Britain announced its biggest military spending increase since the Cold War on Thursday, pledging to end the “era of retreat” as it seeks a post-Brexit role in a world Prime Minister Boris Johnson warned was more perilous than for decades.
For members of the press who are looking for insight and historical perspective on this issue, Michael John Williams is available for an interview. Williams, associate professor of public administration and international affairs in the Maxwell School, teaches courses on great power conflict, trans-Atlantic relations and international security.
Williams’ research focuses functionally on international security with a regional concentration in twentieth-century Europe. He has published extensively in both academic and policy outlets on the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, as well as on issues of war and technology. His last book was “Science, Law and Liberalism in the American Way of War: The Quest for Humanity in Conflict” (Cambridge University Press, 2014). His work has been published in journals such as International Affairs, International Politics, International Peacekeeping, Global Governance, and Cooperation and Conflict.
Williams offers the following perspective on the U.K.’s defense investment:
“The U.K.’s announcement of an additional $22 billion in defense investment will be greatly welcome by the incoming Biden administration. U.K. defense capability has drastically fallen off in recent years and today the British would be unable to field the numbers of military forces they did for the 2003 Iraq War. This will help stave off Britain’s military decline and keep the U.K. as an ally capable of operating alongside U.S. military forces, but ultimately it is only a drop in the bucket. It remains to be seen where this money will be invested—there are a number of mission-critical shortages ranging from additional Joint Strike Fighters for the U.K.’s carriers, to Army investment and cyber capability.
For more information or to schedule an interview with Professor Williams, please contact:
Joshua M. Grossman ’03
Director of Media Relations
Division of Communications and Marketing
T 202.227.9250
jmgrossm@syr.edu
