With Friends Like These: The Criticality of Allies Who Care in Great Power Competition

Barrels of ink have been spilt on the importance of allies to U.S. security interests. But allies are only of value if they do their part to contribute to shared interests. There are troubling trends in the U.S. alliance structure, especially in NATO. Russia is hard at work sowing dissension among our European partners while it aggressively moves to influence events across Europe, the Middle East, and even North Africa. China is expanding its reach across Asia, rapidly modernizing its ability to project military power, methodically building an overland trade network, and has become a key economic partner for many countries in Europe. Meanwhile, the military power of the NATO alliance has shrunk, aged, and (especially in Europe) become less ready for use than when it stood as a bulwark against Soviet aggression. Has the divergence of U.S. and European perceptions of the threats posed by Russia and China become so great that security and economic interests are at substantial risk? Is there a path forward that ensures Western, democratic, free-market countries can sustain their systems in the face of expansionist authoritarianism? Join us for a provocative conversation about all of this with Dr. Andrew A. Michta, Dean of the College of International and Security Studies at the George C. Marshall European Center for Security Studies who will discuss the key elements of his new essay “U.S. Alliances: Crucial Enablers in Great-Power Competition” which will be featured in the Heritage Foundation’s 2021 Index of U.S. Military Strength. (Dr. Michta will be presenting his own views that do not necessarily reflect those of the George C. Marshall European Center for Security Studies, the Department of Defense, or the United States Government.)

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