Are you sure? Where do you think the current path of the US is taking its citizens and the rest of the world? Wars are awful and a nuclear war would especially be so, but taking the slow road to an authoritarian state controlled by unknown forces hidden from view has the potential to be much worse. Think of your ideological worldview, now think of those who are the opposite. What happens if that group ends up in control without you even noticing it happening until it becomes a capital offense to point it out?

Realism predicts more war in a multipolar world.

War isn't the only evil in the world.

Other types of evil are also worse in a multipolar world.

It can't possibly be the case that we're currently headed to a secret takeover by a cabal exactly ideologically opposed to every reader.

It's a thought experiment to try and point out the negative aspects of the current situation that could resonate with any reader

This is much easier to say if you're not living in any of its victim states, or under the boots of any of the vicious autocrats the US props up.

Also, it's not like nuclear proliferation is solved. It's still breathing down our necks, we just don't talk about it anymore

It's the worst hegemony...except for all of the others. It doesn't have to be perfect.

Says the hegemon. The victims of which there are plenty might have something resembling "fuck you" instead.

The US has indeed done a lot of damage abroad. However I can't really see anyone else using a gentler approach. Far more the opposite.

Wouldn't there be no nuclear proliferation if the U.S. failed? Who designs weapons systems for NATO? The entire nuclear arms race wouldn't have happened if the U.S. didn't use the strategic bombing of citizens as a foreign policy platform 80 years ago.