June 11, 2008
Pivot Point: Asia Panel
In session five of the conference, Dr. Campbell presented on CNAS’s new publication iAsia: the Power of Balance, followed by comments from the distinguished panelists: Robert D. Kaplan, CNAS Senior Fellow and writer for the Atlantic; Dr. Victor Cha, D.S. Song-Korea Foundation Chair and Associate Professor at Georgetown University, Director for Asian Affairs at the National Security Council 2004-7; LTG Karl Eikenberry, Deputy Chairman of the NATO Military Committee, formerly the Commander of Combined Forces Command-Afghanistan (CFC-A); Moderator: David Sanger, Chief Washington Correspondent, the New York Times, CNAS Writer-in Residence; Mr. Campbell, as the presenter, began by laying out the four insights that form the basis of the report.
Bob Kaplan followed, noting in particular that the report was right in calling for a shift of American strategic focus towards Asia, as both economic and military global power are moving east. Professor Cha elucidated what he sees as the three strategic imperatives for the next administration, imperatives he feels are “consonant” with the CNAS iAsia report. Lieutenant General Karl Eikenberry arrived fresh from Brussels to contribute both his deep expertise on China and his wealth of experience pertaining to America’s role in Asia. As the last panelist, LTG Eikenberry expressed his appreciation for the report and its emphasis on the U.S.’s enduring interests in the region. David Sanger closed the panel by positing an intriguing question for Asia going forward. We have seen recently that, often at the behest of American leadership, Asian powers can work fairly well on issues of common interest outside of Asia. What remains to be seen is whether the major players “can start to work as well ‘in-area’” in the Asian Century and what role the U.S. will play in this.
More from CNAS
-
The Ever-Changing, Unchanged Defense Acquisition System
Commentary
Introduction The defense acquisition system has been and continues to be in a period of great change, both in terms of the laws and processes that govern it and the private se...
By Susanna V. Blume
-
Are Defense Firms Showering Their Shareholders with Too Much Money?
Podcast
In early January, President Donald Trump signed an executive order threatening bans on defense contractors paying dividends or buying their stock back. CNAS program director S...
By Stacie Pettyjohn
-
America Must Salvage Its Relationship With India
Commentary
The longer the current crisis lasts, the harder it will be to restore the relationship and the more likely it is that the two countries will lose an entire generation of progr...
By Richard Fontaine & Lisa Curtis
-
Defense & Aerospace Air Power Podcast: Global View
Podcast
In a week when airpower news came from every angle, Becca Wasser, CNAS adjunct senior fellow, was on top of it all. She leads defense research at Bloomberg Economics, and we c...
By Becca Wasser
