Source: Bloggingheads.tv
The presidential transition has raised a variety of questions, particularly regarding the future of U.S. foreign policy. In a spirited Bloggingheads debate with Robert Wright of the New America Foundation, Robert Kagan expressed his views on many of these issues and reaffirmed his belief that the power of nations—rather than international legal principles—still plays the defining role in shaping international relations.
Kagan highlighted his pragmatic viewpoint and praised Hillary Clinton, the presumptive nominee for Secretary of State, for her similar pragmatism. Debating the role of the United Nations Security Council and other international decision-making frameworks, Kagan maintained that nations tend to pursue their national interest, as the Russian example has shown. The U.S., therefore, must be realistic in its expectations for international cooperation as the president-elect begins to define his foreign policy goals.