April 08, 2020

Now’s Not the Time for Isolationism

By: Michèle Flournoy and Lisa Monaco

The coronavirus is a public health tragedy. If the United States isn’t careful, it could turn into a geopolitical one, too.

How the U.S. manages—or mismanages—the coronavirus pandemic will determine not only the long-term resilience of our economy but also our ability to compete, lead and protect American interests globally. If the United States continues to turn inward and focus most efforts on only limiting the damage done at home, the perception that U.S. power is in decline will continue to grow. Authoritarian powers like China will fill the leadership void, and eventually that perception will become reality. If, however, over the next weeks and months, the United States takes charge of organizing international collective action to combat the pandemic, the country could emerge as a respected global leader once again and, as such, be better positioned to safeguard its own national security. In this case, like so many others, helping ourselves requires working with and helping others.

Read the full article in POLITICO Magazine.

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