December 8, 2014
A Strategic Approach to Malaria
Date: December 8, 8:45am
Location: Center for Strategic and International Studies, 1616 Rhode Island Ave NW, 2nd Floor Conference Room, Washington DC
On December 8, the CSIS Global Health Policy Center will host a major day-long conference on the future of global malaria efforts. It will open with a high-level deliberation over the strategic long-term goal of elimination, highlighting the political, financial, and institutional requisites. It will feature expert roundtables on drug and insecticide resistance, future technologies (vaccines, therapies, diagnostics), and financing. There will be a special focus on civilian-military cooperation in the Mekong Subregion. On that day, CSIS will release five commissioned policy analyses.
RSVP here to attend in person or watch live online here.
Russia’s Global Self: Five Different Faces
Date: December 8, 10:00am
Location: Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies, 1717 Massachusetts Ave NW, Room 500, Washington DC
Nina Belyaeva, professor and chair of the Public Policy Department at the Higher School of Economics in Moscow, will discuss that although the attention of the international community is preoccupied with the statements and behavior of the official power elites and their representatives, for the West to deal responsibly with Russia it is essential to monitor and understand five different social clusters in Russia, each with a distinct “face”: official power elites, business people, “patriots,” liberals, and the general public.
Register here.
Reflections on Ukraine’s Crisis
Date: December 8, 1:45pm
Location: Atlantic Council, 1030 15th Street NW, 12th Floor, West Tower, Washington DC
Please join the Atlantic Council’s Dinu Patriciu Eurasia Center for a public event featuring United States Ambassador to Ukraine Geoff Pyatt on Monday, December 8, 2014 from 1:45 to 2:45 p.m. at the Atlantic Council.
Ambassador Pyatt, the eighth US ambassador to Ukraine, arrived in Kyiv on August 3, 2013. Three months after his arrival, the Ukrainian capital witnessed eruption of massive civil protests against Yanukovych government’s decision not to enact the Association Agreement with the European Union.
A year and a half later, amidst Ukraine’s economic crisis, Russia’s violation of territorial integrity of Ukraine in the East and militarization of Crimea, the ambassador remains firm in supporting Ukrainian people’s pro-European and pro-democratic choice.
Ambassador Pyatt will share his insights into the ongoing crisis in Ukraine and will delineate future prospects for US-Ukraine relations going forward. This event is part of our Ukraine in Europe Initiative, in which we particularly focus on galvanizing the transatlantic community in order to help ensure Ukraine survives as an independent nation.
Register here to attend in person or watch live online here.
Book Release: Eurojihad by Angel Rabasa and Cheryl Benard
Date: December 8, 2:00pm
Location: Center for Strategic and International Studies, 1616 Rhode Island Ave NW, Concourse Level, Room C-115, Washington DC
Throughout history, factors of radicalization have involved social and economic conditions and issues of identity. Patterns of Islamist radicalization in Europe reflect the historical experience of European Muslim communities, particularly their links to their home countries, the prevalence of militant groups there, and the extent to which factors of radicalization in Muslim countries transfer to European Muslim diasporas.
Eurojihad (Cambridge University Press, 2014) examines the sources of radicalization in Muslim communities in Europe and the responses of European governments and societies. In an effort to understand the scope and dynamics of Islamist extremism and terrorism in Europe, this book takes into account recent developments, in particular the emergence of Syria as a major destination of European jihadists. Angel Rabasa and Cheryl Benard describe the history, methods, and evolution of jihadist networks in Europe with particular nuance, providing a useful primer for the layperson and a sophisticated analysis for the expert.
Register here.
Human Rights in North Korea and U.S. Policy
Date: December 8, 6:00pm
Location: Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies, 1619 Massachusetts Ave NW, Rome Auditorium, Washington DC
Robert King, special envoy for North Korean Human Rights Issues at the US State Department; Greg Scarlatoiu, executive director at the Committee for Human Rights in North Korea (HRNK); and Daniel Aum, Donald Wilson Fellow at the RFK Center for Justice and Human Rights and author of the report, “Crimes Against Humanity in North Korea: The Case for US Leadership and Action,” will discuss the recent UN action on human rights abuses in North Korea and shed light on the United States’ policy options, potential challenges and appropriate response to recent developments.
