U.S. Approach to the Foreign Affairs: From Superpower to Superpartner

June 8, 2011

Lawrence Korb talks at the Faculty of Social Sciences of the Charles University

Lawrence J. Korb, Senior Fellow at the Center for American Progress and former Assistant Secretary of Defense (1981-1985), visited Brno and Prague on June 6—7, 2011, and talked to representatives of governments, academia, and students about the current U.S. strategy towards Afghanistan. His lecture, organized by the American Center, Institute of International Relations and the Faculty of Social Sciences of the Charles University, focused on the transitional efforts of the U.S. and the allies in Afghanistan.

Dr. Korb noted that the Obama administration is firm on gradual withdrawal from Afghanistan, but opined that since the death of bin Laden, the withdrawal may be faster than originally planned.

Dr. Korb also emphasized the importance of multilateral efforts. He praised the Obama administration for giving preference to multilateral solutions: “The Obama administration is trying to go multilateral, if it can. It would go unilateral only if it must.” This approach to international affairs marks the transition of the U.S. from superpower to superpartner.