Peace picks June 17-21

1. The Future of Stability Operations: Lessons from Afghanistan, American Security Project, Monday June 17 / 12:30pm – 1:30pm

Venue: American Security Project

1100 New York Avenue, NW · Suite 710W, Washington, DC

7th Floor West Tower

Speakers: Sloan Mann, Eythan Sontag, Frank Kearney III, Howard Clark

The international community has learned a great deal about how to conduct stability operations in the last 12 years.  This event will be a fact-based discussion with leading experts on stability operations. The panel will discuss key lessons from the experience in Afghanistan and how they can be applied to future conflict environments.

RSVP through email to:

events@americansecurityproject.org

 

2. The Future of Religious Minorities in the Middle East, Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars, Monday, June 17 / 2:00pm – 4:00pm

Venue: Woodrow Wilson Center

1300 Pennsylvania Ave., NW, Washington, D.C. 20004

Speakers: Jane Harman

Introductory remarks by:

Congresswoman Jane Harman, Director, President, and CEO, Wilson Center

Presentation by:

Congressman Frank R. Wolf, Representative, 10th District of Virginia

Commentators:

Marshall Breger, Professor of Law at the Columbus School of Law, Catholic University of America

Robert Destro, Professor of Law and Director and founder of the Interdisciplinary Program in Law & Religion, Columbus School of Law, Catholic University of America

Chris Seiple, President, Institute for Global Engagement

Moderator:

Haleh Esfandiari, Director, Middle East Program, Woodrow Wilson Center

Register for the event here:

http://www.wilsoncenter.org/event/the-future-religious-minorities-the-middle-east#field_speakers

3. Discussion of the Presidential Electoral Process in Iran, Heinrich Boell Foundation, Monday, June 17 / 2:00pm – 3:30pm

Venue: Stimson Center

1111 19th Street Northwest, 12th Floor, Washington D.C., DC 20036

Speakers: Hosein Ghazian, Fatemeh Haghighatjoo, Cliff Kupchan, Geneive Abdo

A thoughtful conversation and the presentation of a policy paper on the impact of the 2013 Iranian presidential election. As time goes on, Iranian elections appear to be more and more manipulated by the regime, even as Iran’s leaders strive to give an appearance of legitimacy. The expert panel will discuss the potential for the incoming president to have a voice in shaping Iranian domestic and foreign policy.

Register for the event here:

https://app.e2ma.net/app2/audience/signup/1740684/15508/?v=a

 

4. Twenty Years of International Justice: A Briefing by the Yugoslav Tribunal Chief Prosecutor, American Society of International Law, Monday, June 17 / 4:00pm – 5:30pm

Venue:  Georgetown University Law Center

550 New Jersey Avenue, NW Washington DC 20001

Hotung Building

Speakers: Serge Brammertz, Elizabeth Andersen (moderator)

As the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) marks its 20th anniversary, the American Society of International Law is pleased to join with its Academic Partner Georgetown University Law Center and the Georgetown Center on National Security and Law to host the Tribunal’s current chief prosecutor, Serge Brammertz, for a special briefing on recent developments at the tribunal, including recent acquittals, the on-going prosecutions of Radko Mladic and Radovan Karadzic, and plans for the wind-down of the tribunal and its replacement with the “Residual Mechanism for International Criminal Tribunals.”Prosecutor Brammertz will also reflect on lessons learned from the Tribunal’s twenty-year history for the International Criminal Court and other accountability efforts.

Register for the event here:

http://www.asil.org/activities_calendar.cfm?action=detail&rec=294

 

5. The Future of the Pacific and its Relevance for Geo-Economic Interests, East-West Center, Tuesday, June 18 / 10:30am – 12:00pm

Venue: East-West Center

1819 L St NW, Suite 600, Washington, D.C. 20036

Sixth Floor Conference Room

Speakers: Francesco Stipo, Anitra Thorhaug, Ryan Jackson

In a special program at the East-West Center in Washington, the US Association of the Club of Rome will release its report: “The Future of the Pacific and its Relevance for Geo-economic Interests.” This study was prepared by three committees composed of American lawyers, scientists and doctors, to identify the primary problems in political and economic relations between the primary players in the Asia Pacific, and present solutions to their respective governments.

The leaders of the three committees will present their findings: Dr. Francesco Stipo, the Legal and Political Committee; Dr. Anitra Thorhaug, the Energy and Resources Committee; and Dr. Ryan Jackson, the Population, Religion and Health Committee.

