The Grand Strategy Sessions Chris Preble and Emma Ashford: First Among Equals
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Oct 1, 2025 Christopher Preble, Director of the Reimagining U.S. Grand Strategy Program at the Stimson Center, joins Emma Ashford to discuss the decline of U.S. relative power and the need for a more realistic foreign policy. They explore the necessity to prioritize Americans' security and reorient alliances to serve U.S. interests. Preble critiques the current grand strategy as outdated for a multipolar world, while Ashford advocates for focused engagement in Asia and Latin America and a balanced approach to economic statecraft, highlighting the limits of sanctions.
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U.S. Power Is Declining But Still Central
- Christopher Preble argues U.S. relative power is declining and domestic dysfunction accelerates that decline.
- He still sees the U.S. as the most important global player, shifting the question to how many poles will join it.
Prioritize Core National Interests
- Prioritize Washington's core objective: advance U.S. security, prosperity, and independence first.
- Avoid overreaching by attempting goals the U.S. cannot sustain to prevent cascading failures.
Match Means To Realistic Ends
- Define U.S. interests narrowly and prioritize regions based on real constraints.
- Do less in the Middle East and Europe and focus more on the Indo-Pacific and select priorities.
