The United States is enamored with regime change. Washington has toppled more than 30 foreign leaders since the start of the 20th century, making it the world leader in regime change by a wide margin. Yet, as the U.S. experience in Afghanistan shows, regime change often has devastating unintended consequences. Author Alexander B. Downes will discuss how regime change often leads to conflict by disintegrating the targeted state’s military and creating a foreign master for the new government. While different kinds of regime change have different levels of risk, Downes will explain that, on balance, regime change increases the likelihood of conflict both within the targeted state and between the target and the intervener. Please join us for a discussion with the author and a panel of experts.

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