Modernizing Alliances

The U.S.–Japan Alliance Must Become a Systems Alliance

At a recent panel discussion at G1 Silicon Valley on “Navigating a Strategic Roadmap for the U.S.-Japan Alliance,” I argued that the alliance is entering a new era. For decades, the U.S.-Japan relationship rested on a durable formula. America provided security guarantees. Japan provided economic strength, technological excellence, and steadfast partnership. That model helped anchor stability in […]

360° View of Alliances: How They Benefit America—And How They Must Evolve

Alliances at the Crossroads By Mark R. Kennedy, Founding Director, Wahba Initiative for Strategic Competition Alliances are America’s most underappreciated strategic asset. They extend our reach, multiply our capabilities, and give our actions legitimacy. They deter adversaries not only through collective military strength, but also by weaving together economic, technological, diplomatic, and cultural ties that […]

Alliances as Engines of Innovation

Although it may appear that unilateralism is increasingly de rigueur, nations have been and remain interdependent. The U.S. is no exception. U.S. alliances with other nations serve as powerful catalysts for innovation and entrepreneurship through several critical mechanisms. The pooling of complementary resources, expertise, and market access creates exponential value that countries cannot achieve alone. […]

Middle Power Agency Calls Amid Rules-Based Order and Spheres of Influence Anxiety

Introduction The past few years have seen intensifying anxieties about the so-called rules-based order (RBO) intersecting with calls for middle and smaller powers in the rest of the world (ROW) to step up in the wake of rising strategic competition. The intersection of order anxiety and activism calls is critical to the world’s trajectory, as […]

Peace Requires Strength and Allies

Later today, President Zelensky will meet with President Trump in Washington, accompanied by European leaders, for what may prove a pivotal moment in shaping the path to peace in Ukraine. Much of the attention will focus on whether the talks produce immediate concessions or credible guarantees. But the deeper question is how any agreement should […]

Mark Kennedy Outlines Vision for New Economic Alliance

Who Writes the Digital Rules, Wins the Future

Writing rules for the digital economy is a balancing act. Everyone agrees that to derive the maximum benefit from the digital economy requires keeping obstacles to trade to a minimum. Yet, there is also a consensus that questions of national security, consumer protection and competition are of crucial importance.  For political, economic and strategic reasons […]