Engaging Strategic Competitors

Thinking about competition through a zero-sum, hard security lens often risks heightening international tensions rather than resolving them. Continuing this outdated pattern of behavior does not serve the United States’ interests, and is likely to incur unnecessary financial, strategic, and political costs while leaving future generations to pick up the tab.

The United States has a responsibility to use its outsized influence to create a more secure, stable, and equitable world. Just as unconditionally embracing isolationism undermines the United States’ ability to be a positive actor in the world, so too does overextending US commitments abroad. The United States can lead on the global stage without relying on military power to the exclusion of diplomatic and economic tools.

The United States should:

• Approach conflict prevention on a case-by-case basis, prioritizing “soft” tools like proactive diplomacy, investment, trade, and education over “hard” tools like military engagement.

• Close superfluous overseas military bases, which are obsolete, expensive, environmentally harmful, and imperial in nature.

• Never cut off diplomatic relations with other states under any circumstances. Voluntarily ceding our ability to communicate with other countries makes it much more difficult to resolve disputes and mitigate crises.

• Offer the District of Columbia and the remnants of US empire––namely Puerto Rico, Guam, American Samoa, the Northern Marianas, the US Virgin Islands––immediate binding referenda regarding their status within the United States. The combined five million US citizens who live in these territories cannot vote for President and are not fully represented in Congress.