Lt. General H.R. McMaster joined Jaime Metzl in conversation to discuss his latest book, “Battlegrounds.”
- Metzl’s first question was to inquiry about the motivation for writing the book. McMaster said that he wanted to contribute to a better understanding by Americans of national security and to further his own education at the same time.
- Given McMaster’s recent service in the Trump administration, Metzl then asked about McMaster’s decision not to write a tell-all such as John Bolton did. McMaster indicated his desire to transcend the vitriol. Also, he pointed out that there was little need for yet another Trump administration tell-all. Continuing with his theme of advancing understanding, he said he hoped his book would help readers understand how the recent past created the present.
- A theme central to McMaster’s critique of U.S. foreign policy is “strategic narcissism.” This is the tendency to define the world in relation to the U.S. It was borne out of the Cold War due to U.S. dominance and ignores the agency of other countries. It is foreign policy by wishful thinking.
- McMaster then outlined the three assumptions that set the U.S. up for the difficulties in the 2000s whereby we took a short-term approach to long-term problems:
- The arc of history was guaranteed.
- Our democratic society would continue.
- And wars would be cheap and efficient war based on our technological prowess.
- One of our more consequential foreign policy blunders, made by presidents of both parties, was that as China modernized it would also liberalize.
- What U.S. foreign policy has failed to acknowledge are the aspirations and emotions of China, but other countries as well (Russia). We have lacked strategic empathy.
- McMaster’s overriding concern is that Americans do not understand what is at stake, and what it will take. It is up to leaders to communicate both.
