April 20 Book Discussion on “The Power Problem”
Fellow PSA blogger Chris Preble will be leading a discussion based on his new book, The Power Problem: How American Military Dominance Makes Us Less Safe, Less Prosperous, and Less Free, at CATO on April 20th. It is sure to be a thought-provoking and timely discussion. This will definitely be worth attending. For those not in the DC area, the event will also be available online. The details are as follows:
The Cato Institute invites you to a Book Forum
The Power Problem: How American Military Dominance Makes Us Less Safe, Less Prosperous, and Less Free
(Cornell University Press, 2009)
Monday, April 20, 2009
12:00 p.m.
(Luncheon to Follow)
Featuring the author Christopher A. Preble, Director of Foreign Policy Studies, Cato Institute.
With comments by Lawrence J. Korb, Center for American Progress, and Scott McConnell, The American Conservative.
Numerous polls show that Americans want to reduce our military presence abroad, allowing our allies and other nations to assume greater responsibility both for their own defense and for enforcing security in their respective regions. Why haven’t we done so? In The Power Problem, Christopher A. Preble contends that the vast military strength of the United States has induced policymakers in Washington to broaden the perception of the “national interest,” and ultimately to commit ourselves to the impossible task of maintaining global order.
Preble holds that the core national interest — preserving American security — is easily defined and largely immutable. In his view, military power is purely instrumental: if it advances U.S. security, then it is fulfilling its essential role. If it does not — if it undermines our security, imposes unnecessary costs, and forces all Americans to incur additional risks — then our military power is a problem, one that only we can solve.
Please join us as we discuss the nature of American military power, its purpose in U.S. foreign policy, and its power to define the national interest.
Cato Book Forums and luncheons are free of charge.
To register, visit www.cato.org, fax (202) 371-0841,
or call (202) 789-5229 by 12:00 p.m. Friday, April 17.
News media inquiries only (no registrations), please call (202) 789-5200.
If you can’t make it to the Cato Institute, watch this Forum live online at www.cato.org.
No related posts.
[...] Given that one of my distant relatives (no, not Johnny Depp) was one of the first Americans assigned the task of defeating pirates, I take a particular interest in the subject of piracy. Throw in my few years in the U.S. Navy, and I can’t help myself. Even though I was technically on vacation last week, I followed the story of the Maersk-Alabama and Captain Richard Phillips with great interest. And I exulted when three of the four pirates met their end. The safe return of the Maersk-Alabama and her entire crew was a clear win for the cause of justice, and could serve as a model. Future efforts to protect ships from pirates are likely to include some combination of greater vigilance on the part of the shipping companies and crews, in collaboration with the navies of the many different nations who have an interest in keeping the sea lanes open and free. (This is one of the themes that I develop in my new book, and that I will discuss next Monday at Cato.) [...]
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