Great Decisions, a national program of the non-partisan Foreign Policy Association, is America’s largest discussion program on world affairs. The Potomac Library group meets, usually with a guest speaker, 8 times a year on the first Thursday of the month: February, March, April, May, June, September, October, and November. We meet from 12:30-2:00. The program is free and open to the public. 

• A copy of the 2018 Briefing Book will be available in late January at the Information Desk.  The book cannot be checked out, but it only takes about an hour to read the relevant article. 

U.S. global engagement and the military By Gordon Adams 

The global power balance is rapidly evolving, leaving the United States at a turning point with respect to its level of engagement and the role of its military. Some argue for an “America First” paradigm, with a large military to ensure security, while others call for a more assertive posture overseas. Some advocate for a restoration of American multilateral leadership and a strengthened role for diplomacy. Still others envision a restrained U.S. role, involving a more limited military. How does the military function in today’s international order, and how might it be balanced with diplomatic and foreign assistance capabilities? 

Sponsored by Friends of the Library, Potomac Chapter.