In the run-up to a presidential election, US intellectuals compete hard to shape the foreign policy agenda. The race for the White House is a terrific incentive to find a new doctrine for a new administration. This time there is more than usual at stake, for we are in a moment of deep anxiety: the US’s capacity for leadership is crippled and President George W. Bush’s crusade to globalise democracy has run into the ground. With oil and food prices soaring, the 21st century’s struggle over resources is heating up.