Register for the event here:

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/viewform?formkey=dFJrSmpGS2F3QlktX2hoUzU2ZC1pMXc6MA#gid=0

 

6. Subcommittee Hearing: Elections in Iran: The Regime Cementing its Control, U.S. House Committee on Foreign Affairs, Tuesday, June 18 / 10:30am

Venue: Rayburn House Office Building

45 Independence Ave SW, Washington, DC

Room 2172

Speakers: Mr. Alireza Nader, Suzanne Maloney- Ph.D., Mr. Karim Sadjadpour

Chairman Ros-Lehtinen on the hearing: “This hearing is a timely one that will examine the implications of the Iranian manipulated presidential elections.Whether a victor has been declared, or the showdown has been set for a runoff next week, we will be able to analyze the immediate reactions and consequences of the results. But make no mistake, today’s election in Iran wasn’t a victory for democracy or the people of Iran. This was a sham election, rigged by the Supreme Leader and his regime in an effort to cement its control over the Iranian people. Its handpicked candidates virtually guaranteed the regime apliable and dependable lap dog that will do its bidding, and most importantly for the regime, not cause problems for it domestically. The changes, if there are any, would be cosmetic at best. It certainly won’t do anything to bring about democratic reforms, stop the human rights abuses, or change the political calculus of the regime regarding its nuclear program or support for Hezbollah and Assad in Syria.”

 

7. ‘Mayday: The Decline of American Naval Supremacy,’ Hudson Institute, Tuesday, June 18 / 12:00pm – 2:00pm

Venue: Hudson Institute

1015 15th Street, N.W. 6th Floor, Washington, D.C. 20005

Speakers: Bryan McGrath, Tom Marfiak

In Mayday, his vigorous new defense of American seapower, longtime Navy insider and Hudson Senior Fellow Seth Cropsey raises the alarm about the dire consequences of deteriorating American naval might.

Maritime supremacy has long been the key to America’s status as a superpower—and, by extension, to the preservation of international stability since 1945. Over the past two decades, however, the U.S. Navy’s combat fleet has dwindled to historic lows—with fewer active-duty ships than at any time since before the First World War. Meanwhile, rival nations have been expanding their own navies, to such an extent that China, for example, will likely be in a position, if current trends continue, to challenge American naval supremacy in the western Pacific and Asia—with potentially drastic consequences for U.S. vital interests.

Cropsey’s Mayday reviews the modern evolution of U.S. maritime strength, explains its current standing, and provides an eye-opening analysis of American and global security prospects should Washington policymakers continue to neglect crucial questions concerning the necessary size, shape, and geostrategic understanding of our Navy.

Congressman Randy Forbes (R-VA), member of the House Committee on Armed Services and chair of the Seapower and Projection Forces Subcommittee, will deliver introductory remarks followed by a panel discussion.

Register for the event here:

http://hudson.org/index.cfm?fuseaction=event_registration&event_id=1017

 

8. Convergence: Terrorism, Insurgency, and Organized Crime Today, Young Professionals in Foreign Policy, Tuesday, June 18 / 6:30pm

Venue: Johns Hopkins SAIS – Nitze Building

1740 Massachusetts Ave., N.W., Washington, D.C. 20036

Kenney Herter Auditorium

In today’s globalized world, we are witnessing the blending of once-discrete national security threats. Terrorist groups are turning to organized crime to finance and sustain their activities. Criminal networks are becoming more powerful, more sophisticated, and more violent, tearing apart societies and threatening state control over its territory. From the Taliban to Hezbollah to al-Qaida in the Islamic Maghreb, the lines between terrorism, insurgency, and crime are blurrier than ever. The U.S. Government is racing to keep pace with the national security threats this convergence presents.

YPFP will host a panel discussion, composed of contributing authors, to mark the release of a new book from the National Defense University Press titled “Convergence: Illicit Networks and National Security in the Age of Globalization.” Free copies of the book will be available.

 

9. Hearing on Human Rights in Sudan, Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission, Wednesday, June 19 / 10:00am – 12:00pm

Venue: Rayburn House Office Building

45 Independence Ave SW, Washington, DC

Room 2200

Speakers: Larry Andre, Nancy E. Lindborg, John Prendergast, E.J. Hogendoorn, Jehanne Henry

Ten years since the beginning of state-sponsored crimes against civilians in Darfur, which the U.S. government found to constitute genocide, the human rights and humanitarian situation in the region remains dire.  Civilians continue to face violent attacks by government forces, pro-government militias, and armed opposition groups, while humanitarian aid is severely limited for an estimated 2.3 million internally displaced persons.  Some 130,000 Darfuris have been newly displaced in the first months of 2013 alone.

