Thread by @DoorstepPodcast

Continuing the conversation started at @RadioFreeTom and with the contributions by @JonNeeter and @bren1008, we are fundamentally grappling with the question of narratives: why do we do what we do in the world? 1/

@RadioFreeTom @JonNeeter @bren1008 This is what the @carnegiecouncil U.S. global engagement project has been trying to do since 2018 ... what are the frameworks we are using to situate our role? 2/ carnegiecouncil.org/publications/a…

@RadioFreeTom @JonNeeter @bren1008 @carnegiecouncil The Afghan disaster is putting into stark relief that we may be moving away from some of the post-9/11 assumptions and statements: 1) that in order to prevent "global terrorism" from finding homes, the United States needs to strengthen all states around the world. 3/

@RadioFreeTom @JonNeeter @bren1008 @carnegiecouncil [Full disclosure: cohost #NickGvosdev and @CFR_org's #RayTakeyh were arguing "do terrorist networks need a home" back in 2002 and warning about how transnational groups would seek out failing states to inhabit.] 4/ tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.116…

@RadioFreeTom @JonNeeter @bren1008 @carnegiecouncil @CFR_org Perhaps we've reached a point where we are prepared to live with that risk; we've also seen in Al-Qaeda 2.0 that terror groups can launch lone-wolf disruptive attacks from within the U.S., not from a base in Afghanistan. 5/

@RadioFreeTom @JonNeeter @bren1008 @carnegiecouncil @CFR_org The other is the "drain the swamp" approach that we have to democratize countries around the world to deprive extremists of support. When @robertfworth is writing in @nytimes about how Gadhafi's son has a good shot at coming to power in Libya, we might want to revisit ... 6/

@RadioFreeTom @JonNeeter @bren1008 @carnegiecouncil @CFR_org @robertfworth @nytimes some of our assumptions. 7/ nytimes.com/2021/07/30/mag…

@RadioFreeTom @JonNeeter @bren1008 @carnegiecouncil @CFR_org @robertfworth @nytimes Finally, let's not forget that @POTUS has already been through this rodeo in 2009. He seems to be willing to move to an over-the-horizon approach to strike terror threats. 8/

@RadioFreeTom @JonNeeter @bren1008 @carnegiecouncil @CFR_org @robertfworth @nytimes @POTUS And President Biden has a different national security team around him with different priorities and different levels of tolerance. In @EIAJournal this past January, we looked at comments made by deputy NSA @jonfiner. He warned about the "disconnect between ..." 9/

@RadioFreeTom @JonNeeter @bren1008 @carnegiecouncil @CFR_org @robertfworth @nytimes @POTUS @EIAJournal @jonfiner what foreign policy-makers do, and what most of the rest of the American political apparatus knows about, cares about and understands." He also noted that when foreign policy is not grounded in an enduring domestic political consensus. It leads to concerns as to "whether ... 10/

@RadioFreeTom @JonNeeter @bren1008 @carnegiecouncil @CFR_org @robertfworth @nytimes @POTUS @EIAJournal @jonfiner commitments will endure longer than one political cycle." Apparently on Afghanistan, that was a consideration. So something we'll be keeping our attention focused on. END ethicsandinternationalaffairs.org/2021/jon-finer…