Swine Flu’s Challenge to Realism

It is always pleasing when hard-core realists embrace multi-lateral institutions.  Vis, Stephan Walt explaining why he thinks global cooperation is useful way to deal with potential pandemics.  The kicker? 

All this is not to say that the global response will be perfect, or that the potential pandemic will be contained as effectively as SARS ultimately was. But it does remind us that global cooperation is possible, and that some global institutions do provide valuable protection. Libertarian neo-isolationists and neoconservative institution-bashers should take note.  [emp. mine]

  It must be so lonely on the fringe these days.