Declining hegemony in the nuclear age

Is it possible for a government in the nuclear age to be minimal?

Can the US withdraw from it's 'world policeman' role in the age of nukes?

The idea of the US retreating to more of a 'lassaiz faire' foreign policy is not only appealing to many americans, but is an economic mandate. We cannot afford to babysit all the despots of the world & threaten to paddle them if they misbehave. But, if we leave them to their own devices, will this unleash nuclear activity? I am a little surprised that there hasn't been a nuclear event since ww2. Small nations like iran are working on them, & many large nations have few safeguards for the technology.

If the US continues it's decline, both in global economics & influence, will other 'rogue' states spring up with nuclear threats? How will the world deal with them? The EU can only threaten with money, & only fiat at that. Nato is losing it's teeth, especially without the us propping it up. If China continues it's growth on the world stage, will it be a deterrence to nuclear threats, or will it let them go or even encourage them? Russia is broken up into many weaker states, & has little deterrence to these rogue states.. even the ones they support.

It seems to me, without the global deterrence of the US, another nuclear event is inevitable. How will that change the world, if some aggressive dictator explodes a nuke on an enemy? Will the world prefer the meddling & 'protection' of the us over nuclear proliferation? Will the world clamor for the US to return to it's role as a world policeman? Will they pay the US for this 'protection'?

If the us breaks up into several regional 'states', who gets the nukes? Who will have the power, or WHAT will the world do to counter nuclear actions from aggressors or terrorists?

Another nuclear event seems inevitable. It will change the world once again. Time & distance from the last one has dulled our memories & it seems like an old movie or a video game. But if & when another nuclear event occurs, how will the world deal with it, and future possibilities? Will we get a world clamoring for protection, disarming, & law & order, like 30's germany?