About this Event
Since the September 11, 2001, attacks, the U.S. military has been fighting incessantly in conflicts around the globe, often with inconclusive results. The legacies of these conflicts have serious implications for how the United States will wage war in the future. Yet there is a stunning lack of introspection about these conflicts. Never in modern U.S. history has the military been at war for so long. And never in U.S. history have such long wars demanded so much of so few. The legacy of wars without end include a military that feels the painful effects of war but often feels alone. The public is less connected to the military now than at any point in modern U.S. history. The national security apparatus seeks to pivot away from these engagements and to move on to the next threats notably those emanating from China and Russia. Many young Americans question whether it even makes sense to invest in the military. At best, there are ad hoc, unstructured debates about Iraq or Afghanistan. Simply put, there has been no serious, organized stock-taking by the public, politicians, opinion leaders, or the military itself of this inheritance. Despite being at war for the longest continuous period in its history, the military is woefully unprepared for future wars. But the United States cannot simply hit the reset button. Join Perry World House for a discussion on how this inheritance from nearly two decades of war has influenced civil-military relations, how the military goes to war, how the military wages war, who leads the military and who serves in it, how the military thinks about war, and above all, the enduring impact of these wars on those who waged them. If the U.S. military seeks to win in the future, it must acknowledge and reconcile with the inheritance of its long and inconclusive wars.
At this event, Dr. Mara Karlin will discuss her book, . Perry World House will give out free copies of the book to the first 25 attendees.
SPEAKER
Mara Karlin, PhD is a professor at Johns Hopkins University-School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS) and a visiting fellow at the Brookings Institution. She served in national security roles for six U.S. secretaries of defense, advising on strategic planning, defense budgeting, the future of conflict, and regional affairs. Most recently, she served as assistant secretary of defense for strategy, plans, and capabilities, leading the development and implementation of the 2022 National Defense Strategy. She advised the secretary of defense on forces, plans, posture, emerging capabilities, and security cooperation, including historic modernization of U.S. force posture in Asia and AUKUS implementation. Previously, she led DoD’s relations with nearly 150 countries. Karlin was on the defense policy team for the Biden-Harris transition. Karlin wrote two books on military history and defense policy, and is a recipient of the Secretary of Defense Distinguished Public Service Medal.
Event Venue & Nearby Stays
Perry World House, 3803 Locust Walk, Philadelphia, United States
