Israel's patent lack of expansionist ambitions ensured that the US would suffer no ancillary blowback for its support.

CENTERFORSECURITYPOLICY: America's best friends

If that is indeed the case, it will mark a major reprieve for Agarwal whose expansionist ambitions have been facing regulatory hurdles of late in his homeland.

FORBES: Billionaire Anil Agarwal inches closer to snatching Cairn India

While the Indians have as much, if not more, to fear from China's increasing power-projection capabilities and expansionist ambitions, growing trade and warming political relations between the two emerging giants may obscure that danger.

CENTERFORSECURITYPOLICY: Strategic fire-sale

Second, in the event the Soviet Union does not reorder its traditional priorities, as Secretary of Defense Dick Cheney has predicted, and the West is obliged to contend once more with the full panoply of expansionist Soviet ambitions, the United States and its allies will be far better able to do so if they have kept their guard up in the meantime.

CENTERFORSECURITYPOLICY: US-Soviet Relations