Strategy Reading Group: The Russia-China-America Triangle

Our readings this month will focus on the Russia-China-America triangle. Because they are the most powerful states in the international system, their relations with one another have a strong impact on the rest of the world. President Richard Nixon famously went to Beijing and pursued detente with Moscow just after the two Communist states had fought a war with one another. This deft diplomatic move placed America at the pivot of the “strategic triangle.” And “since the Nixon administration directed America’s foreign affairs,” writes former Nixon advisor Dimitri K. Simes, “it has been the policy of the United States to strive for better relations with China and Russia than the two powers have with one another. Yet America’s current policy seems to amount to a simultaneous frontal assault on both countries, at least as they see it.”
Is this true? Has an overambitious U.S. approach in both Europe and East Asia led to a Russian-Chinese alignment, leaving America the odd man out? If so, can America split the two apart, or must it learn to live with a world in which Putin and Xi are, as a recent National Interest cover asked, "New Best Friends?"
Primary Readings:

Simes, Dimitri K., “Dangerous Liaisons.” The National Interest, No. 159 (Jan/Feb 2019). https://nationalinterest.org/feature/dangerous-liaisons-38722
Allison, Graham, “China and Russia: A Strategic Alliance in the Making.” The National Interest, No. 159 (Jan/Feb 2019). https://nationalinterest.org/feature/china-and-russia-strategic-alliance-making-38727
Brands, Hal, “Trump Can’t Split Russia From China — Yet.” Bloomberg, July 31, 2018. https://www.bloomberg.com/opinion/articles/2018-07-31/trump-can-t-split-russia-from-china-yet
Wishnick, Elizabeth, “The New China-Russia-U.S. Triangle.” NBR Analysis, December 16, 2015. https://www.nbr.org/publication/the-new-china-russia-u-s-triangle/

Seating is very limited, so please reserve your ticket promptly and, if you have reserved a ticket and are unable to come, let us know immediately so that we can allow someone from the waitlist.
Participants will have an opportunity to mingle until 6:15 - then we'll kick off the discussion.
We will be gathering at the Center for the National Interest, which is accessible directly from the Farragut metro stations. Their offices are on the 12th floor of 1025 Connecticut Ave., NW.
We will have light refreshments.