Abstract:

Despite the rapid growth in wealth and influence of China and other rising countries, the United States remains the world’s predominant economic and military power. For the last decade, however, the US has weakened its position through domestic policies that failed to prioritize investment in productive activities and a foreign policy that was overly ambitious in what it set out to do. Richard Haass, author of Foreign Policy Begins at Home, argues that the United States needs to refocus its national security, deemphasizing the greater Middle East in favor of Asia and North America, two regions much more likely to be consequential in the 21st century. He also calls for the United States to place greater emphasis on contending with domestic challenges so that it restores the economic foundations of its power through reforms to its policies on immigration, education, infrastructure, energy, and more. By being more discerning abroad and more active at home, America can ensure it retains the capacity to act effectively in the world.

Biography:

Dr Richard Haass

Dr. Richard Haass is president of the Council on Foreign Relations, a position he has held for more than a decade. The Council on Foreign Relations is an independent, nonpartisan membership organization, think tank, and publisher dedicated to being a resource for its members, government officials, business executives, journalists, educators and students, civic and religious leaders, and other interested citizens in order to help them better understand the world and the foreign policy choices facing the United States and other countries.  

Dr. Haass is the author or editor of twelve books on American foreign policy and one book on management. His most recent book is Foreign Policy Begins at Home: The Case for Putting America's House in Order.  

From January 2001 to June 2003, Dr. Richard Haass was director of policy planning for the Department of State, where he was a principal adviser to Secretary of State Colin Powell. Confirmed by the U.S. Senate to hold the rank of ambassador, Dr. Haass also served as U.S. coordinator for policy toward the future of Afghanistan and U.S. envoy to the Northern Ireland peace process. For his efforts, he received the State Department's Distinguished Honor Award.  

Dr. Haass has extensive additional government experience. From 1989 to 1993, he was special assistant to President George H.W. Bush and senior director for Near East and South Asian affairs on the staff of the National Security Council. In 1991, Dr. Haass was awarded the Presidential Citizens Medal for his contributions to the development and articulation of U.S. policy during Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm. Previously, he served in the Departments of State (1981‑85) and Defense (1979‑80) and was a legislative aide in the U.S. Senate.  

Dr. Haass also was vice president and director of foreign policy studies at the Brookings Institution, the Sol M. Linowitz visiting professor of international studies at Hamilton College, a senior associate at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, a lecturer in public policy at Harvard University's John F. Kennedy School of Government, and a research associate at the International Institute for Strategic Studies. A Rhodes scholar, Dr. Haass holds a BA from Oberlin College and Master and Doctor of Philosophy degrees from Oxford University. He has received honorary degrees from Hamilton College, Franklin & Marshall College, Georgetown University, Oberlin College, Central College, and Miami Dade College.  

Dr. Richard Haass was born in Brooklyn, New York, in 1951. He lives in New York City with his wife and two children.

Publications:

Book: 'Foreign Policy begins at Home' (April 2013)

Article: 'Put America's House in Order' (Issue 15, 2014,  American Review)

Article: 'Which Asian Century?' (October 28, 2013, Oped America in Asia)

The School of International, Political and Strategic Studies wishes to acknowledge the US Studies Centre at the University of Sydney for their contribution.

Please join us for drinks after the lecture.