The Robert S. Strauss Center for International Security and Law welcomed Admiral James Stavridis, Commander of the U.S. European Command and NATO Supreme Allied Commander Europe, on November 22, 2011. Admiral Bobby Inman, Lyndon B. Johnson Centennial Chair in National Policy, introduced Admiral Stavridis.
Admiral Stavridis spoke on the emerging 21st century security challenges facing the United States and Europe, as well as how the NATO alliance is responding to these challenges. Created during a time of cataclysmic change in Europe, NATO is now a resource rich alliance that is highly capable of carrying out its mission, according to Admiral Stavridis.
Admiral Stavridis detailed the many challenges that NATO faces in its security zone, including tension in the Balkans, terrorist incidents throughout Europe, and European demographics. He sees the effects of an aging population as Europe’s principal challenge in the coming decades. The alliance is also addressing the nexus of narcotics, terrorism, and human trafficking, conducting operations to ensure security against an Iranian missiles program, building a strategic partnership with Russia, responding to natural disasters, tackling the rising number of piracy and hostage incidents, and improving preparedness against cyber threats. Admiral Stavridis highlights the value and success of the NATO alliance through the collective efforts in Afghanistan and Libya, where NATO recently concluded a nine-month mission involving 75 percent non-US alliance participation.
To address these myriad challenges, Admiral Stavridis suggests that we should begin by learning, listening, reading, and studying. He recommended devoting more time to learning languages, understanding cultures, and building bridges by reaching out to diverse audiences. Admiral Stavridis stressed the importance of finding creative solutions to security challenges and striking a balance between operating across a spectrum of hard power to soft power. He emphasized the need to act intelligently through international, interagency, and private-public bridging. Admiral Stavridis discussed the contributions of social networking to security, and he left the audience with a final thought: no one person is as smart as all of us thinking together.
Questions from the audience covered the economy and U.S. debt crisis in relation to security, the challenge that Pakistan poses to the NATO alliance, Europe’s incentives for remaining in the alliance, and the balance of capabilities between the US and Europe.
More photos of the event can be accessed here.