Register here.
December 9, 2014
The Future of the Middle East: Regional Scenarios Beyond the Obama Years
Date: December 9, 12:30pm
Location: Hudson Institute, 1015 15th Street NW, 6th Floor, Washington DC
The Middle East is undergoing profound transformations. As borders shift, alliances form and dissolve, and Iran pursues its nuclear program, policymakers must look beyond the final two years of the Obama administration.
What happens if the U.S.-led coalition against the Islamic State fails, and IS continues to spread its tentacles across the Levant? How long will the Syrian civil war last? What if the Jordanian regime, a longtime U.S. and Israeli ally, is toppled? When will Israel again find itself at war against Hezbollah, Hamas, or directly with Iran?
On December 9th, Hudson Institute will host a panel featuring Shmuel Bar, Michael Doran, Hillel Fradkin, and Lee Smith to explore U.S. policy in the Middle East with respect to regional strategy for the next two, five, ten, and twenty-five years.
Register here.
Corruption: Security’s Invisible Enemy
Date: December 9, 4:00pm
Location: Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, 1779 Massachusetts Ave NW, Washington DC
Corruption undermines such longstanding U.S. foreign policy priorities as the promotion of economic growth and democratic accountability overseas. There is also a powerful nexus between severe, systemic corruption and international security challenges, including violent extremism, mass atrocities, and state failure.
Corruption is often misconstrued as an intractable problem, but there are multiple opportunities for curbing it. This event will provide a platform to discuss how the U.S. government is working together with civil society and the private sector—both within and outside affected countries—to creatively promote accountability and integrity.
Please join us on International Anti-Corruption Day for an address on these issues by U.S. Under Secretary of State Sarah Sewell. Carnegie’s Sarah Chayes will moderate the program, which will be followed by a light reception.
Register here.
At the Center of the Storm: Turkey between Europe & the Middle East
Date: December 9, 6:00pm
Location: German Marshall Fund, 1744 R Street NW, Washington DC
After eleven years under the leadership of Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Turkey finds itself at a major crossroads. With European Union membership negotiations ongoing and a bid for regional influence rejected by large swaths of the Middle East, Turkey is increasingly isolated. Its latest dispute with the United States over a proper response to the war in Syria has strained Turkey’s relations with NATO. In addition to regional concerns, the domestic situation in Turkey has also significantly deteriorated in the last year. What brought Turkish influence in Europe and the Middle East to its current low point? What is at stake for Turkey in the war in Syria and other parts of the Middle East? Where do we stand on potential Turkish membership in the European Union and what is the future of Turkish domestic politics? To help the Washington chapter of the Young Transatlantic Network decipher the answers to these and other questions about Turkey, GMF welcomes Ambassador Marc Grossman for a candid, off-the-record discussion.
December 10, 2014
How to Thwart the Government Insider Threat
Date: December 10, 8:00am
Location: Government Executive, 1300 Pennsylvania Ave NW, Rotunda, Washington DC
Today’s organizations and federal agencies have to protect their sensitive data from their own – it’s a simple fact of IT life these days. Thorough cybersecurity plans naturally protect an agency’s secret or sensitive information from outsiders, but it’s become all too obvious in recent years that federal cybersecurity efforts must also safeguard that vital data from trusted insiders.
Through malicious action or negligence, insiders with access to critical assets may wreak as much havoc as any outside adversary with as little as a few keystrokes. Modern cybersecurity plans need to include an insider threat protection strategy, but what does that actually look like for government? Our panelists will discuss how to assess and guard against insider threats and how to formulate a protection strategy that will keep your information where it is supposed to be.
Register here.
