Guest speech: Director of the Washington-based New America Foundation Think-tank, Mr. Steve Clemons

As a continuation of the Guest Lecture series of the IMC Export Department, under the auspices of the Chair for International, Legal and Global Political Studies, Prof. Dr. Anis Bajrektarevic in cooperation with the Amerika Haus of the US Embassy in Vienna invited Mr. Steven C. Clemons, Director of the Washington-based New America Foundation Think-tank to hold a guest lecture on the US currents.

Mr. Clemons was giving the IMC students and lecturers the possibility to gain insights into the upcoming US elections, from a neutral but very critical perspective.

After his highly exciting presentation, the audience was welcomed to address questions regarding current US politics. The guest lecture was followed by a informal, pleasant meet and great event, which gave the opportunity to personally get in contact with our guest.

The introducing question posed was, „Do we Europeans have a right for optimism, in regards to future American politics?“

Our guest not only pointed out the complicated status quo in which the United States are currently but also explained his personal view on both party’s candidates. He did not hold back with criticism and was elated to elaborate the current position of the United States, internally as well as on a global scale. The remarks concerning the internal aspect of the current situation gave a detailed overview on the strengths and weaknesses of both parties’ leaders and an estimation of the possible outcome of the elections.

Answer on the question "the US FED used to say: ‘dollar is our currency and your problem’, will it be so with the ongoing financial crisis?" gave also thoughtful insights into the revisiting of the liberalism in the US.

The next part of his speech dealt with the global aspect and the situation in which the United States find themselves at the moment, explaining the economic crisis as well as the current declining credibility of the US, and further on elucidated the result of this constellation - the long time superpower status of the US is at stake.

The later part of the visit was reserved for students’ questions, in which topics such as the Ballistic Missile Defense system that is to be set up in Europe and its effects on multilateral relations, the counter measures to the loss of credibility and the peculiar behavior of Party leader supporters were discussed.
The following informal part of the visit was highly appreciated and gave some more time for discussion and questions as well as general advice from our much-valued guest.

During his stay in Austria, Mr. Clemons was in a center of media attention, giving interviews to ORF, Der Standard, Salzburger Nachirichten, Die Presse and Kurrier.

Mr. Clemons co-founded with Chalmers Johnson the Japan Policy Research Institute, of which he is still Director. He is a Member of the Board of the Clarke Center at Dickinson College, a liberal arts college in Carlisle, Pa., as well as an Advisory Board Member of the C.V. Starr Center for the Study of the American Experience at Washington College in Chestertown, Md. He is also a Board Member of the Global Policy Innovations Program at the Carnegie Council on Ethics and International Affairs and a member of the board of the Citizens for Global Solutions Education Fund. Mr. Clemons writes frequently on matters of foreign policy, defense, and international economic policy. His work has appeared in many of the major leading op-ed pages, journal, and magazines around the world. His eloquence and the ability to explain complicated relations made this guest lecture an outstanding event and a particular pleasure, which we are looking forward to having again soon.

Summing up after the half-day visit to Krems (Director Clemons was accompanied by the Amerika Haus official Ms. Alice Burton), content-intensive and vivid talks with fellow students and professors, with Mr. Ernst Fietz , the EXPORT Program Director, and Mr. Anis H. Bajrektarevic, Export Chair and principal host of the event, our distinguished guest stated that he has been very impressed by our faculty’s interest in the US affairs. Director Clemons also complimented the commitment and knowledge of our students as demonstrated in the questions and discussion with him.
Steve Clemons finally expressed his willingness to co-organize with us the trans-Atlantic video-conference right after the US presidential elections, and surely to return to our university soon again.

The guest lecture of Mr. Clemons was the 54th event organized under the auspices of Chair for Intl. Law and Global Political Studies. (and the 7th organized in cooperation with the US Embassy Vienna).

Photos: Niko S.
Text: Markus T. & Prof. Dr. Anis Bajrektarevic