Michael Desch, Director, Notre Dame International Security Center
Moderated by Justin Logan, CSS

The United States plays a unique role in international affairs. U.S. policymakers have generally supported an ambitious foreign policy with global implications. Unlike smaller nations, Washington has a broad range of policy options. These decisions can have great impact on both American servicemembers, as in the case of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, for example, as well as on overseas populations.

American Catholics have disagreed among themselves on many of these issues. In truth, there are many difficult questions to think about when it comes to any aspect of American foreign policy.

How should Catholics view the promise and pitfalls inherent in contemporary U.S. foreign policy? How should traditional virtues like restraint and moderation influence American policymakers? Can Catholic thinking help illuminate not what we think, but how we think about these difficult issues?