Dangerous Nation: America's Place in the World from Its Earliest Days to the Dawn of the Twentieth Century.Robert Kagan talks about U.S. influence in the world going back to the days of the Puritans. He argues that the U.S. has been increasing its global power steadily for centuries and says that the idea that the U.S. was once an isolationist power is a myth. Following Mr. Kagan's remarks, New York Times columnist Thomas Friedman comments on the book and engages in a debate with Mr. Kagan about some of the claims he makes. This event was hosted by the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace in Washington, D.C.
Robert Kagan is the author of Of Paradise and Power and co-editor of Present Dangers: Crisis and Opportunity in American Foreign and Defense Policy. He writes a monthly column for the Washington Post. Mr. Kagan is currently a senior associate at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace.