Geopolitical Cycles and the Fragility of the Global Operating System

On this episode of Shifting Ground, Admiral James “Sandy” Winnefeld, Jr. (ret.) introduces his concept of the “global operating system” (GOS)—which includes the rules-based international order and the global economy—explaining that its foundation of international stability is at risk of catastrophic failure due to geopolitical cycles, political polarization, and the overextension of the prevailing power. Read Admiral Winnefeld’s essay ⁠ The Principle Challenge: Arresting the Decline of the Global Operating System Get full access to FPRI Insights at fpriinsights.substack.com/

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Geopolitical Cycles and the Fragility of the Global Operating System is an episode from Chain Reaction by FPRI.

This episode is 36:14 long.

This episode was published on Apr 16, 2026.

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