The state-sponsored violence and human rights abuses have spread to other areas of Sudan, resulting in vast humanitarian crises.  The Government of Sudan’s indiscriminate aerial bombardment of civilians in South Kordofan and Blue Nile states and its continued blocking of humanitarian relief have created a crisis that is nearing famine conditions.  Over 900,000 Sudanese are in desperate need of humanitarian aid.  The United Nations and independent monitors have documented abuses by the Government of Sudan and armed groups it supports that “may constitute war crimes and crimes against humanity.”  Nearly 200,000 Sudanese have fled to South Sudan, a young country that is poor, has virtually no infrastructure, and faces its own challenges of state-building while resolving inter-communal and ethnic armed violence.

This hearing will address the humanitarian crises in Sudan and South Sudan, the human rights violations underlying the crises, and U.S. policy in the region.

 

10. U.S.-India Strategic Dialogue 2013: A Preview with the Honorable Robert O. Blake, Jr., Center for Strategic and International Studies, Wednesday, June 19 / 2:00pm – 3:00pm

Venue: Center for Strategic and International Studies

1800 K Street, NW, Washington, D.C. 20006

4th Floor Conference Room

Speaker: Robert O. Blake, Jr.

In late June, senior officials from the U.S. Department of State will travel to New Delhi for the 4th annual U.S.-India Strategic Dialogue. These bilateral discussions cover virtually every issue in the U.S.-India relationship, reflecting the breadth and depth of our partnership. In advance of this upcoming series of meetings, CSIS is organizing a roundtable discussion with Assistant Secretary of State Robert O. Blake, Jr. on the current status and future direction of U.S.-India relations, the outlook for the forthcoming Strategic Dialogue and why it matters more than ever to the people of both countries.

Register for the event here:

http://csis.org/event/us-india-strategic-dialogue-2013-preview-honorable-robert-o-blake-jr

 

11. Debate: Cutting the Pentagon’s Budget is a Gift to Our Enemies, McCain Institute for International Leadership, Wednesday, June 19 / 5:30pm – 7:00pm

Venue: Ronald Reagan Building

1300 Pennsylvania Ave., NW Washington, DC

Amphiteater

Speakers:

Moderator:

John Donvan, Veteran Intelligence Squared and ABC news correspondent

For The Motion:

Thomas Donnelly, Co-Director, Marilyn Ware Center for Security Studies, AEI

Andrew Krepinevich, President, Center for Strategic and Budgetary Assessments

Against The Motion:

Benjamin Friedman, Research Fellow, Cato Institute

Kori Schake, Research Fellow, Hoover Institution

Political gridlock in Washington triggered across-the-board spending cuts, known as the sequester, in March. As a result, the Pentagon has six months to eliminate $41 billion from the current year’s budget, and unlike past cuts, this time everything is on the table. In 2011, America spent $711 billion dollars on its defense—more than the next 13 highest spending countries combined. But the burdens it shoulders, both at home and abroad, are unprecedented. Could the sequester be a rare opportunity to overhaul the armed forces, or will its impact damage military readiness and endanger national security?

Register for the event here:

http://www.eventbrite.com/event/6697621767

 

12. The Army and Ballistic Missile Defense, United States Army War College, Strategic Studies Institute, Thursday, June 20 / 9:30am – 11:00am

Venue: Reserve Officers Association

1 Constitution Ave NE Washington, DC

Speakers: John R. Deni, Jim Thomas, Steven Pifer

The U.S. Army plays an important although largely underappreciated role in ballistic missile defense around the world. Is that role likely to grow as a result of Phased Adaptive Approaches in Europe, the Far East, and the Persian Gulf? Should the Army take on greater responsibility in this issue area? Join us to discuss these and related issues with:

Register for the event here:

http://www.strategicstudiesinstitute.army.mil/events/details.cfm?q=170

 

13. The Road to War: Presidential Commitments and Congressional Responsibility, Brookings Institution, Thursday, June 20 / 12:30pm – 2:00pm

Venue: Brookings Institution

1775 Massachusetts Ave, NW, Washington, D.C. 20036

Falk Auditorium

Speakers: Martin S. Indyk, Marvin Kalb, Michael E. O’hanlon

Is it hard for a president to go to war? It would seem not. Ever since Harry Truman sent American troops to South Korea in June 1950, to repel North Korean aggression, claiming it was a ‘police action,’ Congress has rarely raised a peep in opposition to a presidential decision to go to war. In fact, though the U.S. has been engaged in many wars since Korea–the Vietnam, Iraq and Afghanistan wars being the most prominent examples–Congress has never declared war, though that is its constitutionally-mandated responsibility. Only once, in 1973, has it used its power-of-the-purse responsibility to cut off funding for an ongoing war.

