Policy Exchange launched our new Anglo-American project with a high level conference in Washington to debate US-UK Relations in a Changing World. Both the US National Security Adviser Lt Gen HR McMaster and the National Security Adviser to the British Prime Minister, Mark Sedwill CMG, spoke at the culmination of the event – the first time the two holders of these positions have appeared together in public. Other speakers included:
- Senator Dan Sullivan (R-AK), Senate Armed Services Committee
- General Sir Graeme Lamb KBE, CMG, DSO, former Commander of the UK Field Army at Land Command
- Sir John Jenkins, former UK Ambassador to Saudi Arabia
- Dr Tamara Cofman Wittes, Senior Fellow at the Brookings Institution
- Professor Niall Ferguson, Historian and Senior Fellow at the Hoover Institution
- Dr Ted Bromund, Margaret Thatcher Centre for Freedom, Heritage Foundation
- Robert Kaplan, Author and Senior Fellow at the Center for a New American Security, and Senior Advisor at Eurasia Group
For many decades the US and UK have shared an unprecedented security identity. We have shared perceptions of the challenges we faced and in the main have developed complementary strategies and capabilities to advance our mutual global interests and ideals.
However, questions have arisen about the long-term strength of the Western alliance on issues ranging from burden-sharing to capability and political will. This uncertainty brings with it great urgency but also opportunity. Now is a unique moment in the Special Relationship’s history to cement our ties to each other and rejuvenate our leadership of the free world.
At Policy Exchange we believe that it is time to consider how the unparalleled Anglo-American relationship can be strengthened to support the interests of the USA, UK and Europe. We will be holding further events and publishing work on this issue in the coming months.
General McMaster offered a preview of the new US National Security Strategy, to be released on Monday. He listed four main priorities:
- Protecting the American homeland
- Advancing American prosperity
- The pursuit of “peace through strength”
- Advancing American influence through “competitive engagement”.
Other themes included an emphasis on “collective security”, “cooperation with reciprocity” and the need revive “strategic confidence” in the US national security. Addressing the question of US-UK relations, he stressed strong support for the alliance and in particular Prime Minister Theresa May’s determination to take strong action against online radicalisation.
The event attracted widespread media coverage including from Bloomberg, Newsweek, ABC News, Voice of America, Washington Times, The National, Mail Online and the New York Times.
View more photos from the event via our Flickr channel.