January 05, 2012
Evening Lecture Series: Robert Kaplan: The Indian Ocean and the Future of American Power
Robert Kaplan, a senior fellow at the Center for a New American Security and a national correspondent for "The Atlantic," presented "The Indian Ocean and the Future of American Power" at the Naval War College's Evening Lecture Series on Nov. 8, 2010, in Spruance Auditorium. He discussed his view on how crucial the dynamic area of the Indian Ocean has become to American power in the twenty-first century.
Kaplan believes the rise of countries in the region, including India, Pakistan, China, Indonesia, Burma, Oman, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Tanzania, and others represent a shift in the global balance that cannot be ignored. He argues that the Indian Ocean area will be the true nexus of world power and conflict in the coming years. According to Kaplan, it is here that the fight for democracy, energy independence, and religious freedom will likely be won or lost, and it is here that American foreign policy must focus if America is to remain influential in an ever-changing world.
The international lecture is sponsored by the Naval War College Foundation in memory of Edgar W.B. Fairchild, a former Foundation Trustee, through the generosity of Mr. Fairchild's estate.
During this international lecture, Kaplan conducted a thought-provoking discussion of the Indian Ocean as a strategic and demographic hub, and provided an in-depth look at the issues that are most pressing for American interests both at home and abroad. He also discussed the effects that explosive population growth, climate change, and extremist politics may play on this challenge-filled region.
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