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Naval War College Review

Authors

Karl Walling

Abstract

From the end of the Cold War in 1989–91 and with increasing urgency in the immediate aftermath of 11 September 2001, perhaps few subjects seemed more important to those who frame and study strategy than developing a new American grand strategy for the twenty-first century. Who would play the role of George Washington in his Farewell Address advising Americans to steer clear of permanent alliances (he did not say “entangling alliances”—that was Thomas Jefferson’s phrase in his first inaugural message; Washington’s brilliant speech- writer, Alexander Hamilton, accepted that temporary alliances might be neces- sary or advisable from time to time, but feared to be tied to any other country on a permanent basis, lest partiality and partisanship sacrifice American to foreign interests)?

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