May 11, 2011
Reflections on American Foreign Policy
Anne-Marie Slaughter
Bert G. Kerstetter '66 University Professor of Politics and International Affairs, Princeton University
Minutes of the 30th Meeting of the 69th Year
At 10:15 at the Fields Center, President Bob Varrin called to order the 30th meeting of the 69th year of the Old Guard of Princeton. Don Edwards led us in the invocation. The minutes of the May 4th meeting were read by Terry Grabar. Guests: Bob Waltman introduced his wife Didi, Mark Branon introduced David Tierno, Bob Craig introduced Helen Hamilton, Larry Pervin introduced his wife Bobbie, Al Kaemmerlen introduced Michael Mathews, and Claire Jacobus introduced Katherine Kish. One hundred twenty-seven were in attendance.
Jerry Berkelhammer was recognized for his almost 8 years of service on the Arrangements Committee. Joe Bolster presented the slate of officers for the coming year, conducted the election, and declared the slate officially elected.
Officers elected or 2011-2012:
President Robert D. Varrin Vice-President, Ruth Miller
Secretary Alfred W. Kaemmerlen Treasurer Guy K. Dean
Recording Secretary James T. Livingston Assistant Treasurer John R. Lasley
Ex-Officio George H. Hansen Assistant Secretary Quentin Lyle
Committee Chairs:
Arrangements Owen Leach Historian James J. Ferry
Hospitality William Walker Membership Jack Reilly
Program Jock McFarlane Nominating Donald Wilson
University Relations Jotham Johnson Website Bruno Walmsley
Charles Plohn introduced our speaker Anne-Marie Slaughter, a distinguished scholar, commentator, writer and University Professor of Politics and International Affairs at the Woodrow Wilson School, with wide expertise in American foreign policy.
Unfortunately since I have only 6 minutes in which to summarize her presentation, and Charles took considerably over 7 minutes to relate her outstanding credentials and accomplishments, including many achievementsduring her 6 ½ years as Dean of the Woodrow Wilson School and her subsequent two years as Director of Policy Planning at the U.S. Department of State, reporting directly to Hillary Rodham Clinton, obviously she is exceptionally well-qualified to give us her “Reflections on American Foreign Policy.”
Professor Slaughter reflected on how American foreign policy has changed, is changing and what the State Department did to reflect a changing world. She showed the film “Thirteen Days” [re 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis] to a class of senior Woodrow Wilson students and asked them how the world was different then. The results were instructive: 1st} there were only two super- powers, the U.S and the U.S.S.R. (when Mac Bundy mentioned to Kennedy that China had invaded India that week, he said “you probably wouldn’t be interested in that”) [what a difference 50 years makes]; 2nd} there was almost no communication between the superpowers (the hotline started after the Cuban crisis); and 3rd} there was no engagement by any of the other sectors of society.
A second paradigm came into being with 9/11/2001: instead of two superpowers, there were a multiplying number of powers, 10 or more (at first we did not know where the 9/11 attack was coming from); a decade of threats ensued, from non-state actors; but also non-state entities, such as global criminal organizations, trafficking in money, arms and people, and also a major increase in pirate activity, of all things.
The Arab Spring has brought another paradigm: cooperation with non-state actors. In the future, the United States must integrate the world of government and societies; pay much more attention to development; and change the nature of our diplomacy. Secretary of State Clinton describes diplomacy going forward as some government to government interaction, but also activity from government to societies, and building relations from societies to societies. Incidentally, Sunday on Fareed Zakaria GPS, Dr. Slaughter described White House leadership as creating the conditions and the coalitions for other countries to step up.
Professor Slaughter detailed six major problem areas which development must address:
1) Nuclear proliferation; 4) Resource scarcity;
2) Healthy global economy; 5) International pandemics;
3) Climate change; and 6) Violent extremism
Later she added: 7) Rising powers; and 8) Narcotics to the list.
She talked about development by gender, particularly women; a youth engagement strategy (since 60 % of the Middle Eastern population is under 20! As the mother of two young sons, she found that alarming), and engaging entrepreneurs (such as the early leader of the Egyptian uprising.) Some U.S. development aid had been society to society, such as the Fulbright scholarships, but more and more, development programs involve foundations, NGOs, or technological help, like Google’s digitizing that part of the looted Iraq Museum being returned.
There were 15 minutes of good questions. Here are some of her answers: Osama Ben Laden’s killing was legal, but at a frontier of murky law; Ben Laden’s death would probably hasten our withdrawal from Afghanistan, but we do not have an option to cut aid or leave Pakistan quickly; we must work on all the eight development issues at the same time; under the new paradigm the State Department started the US Pakistan Foundation, sent American Pakistani doctors to rural areas of Pakistan, and also provided US aid to NGOs and Foundations. Hillary Clinton will leave the State Department after 4 years and Slaughter will stay in Princeton until her sons (ages 12 and 14) go to college. Regional organizations, such as those in the East Asian Summit, must be strengthened. Our military response was correct in Libya, though not appropriate in Syria (yet). If we can make a positive difference, there is no reason not to act, she concluded. We’re saving lives. People have the right of peaceful protest; violence is not acceptable.
