While al Qaeda, ISIS, and North Korea present deadly serious problems, America’s geopolitical situation is unique in that we are confronted by the rise of revisionist powers in each of the three regions traditionally seen as crucial to our own peace and prosperity and to the larger goal of global stability: Russia in Europe, China in East Asia, and Iran in the Middle East. If the US is to develop effective, sustainable policies that truly serve its national interests, we must first understand the roots and the character of the challenges these three countries pose.