The Trialogue Emma Ashford: Where do American interests end?
24 snips
May 16, 2025 
Emma Ashford, a Senior Fellow at the Stimson Center, dives into the complexities of U.S. foreign policy, discussing the concept of restraint and military overextension. She examines the historical lessons from Britain’s imperial past and how they influence current American strategies against threats from Russia and China. Ashford also unpacks the significance of the Anglosphere and transatlantic alliances, while exploring the challenges in supporting Ukraine amidst geopolitical tensions and the need for flexible, pragmatic approaches in an increasingly multipolar world.
AI Snips
Chapters
Books
Transcript
Episode notes
Understanding Restraint Movement
- The restraint movement argues the U.S. should reduce overseas military commitments to avoid overextension.
- It includes diverse views but generally agrees on prioritizing resources and avoiding global overreach.
Universal Realism, Contextual Restraint
- Realism and restraint are universal but yield different policies based on a country's situation.
- For the U.S., restraint means rebalancing commitments, focusing on bigger threats like China.
Separating Overextension from Liberalism
- Military overextension is not the same as the liberal international project.
- The post-Cold War liberal impulse grew unchecked without external constraints, complicating U.S. engagement globally.
