Why Cold War power projection came in different scales

Why did few late Cold War states pursue power projection on the American scale?

Many projected power regionally, but global reach required spending and force structure beyond what their interests or budgets justified.

A guest emphasizes the cost of sustaining Cold War armies and technological development after World War II had damaged much of the available industrial base. In that account, limited money and infrastructure constrained later attempts at power projection. Clarke adds that many states did project power, but at regional or other scales below the American global commitment. The appropriate scale depended on national needs and willingness to pay for influence over problems near their source. These explanations distinguish limits on capacity from choices about the reach a state wanted.