Respectfully submitted, Lynn W. Livingston
Jerry Berkelhammer was recognized for his almost 8 years of service on the Arrangements Committee. Joe Bolster presented the slate of officers for the coming year, conducted the election, and declared the slate officially elected.
Officers elected or 2011-2012:
President Robert D. Varrin Vice-President, Ruth Miller
Secretary Alfred W. Kaemmerlen Treasurer Guy K. Dean
Recording Secretary James T. Livingston Assistant Treasurer John R. Lasley
Ex-Officio George H. Hansen Assistant Secretary Quentin Lyle
Committee Chairs:
Arrangements Owen Leach Historian James J. Ferry
Hospitality William Walker Membership Jack Reilly
Program Jock McFarlane Nominating Donald Wilson
University Relations Jotham Johnson Website Bruno Walmsley
Charles Plohn introduced our speaker Anne-Marie Slaughter, a distinguished scholar, commentator, writer and University Professor of Politics and International Affairs at the Woodrow Wilson School, with wide expertise in American foreign policy.
Unfortunately since I have only 6 minutes in which to summarize her presentation, and Charles took considerably over 7 minutes to relate her outstanding credentials and accomplishments, including many achievementsduring her 6 ½ years as Dean of the Woodrow Wilson School and her subsequent two years as Director of Policy Planning at the U.S. Department of State, reporting directly to Hillary Rodham Clinton, obviously she is exceptionally well-qualified to give us her “Reflections on American Foreign Policy.”
Professor Slaughter reflected on how American foreign policy has changed, is changing and what the State Department did to reflect a changing world. She showed the film “Thirteen Days” [re 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis] to a class of senior Woodrow Wilson students and asked them how the world was different then. The results were instructive: 1st} there were only two super- powers, the U.S and the U.S.S.R. (when Mac Bundy mentioned to Kennedy that China had invaded India that week, he said “you probably wouldn’t be interested in that”) [what a difference 50 years makes]; 2nd} there was almost no communication between the superpowers (the hotline started after the Cuban crisis); and 3rd} there was no engagement by any of the other sectors of society.
A second paradigm came into being with 9/11/2001: instead of two superpowers, there were a multiplying number of powers, 10 or more (at first we did not know where the 9/11 attack was coming from); a decade of threats ensued, from non-state actors; but also non-state entities, such as global criminal organizations, trafficking in money, arms and people, and also a major increase in pirate activity, of all things.
The Arab Spring has brought another paradigm: cooperation with non-state actors. In the future, the United States must integrate the world of government and societies; pay much more attention to development; and change the nature of our diplomacy. Secretary of State Clinton describes diplomacy going forward as some government to government interaction, but also activity from government to societies, and building relations from societies to societies. Incidentally, Sunday on Fareed Zakaria GPS, Dr. Slaughter described White House leadership as creating the conditions and the coalitions for other countries to step up.
Professor Slaughter detailed six major problem areas which development must address:
1) Nuclear proliferation; 4) Resource scarcity;
2) Healthy global economy; 5) International pandemics;
3) Climate change; and 6) Violent extremism
Later she added: 7) Rising powers; and 8) Narcotics to the list.
She talked about development by gender, particularly women; a youth engagement strategy (since 60 % of the Middle Eastern population is under 20! As the mother of two young sons, she found that alarming), and engaging entrepreneurs (such as the early leader of the Egyptian uprising.) Some U.S. development aid had been society to society, such as the Fulbright scholarships, but more and more, development programs involve foundations, NGOs, or technological help, like Google’s digitizing that part of the looted Iraq Museum being returned.
There were 15 minutes of good questions. Here are some of her answers: Osama Ben Laden’s killing was legal, but at a frontier of murky law; Ben Laden’s death would probably hasten our withdrawal from Afghanistan, but we do not have an option to cut aid or leave Pakistan quickly; we must work on all the eight development issues at the same time; under the new paradigm the State Department started the US Pakistan Foundation, sent American Pakistani doctors to rural areas of Pakistan, and also provided US aid to NGOs and Foundations. Hillary Clinton will leave the State Department after 4 years and Slaughter will stay in Princeton until her sons (ages 12 and 14) go to college. Regional organizations, such as those in the East Asian Summit, must be strengthened. Our military response was correct in Libya, though not appropriate in Syria (yet). If we can make a positive difference, there is no reason not to act, she concluded. We’re saving lives. People have the right of peaceful protest; violence is not acceptable.
Respectfully submitted, Lynn W. Livingston