Ebola and Other Emerging Infectious Disease Threats: Prevention and Preparedness
Date: December 10, 8:30am
Location: Embassy of Italy, 3000 Whitehaven St NW, Washington DC
Infectious diseases such as Ebola travel rapidly across national borders. One out of four deaths annually worldwide are due to infectious illnesses and more than 40 new ones have emerged since 1972 alone. On December 10, 2014, the Embassy of Italy and New America will convene a conference on “Ebola and Other Emerging Infectious Disease Threats: Prevention and Preparedness.”
The conference will explore what is known about these infectious diseases, what must be done to prevent and contain their spread, and how science and technological innovations can play an innovative role in that regard. The goal of this event is to provide an insightful exchange of perspectives and knowledge about the status of current infectious disease outbreaks (Ebola, Marburg, Chikungunya), focusing on global public health preparedness to address these illnesses for humanitarian, economic, and national security purposes.
RSVP here.
Hearing: Countering ISIS: Are We Making Progress?
Date: December 10, 10:00am
Location: U.S. House Committee on Foreign Affairs, 2172 Rayburn House Office Building, Washington DC
Chairman Royce on the hearing: “It has been six months since the fall of Mosul, and ISIS continues to control roughly the same amount of territory in Iraq and Syria. The countries in this region are being dangerously destabilized as millions of people have been displaced and thousands of others slaughtered by this terrorist army. Meanwhile, ISIS has recruited thousands of foreign fighters and encourages sympathizers to carry-out attacks across the globe, including against civilians and military personnel here in the U.S.
“This hearing will provide Committee members an opportunity to question the Obama Administration on the progress of the anti-ISIS effort, including the coalition air campaign, support of U.S. partners on the ground, policies toward hostile regimes, as well as the Administration’s plans to deal with a worsening humanitarian disaster across the region.”
Joint Subcommittee Hearing: After the Withdrawal: The Way Forward in Afghanistan and Pakistan (Part III)
Date: December 10, 2:00pm
Location: U.S. House Committee on Foreign Affairs, 2167 Rayburn House Office Building, Washington DC
Chairman Ros-Lehtinen on the hearing: “The next few months are pivotal for the future of Afghanistan’s stability. The United States cannot afford to make the same mistakes we did in Iraq by not leaving behind a sufficient U.S. presence to maintain the gains we’ve achieved over the past few years. As we’re seeing with the rise of ISIL in Iraq, our hasty withdrawal created a power vacuum that allowed the terror group to grow. The stakes are even higher in Afghanistan with the Taliban eager to reclaim lost territory and establish another safe haven for terrorists to thrive. Many challenges still remain, especially since Pakistan continues to host terrorist groups and remains complicit in their ability to operate. The Obama administration must have an honest conversation about its relationship with Pakistan and make the hard choices necessary to ensure Pakistan’s activities aren’t working against US interests.”
Chairman Chabot on the hearing: “Afghanistan has seen many changes this year—both promising and troubling. While we now have a better sense of what the post-2014 U.S. presence will look like, many challenges remain, including political and economic instability, and an extensive Taliban threat. This is further exacerbated by its neighbor, Pakistan, which continues to play host to Islamist extremism and militancy groups who are given support inside Pakistan’s borders. Pakistan’s role in combating these groups and stabilizing Afghanistan, however, is incredibly important, but due to its limited capacity, rampant corruption, and divergent interests, there is serious cause for concern. This hearing is a critical opportunity to evaluate ongoing challenges confronting the U.S.-Pakistan relationship, and how the Administration will address these concerns as we look toward a new post-2014 environment.”
Joint Subcommittee Hearing: Russian Arms Control Cheating and the Administration’s Responses
Date: December 10, 2:00pm
Location: U.S. House Committee on Foreign Affairs, 2172 Rayburn House Office Building, Washington DC
This hearing will be held jointly with the Subcommittee on Strategic Forces of the Armed Services Committee.
