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Dr. Stephen Blank (The American Foreign Policy Council)/caption
Dr. Stephen J. Blank graduated from University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia Pennsylvania (B.A. History 1971) and University of Chicago in Chicago Illinois (M.A. Russian History 1972; Ph.D. Russian History 1979).
He worked for the University of California at Riverside (Visiting Assistant Professor of Russian History 1979-1980) University of Texas at San Antonio Texas (Assistant Professor of Russian History 1980-1986) Center for Aerospace Doctrine Research and Education in Montgomery Alabama (Associate Professor of Soviet Studies Maxwell Air Force Base 1986-1989) The United States Army War College (Professor of National Security Studies Strategic Studies Institute 1989-2013) and American Foreign Policy Council in Washington DC (Senior Fellow for Russia 2013 to present).
Dr. Blank has published over 1000 articles and monographs on Soviet/Russian U.S. Asian and European military and foreign policies. He authored or edited 15 books focusing on Russian foreign energy and military policies and on International Security in Eurasia.
On October 4 2019 Stephen Blank attended the annual
ALIANŢA/The Alliance Gala at the Romanian Embassy in Washington DC.
With that occasion Dr. Blank granted me an exclusive interview.
1. Dr. Stephen Blank you are a senior fellow at the American Foreign Policy Council. Please describe briefly this think tank and its more recent activities.
Its a think tank that interacts a great deal with Congress and also with the public to inform them on international issues particularly with regard to Russia and China but no only. They are of strategic importance. And to enlighten the public and the Congress it provides upon for them in analyzing and coming to terms with those issues. Recent activities: we are publishing all the time. We just recently did a primer on missile defense. I just published an edited volume on the Russian military and we did an earlier one this year on Korea.
2. Very interesting. Dr. Blank you are a reputed expert on international security and Russia. President Donald Trumps stance on Russia more as a competitor than as an enemy has attracted some criticism. Do these critics have a point in your opinion?
In my personal opinion yes they do. I think Russia has long since made it clear that its at war with the West. And I think we have to take them at their word.
3. Last question Dr. Blank: how do you see Eastern Europe in general and countries like Romania and Republic of Moldova in particular coping with post-Soviet Russia in the foreseeable future?
Well thats a huge question. I mean we can only give a very short answer here. But the best thing that each of these countries can do for themselves is to strengthen their governance and domestic resilience and provide economic growth and security and good government and democracy for that matter to their people. But on the wider level all these European states need to come together in closer cooperation regional integration. None of them alone can deal adequately with Russia. But in number its their strength.
4. Yes. Thank you so much Dr. Blank.
Okay.
(October 11 2019)
TIBERIU DIANU has published several books and a host of articles in law politics and post-communist societies. He currently lives and works in Washington DC and can be followed on MEDIUM.
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