freeze in relations with this country due to the massive economic ties that bind our countries. Still, its curious.
Radical Muslims. Unlike conflicts with countries, economic systems, territorial ambitions, this will eventually be our biggest threat. They will fight with propaganda, and terrorist attacks. It will take generations if at all to sway back middle eastern opinion about the United States. They literally want the destruction of western civilization. Period.
The list can go on and it will, enough to fill a book actually but this is the bare boned highlights that I've come up with and will expound upon in the upcoing days.
Take care and stay safe.