On June 20, Foreign Policy at Brookings will host the launch of veteran political journalist and Brookings Guest Scholar Marvin Kalb’s new book, The Road to War: Presidential Commitments Honored and Betrayed (Brookings Press, 2013). As an experienced career television journalist and former host of Sunday political talk show Meet the Press, Kalb has had a front row seat from which to witness the inner workings of presidential administrations from Eisenhower to Obama. In his comments, he will discuss the dangers that so much presidential control over military action presents for the United States and the impact that treaty commitments have on U.S. chances to avoid war. Vice President Martin Indyk, director of Foreign Policy, will give introductory remarks and Brookings Senior Fellow Michael O’Hanlon will moderate the discussion.

Register for the event here:

https://www.cvent.com/events/the-road-to-war-presidential-commitments-and-congressional-responsibility/registration-9652a97140ec4bf1a30717e0131293ea.aspx

 

14. Talking with the Taliban: A Strategic Dilemma for Pakistan, Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies, Thursday, June 20 / 12:30pm – 2:00pm

Venue: Johns Hopkins SAIS – Rome Building

1619 Massachusetts Ave., N.W., Washington, D.C.

Rome Auditorium

Speaker: Aqab Malik

The Unites States’ handling of post-2014 Afghanistan will likely have substantial repercussions in South Asia, and most notably in Pakistan. The lack of a deliberate and determined effort to facilitate peace talks between the Taliban and the Afghan government would mean a great deal of uncertainty in the region, come 2014. Pakistan’s efforts to assist peace talks in Afghanistan are further complicated by a virulent and violent insurgency in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas of northwestern Pakistan by the Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP).  Pakistan’s support for a peaceful resolution of the Afghan conflict is essential; while the country is left with the challenging dilemma of how to handle this post-2014 reality.

Aqab Malik is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Strategic and Nuclear Studies at National Defense University, Islamabad, and currently a Senior Fellow with the SAIS South Asia Studies program. Malik has visited Afghanistan on numerous occasions to conduct field research for his doctoral dissertation on “The Proliferation of Small Arms and light Weapons and their Effects on Conflict Dynamics in Afghanistan”.

RSVP to the event through this email:

southasia@jhu.edu

 

15. Fit for the Future: Cross-Atlantic Perspectives on Ground Forces, Center for Strategic and International Studies, Thursday, June 20 / 2:00pm – 3:00pm

Venue: Center for Strategic and International Studies

1800 K Street, NW, Washington, D.C. 20006

Speakers: Gen. Carter Ham, Lt. Gen. Sir Graeme Lamb, Dr. Maren Leed

Declining budgets, in conjunction with the strain of the last decade of war, have placed great pressure on US and international military forces. Many countries are now facing difficult choices about what forces to cut or keep, what capabilities to maintain or abandon, what missions are the highest priority, and what training is essential to maintain force readiness. Militaries in both the UK and the US are faced with the challenge of answering these difficult questions in such a way that core competencies are not lost, and the lessons of the past decade are not forgotten. Please join us for a conversation with Lieutenant-General (Ret.) Sir Graeme Lamb, former Director of UK Special Forces and Deputy Commanding General in Iraq, and General (Ret.) Carter Ham, former commander of United States Africa Command and US Army European Command, as they address these and other pressing issues facing transatlantic ground forces.

Register for this event here:

http://csis.org/event/fit-future-cross-atlantic-perspectives-ground-forces

 

16. The Role of Economics in Democratic Transitions: The Case of Tunisia, National Endowment for Democracy, Thursday, June 20 / 4:00pm – 5:30pm

Venue: National Endowment for Democracy

1025 F Street NW, Suite 800, Washington, D.C. 20004

Speaker: Dr. Mondher Ben Ayed

What are the elements that shape the outcome of a country’s transition from authoritarianism to democracy? All too often policy analysts focus on the political process, while neglecting the vital role of economic reform in determining democratic success or failure. Tunisia, the birthplace of the Arab Spring, has made significant strides towards developing democratic consensus; however, two years on, the country’s continued struggle with economic stagnation, high unemployment and lack of entrepreneurial opportunities poses serious challenges to its transition.

Register for the event here:

http://www.roleofeconomicstunisia.eventbrite.com/