PART 1. Professor John Mearsheimer addressed an audience in Brisbane on Monday, 23 October as part of an event with Tom Switzer and Peter Varghese. This video is John's standalone lecture, you can find the rest of the conversation and Q&A session in PART 2 here;    • In Depth Q&A: Mearsheimer and Varghes...  

The Middle East crisis will have have severe repercussions for Israel, its neighbors, and U.S. foreign policy. Israel's response to Hamas's attacks is expected to continue to provoke anger across the Middle East, potentially fueling jihadist movements and escalating conflicts with other groups, contributing to regional instability. The U.S. has a vital interest in maintaining stability in the Persian Gulf, but the Israel-Hamas conflict threatens to undermine this.

It's crucial to acknowledge that Russia, rather than constituting a substantial threat to the U.S., has the potential to be an ally in containing China. However, the U.S.-supported campaign in Ukraine has inadvertently drawn Russia closer to China, contravening the principles of balance-of-power politics, and this commitment to Ukraine is likely to remain.

All this conflict risks diverting American focus from East Asia, where efforts to forge a coalition to address a significant strategic challenge are underway, it's in Australia's interest to collaborate with the U.S. in deterring China. Beijing's optimal outcome involves the U.S. remaining deeply involved in Eastern Europe and the Middle East, preventing a full pivot to East Asia.

CIS promotes free choice and individual liberty and the open exchange of ideas. CIS encourages debate among leading academics, politicians, media and the public. We aim to make sure good policy ideas are heard and seriously considered so that Australia can prosper. Follow CIS on our Socials;

📖 Read more from CIS here: https://www.cis.org.au/
💬 Join in the conversation in the comments.
👍 Like this video if you enjoyed it and want to see more, it really helps us out!
🔔 Subscribe to our channel and click the bell to watch our videos first:    / @cisaus  
⏲️ Missed this event live? Subscribe to CIS to be up to date with all our events:
https://www.cis.org.au/subscribe/
📝 Subscribe to CIS mailing list- https://www.cis.org.au/subscribe/
💳 Support us with a tax-deductible donation at - https://www.cis.org.au/support/