A Strategy of Conservation: American Power and the International System

A new Harvard Kennedy School working paper by Sarah Sewall

CAMBRIDGE, MA --- How can the U.S. combat terrorism and reinforce national security while adapting to the dynamics of the 21st century global environment? A new Harvard Kennedy School working paper titled “A Strategy of Conservation: American Power and the International System” concludes the U.S. must incorporate a “strategic flexibility” with a collective mindset when revising the system of international relations.

Authored by Sarah Sewall, director of Harvard Kennedy School’s Carr Center for Human Rights Policy, the paper identifies five main threats to global order in the 21st century: weakening states, non-state spoilers, new and fragile nuclear states, new pressures on rules and norms, and rising state powers. In order to overcome these threats, Sewall proposes a “conservation strategy” which entails shifting from an American mindset as a dominant global power to a more multilateral international approach.

By negotiating with rising global powers, Sewall argues, the U.S. can begin to change the model of international relations while maintaining its own status as a global power. Using “strategic flexibility” would enable the United States to stabilize national security and the international interstate system as a whole, she writes.

“The conservation strategy demands far-sighted investment, rejecting a ‘get rich quick,’ speculative approach to security in which short-term gains prove more costly over the long haul. This approach requires patience, as the returns may not be visible within a single budget cycle or presidential term,” Sewall writes. “In essence, the strategy transitions the United States from a security speculator to a global steward and requires Americans to adjust their psychology accordingly. As such, a conservation strategy must surmount obstacles fundamentally rooted in U.S. political culture. Overcoming these tendencies is a tall order, but with inspired leadership, such as that of the post-World War II period, Americans can meet the challenge.”

Sarah Sewall is lecturer of public policy and director of the Carr Center for Human Rights policy at Harvard Kennedy School. She served as deputy assistant secretary for peacekeeping and humanitarian assistance in the U.S. Department of Defense during the Clinton Administration. Her current research focuses on terrorism and counterinsurgency, and she authored the introduction to The U.S. Army/Marine Corps Counterinsurgency Field Manual. She is a member of the Center for Naval Analyses Defense Advisory Committee, the National Academies Committee on Offensive Information Warfare, and founder of the White House Projects National Security Boot Camp.

See the Working Paper on the website: http://ksgnotes1.harvard.edu/Research/wpaper.nsf/rwp/RWP08-028