University of Pittsburgh Ridgway Center for International Security Studies


Dr. Phil Williams, Professor and Director of the Matthew B. Ridgway Center for International Security Studies






Contact Information

General Matthew B. Ridgway Biography
Transnational Challenges to Security

Transnational Challenges to SecurityBrian Katulis spoke to a capacity crowd of GSPIA's students and members of the community about "Transnational Challenges to Security." Since the 9/11 terrorist attacks, the U.S. has not experienced any major terrorist incidents on its homeland. This is positive news; however, there are several global challenges facing the U.S. security policy:

  • North Korea has gone nuclear
  • Iran probably intends to move towards a nuclear direction
  • Russia has shown its muscle in Georgia
  • Brazil, Russia, India, and China emerging as important players in the global politics
  • American military is overstretched in Afghanistan and Iraq
  • And, last but not the least, American economy is going through a depression

Although the U.S. is facing so many challenges and critics are arguing that American power is declining, Mr. Katulis contends that the world is looking to the U.S. for a pragmatic leadership, not a malign hegemony. He argues that the next U.S. President's Middle East policy must deal with the following four crises:

  • Restoring peace and order in post-war Iraq
  • Resolving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict
  • Getting the Pakistani cooperation in dealing with the resurgence of Taliban and Al Qaeda in Afghanistan
  • Possible India/Pakistan nuclear confrontation with China playing a possible role

It will be a challenging task for the next U.S. President to revive the image of the United States of America around the world.