Jointly sponsored as part of the McCain Institute's Debate and Decision Series.

A quarter century after the fall of the Berlin Wall and subsequent collapse of the Soviet Union, global security threats continue unabated, ISIL and other terrorist groups are expanding their influence, and Russia and China are forcefully asserting themselves on territory in Ukraine and in the South China Sea, respectively. Europe, already plagued by major demographic and economic challenges, is now struggling to cope with the largest refugee crisis in a lifetime.

After 1989, conventional wisdom said that collectivism and centralization would give way to Western capitalism and liberal democracy. But has globalization actually given an advantage to renewed authoritarianism, terrorism, and extremist ideologies? Are systems based on democratic values and market economics still the best bet for the future? Will the West win the post-Cold War era, or lose it?

Debaters:

Amb. James B. Foley, Former U.S. Ambassador to the Republic of Croatia

Amb. James B. Foley, the former U.S. Ambassador to the Republic of Croatia, presented his credentials to President Stjepan Mesić on September 15, 2009. Ambassador Foley is a career member of the Senior Foreign Service. Read more.

Dr. Mark Moyar, Visiting Scholar, Foreign Policy Initiative

Dr. Mark Moyar is Visiting Scholar at The Foreign Policy Initiative and the author, most recently, of the book Strategic Failure: How President Obama’s Drone Warfare, Defense Cuts, and Military Amateurism Have Imperiled America. Read more.

Dr. Demosthenes James Peterson, President, Longview Global Advisors

Dr. DJ Peterson is a political scientist serving as President of Longview Global Advisors, where he helps corporate leaders and investors make sense of critical political, economic, and social issues shaping their business and the environments in which they operate around the world. Read more.

Dr. Kori Schake, Research Fellow, The Hoover Institution

Dr. Kori Schake is a research fellow at the Hoover Institution. During the 2008 presidential election, she was senior policy adviser to the McCain-Palin campaign, responsible for policy development and outreach in the areas of foreign and defense policy. Read more.

Moderator:

Amb. Kurt Volker, Executive Director, The McCain Institute; Former U.S. Permanent Representative to NATO (2008-2009)

Ambassador Kurt Volker is Executive Director of The McCain Institute for International Leadership, part of Arizona State University. He served as U.S. Ambassador to NATO in 2008-2009. Read more.

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A debate jointly sponsored by The McCain Institute for International Leadership and the Pacific Council on International Policy. Read more about The McCain Institute's ongoing Debate and Decision Series.