Against a background that finds the United States increasingly engaged throughout the world, the Dickey Center hosted a panel yesterday that attempted to explain and analyze American foreign policy. "America and the World: Dominate, Retreat, or Engage?" was hosted by Government Professor and War and Peace Studies Coordinator Allan Stam, and featured four distinguished experts in the fields of foreign policy, government, and economics.
The discussion focused on several recent hot-button foreign policy questions such as Afghanistan, Iraq and North Korea.
Although the panelists for the most part limited their talk to their respective areas of expertise, the one aspect of U.S. foreign policy upon which all could agree was the lack of definitive answers and the abundance of confusion and complexity.
Only one panelist, Government Professor Daryl Press, attempted to tackle the entirety of American foreign policy, as opposed to focusing on one specific problem. He posed what he sees as the three crucial questions for U.S. foreign policy and defense -- who is the enemy in the war on terror, how does America police W.M.D. proliferation and how can the United States spread its values.
He was also the only panelist to overtly address an issue that has commanded American attention for years, the situation in Iraq. While admitting that he was opposed to the war, he believes that, once there, the United States needs to ensure that the country does not fall into chaos, much like Lebanon in the 1980s and pre-invasion Afghanistan.
Using the "Mick Jagger 'You Can't Always Get What You Want' Doctrine," he believes that while the United States should try to transform Iraq into a stable, democratic ally, it would settle for an undemocratic friendly Iraq.
Tamim Ansary, author of the memoir "West of Kabul, East of New York," addressed the conflict in Afghanistan. A children's writer who emigrated from Afghanistan, Ansary detailed the complex recent history and social, political and religious make-up of the war-torn nation.
Although he promised "complications everywhere," Ansary believes that the United States' continuing involvement in the country is vital to its survival.
"It's not viable for the United States not to be in Afghanistan, things being as they are," he said. "Walking away is not a solution; we'd be back to square one."
Economics Professor Douglas Irwin focused on the political benefits free trade would bring to the Middle East, citing the dismal economic statistics of the region. Although admitting a lack of expertise in foreign policy, he strongly believed that incorporating the Middle East into global trade markets would go a long way to promoting freedom, especially the freedom of women, in the region.
Professor David Kang of the Government Department explained why North Korea presents a particularly difficult problem and cannot receive the same treatment as Iraq, even though both are thought to hide weapons of mass destruction.
Many in attendance liked how the foreign policy discussion included economic, political, and social experts who tackled the topic from different perspectives.
"I was encouraged to hear a panel that embraced multiple viewpoints, but still allowed each speaker to present his own personal views," Phillip Andersen '05 said.
Not all were as impressed with the panel, however. History Professor Ronald Edsforth expressed dismay over the panel's lack of attention to how America's foreign policy, one he views as overly unilateral, affects relations with allies like France and Germany. His call for more engagement with the UN and allies was greeted with applause from elderly members of the crowd.
Sarah Chaudhry '07 and Ambika Singh '07 agreed with Edsforth, while furthur disagreeing with the panel. They both saw the panel as furthering stereotypes of Islam as militant and anti-woman.
"I didn't like how they made Islam synonymous with terrorism," said Chaudhry.
"I was discouraged how misinformed the panel was on the Middle East, specifically on the subject of women's rights," added Singh.
The panel discussion was the first in a year-long series organized jointly by the Dickey Center for International Understanding War & Peace Studies, the Rockefeller Center for Public Policy, and additional sponsors that will address U.S. foreign policy and engagement around the world.
