Next president’s national security agenda

TN says the next US president will inherit a badly stretched US military and will have to figure out what other tools can be used to protect strategic interests: particularly with Iran, and maybe diplomatic solutions is the idea right there. so there are levers still out there for the US to use. Frankly the US is still portrayed as the most powerful government in the world, and that’s still important. (You’re talking about engaging a place like Iran. Talk about the issue of talking to those entities we consider our enemies.) I don’t think anyone is suggesting that foreign policy has to be completely consistent. I think foreign policy challenges should be dealt with on a case by case basis, with an underlying strategy. For Iran, engaging them should be with a focus towards improving Iraq, having a buy-in. there will be some sense that Iran is not going to try to influence the future in the Middle East and Iraq. We would have to engage Iran on security issues. Bottom line is, if we want to get out of Iraq, we need help from Iran. (Talk about the choices the US has made in terms of moving forward in terms of energy.) I think for the US and most nations throughout the world, energy security will increasingly shape national and foreign policy. (What opportunities need to be seized by the next president?) We need less dependency on oil, more research into alternative energy sources.