Chairman Poe on the hearing: “Russia’s clear violation of the INF Treaty and blatant disregard for international norms is the new status quo. Putin cannot be allowed to continue to violate landmark arms control treaties without severe consequences. I hope that we can move past the finger-wagging stage and finally show the Russians that their actions will have serious repercussions. I look forward to hearing what option this Administration has drawn up to punish Putin.”
Russia’s Break with the West: The Outlook for 2015
Date: December 10, 2:00pm
Location: Center on Global Interests, 1619 Massachusetts Ave NW, Rome Auditorium, Washington DC
In 2014, Putin led Russia in a direction that few would have predicted, most recently culminating in a call for the creation of a new international system and an end to the norms governing the world since the end of the Cold War. Looking ahead to 2015, our panel will explore the Russian leadership’s vision for a new global system, the future of the trans-Atlantic alliance, the relationship between Putin and Russian elites, and the role anti-Americanism plays in the Kremlin’s domestic strategy. Following the discussion the panel will take questions from the audience.
The U.S., Israel, and the Regional Dimensions of an Iran Nuclear Deal
Date: December 10, 3:00pm
Location: New America Foundation, 1899 L Street NW, Suite 400, Washington DC
Reaching an agreement on Iran’s nuclear program that ensures Iran will not obtain a nuclear weapon has been a top priority on President Obama’s foreign policy agenda. Despite deep and regular consultations with the Israeli government on this ongoing diplomatic effort, Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu has consistently objected to any agreement that leaves any Iranian nuclear program in place.
Join New America as we bring together Shlomo Brom, Suzanne DiMaggio, Matthew Duss, and Ilan Goldenberg for a discussion on regional security dimensions of a nuclear deal, the extent of U.S.-Israel cooperation on the Iran issue, Israel’s concerns with the current negotiations, and whether and how those concerns can be fully addressed in any comprehensive deal between Iran and the U.S. and its partners.
RSVP here.
Forging a Transatlantic Strategy for Europe’s East
Date: December 10, 4:00pm
Location: Atlantic Council, 1030 15th Street NW, 12th Floor, West Tower, Washington DC
The vision of a Europe whole, free, and at peace achieved through a strategy of forging new partnerships with Russia, coupled with NATO and European Union (EU) enlargement, has guided the West through the post-Cold War era. This strategy is no longer viable, underscored by Russian aggression in Ukraine. As the leader of a NATO ally and EU member state on Europe’s eastern flank, Prime Minister Rõivas will share his assessment of the current situation in Europe’s East and the need for a renewed, sustainable, transatlantic strategy for the region.
Taavi Rõivas has served as the prime minister of the Republic of Estonia since March 2014. Prior to this, he was the minister of social affairs and served as a member of the Riigikogu, Estonia’s parliament.
Register here.
December 11, 2014
Can We Ultimately Defeat ISIL?
Date: December 11, 10:00am
Location: Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars, 1300 Pennsylvania Ave NW, 6th Floor, Washington DC
General John Allen, recently appointed Special Presidential Envoy for the Global Coalition to Counter ISIL, was selected by President Obama to coordinate the international effort against the Islamic State militant group. Allen, who had been serving as a security adviser to Secretary of State John Kerry, and was the former top U.S. commander in Afghanistan, is working with the nearly 60 nations around the world who have agreed to join the fight and respond to the ISIL threat.
Join us for General Allen’s first public discussion of the threat posed by the Islamic State.
RSVP here.
The Threat of Global Health Emergencies to Food Security
Date: December 11, 3:00pm
Location: Aspen Institute, One Dupont Circle NW, Suite 700, Washington DC
Speakers:
- Dr. Lynn Black, chair, board of directors, Last Mile Health and attending physician, Mass General Hospital
- Christopher Kirchhoff, special assistant to the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff
- Rick Leach, CEO, World Food Program USA
Moderated by Dan Glickman, executive director, Aspen Congressional Program and former US Secretary of Agriculture
Register here.
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