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The Center for America’s Purpose (CAP) was launched to promote America’s leadership role in the world. Headed by Sagamore Institute Senior Fellow Alan W. Dowd, CAP identifies historical guideposts to bolster national-security strategy in the 21st century, applies the lessons of history to the challenges of today and seeks to remind the American people that as civilization’s first-responder and last line of defense, the United States is a force for good in the world. Drawing from history, CAP is idealistic about America’s purpose in the world, optimistic about what America and its allies can achieve in the world, and realistic about how and where to employ American power in the world. To share CAP’s message and mission with engaged citizens and policymakers, Dowd authors essays for leading magazines, journals and websites, and publishes Capstones, the Center’s monthly publication covering national defense and international security.
In Focus
Capstones: Rediscovering America's Purpose
What is America’s purpose in the world? Americans have answered that question in different ways over the centuries. When the United States was young and weak, George Washington plotted a path of nonintervention, concluding that America’s purpose was to prove that self-government could work at home and “to steer clear of permanent alliances” abroad.
