tell your sidekick MAJ Kotkin that I like his article, particularly his distinction between national interests and vital national interests:

from article, p.2
To be clear, a vital national interest is that which is directly tied to our national peace and security. If these interests are threatened the nation itself is at existential risk.
Somewhat similar thinking is found in Kilcullen's Chap 5 (of TAG) - turning the elephant back into the mouse.

And, there is no doubt that ...

...these thoughts are his own.
He did not use the phrase "good governance" once.