This is CBSI in the world. I'm John Batchel with Elbridge Colby, the author of the new book,

The Strategy of Denial, American Defense in an Age of Great Power conflict. The great power of concern is China,

the People's Republic of China, aggressive, predatory, and non-transparent.

What is the purpose of the U.S. strategy in this conflict, in any larger conflict here

in the 21st century?

Bridge, you make it very clear that the U.S. government must provide security, freedom,

and prosperity.

And in doing that, they construct a coalition in Asia or around the world against the hegemon

or the potential hegemon of China.

So in constructing that, is it appropriate for the U.S. to have other filters for other countries in

the coalition? Must those other countries be secure, free, and prosperous? Must they be democracies?

No, actually, not at all. I mean, I think the goal of policy is to promote Americans' security, freedom, and prosperity,

and that may require affiliating with countries that are not themselves, Republican systems like ours.

I mean, obviously, I think we all wish for other countries to be governed in a civilized and kind of liberal and Republican way.

But that's not the goal of American foreign policy. And I really try to root my argument.

You know, one of the things that I've been very frustrated by over the last generation,

I would say, is that American foreign policy discussion has become very attenuated in its connection to concrete

American interests.

I mean, you know, we're talking here about a war with another superpower, the most powerful

state to emerge in the international system, the United States itself, a war with, which could

be apocalyptic.

And my own instincts are tend towards the non-interventionists.

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