Peace picks June 24-28

Summer doldrums have not yet arrived:

1. The Chinese Cyber Challenge: How to Address the Growing Threat, Atlantic Council, Monday, June 24 / 2:00pm – 3:30pm

Venue: Army & Navy Club

901 17th St, NW, Washington, DC 20006

Speakers: Dmitri Alperovitch, James Mulvenon, Gregory J. Rattray, Jason Healey

In recent months, the United States has gone public in a series of speeches by senior officials about Chinese cyber espionage. In an address in March to the Asia Society, outgoing national security adviser Thomas E. Donilon said “sophisticated, targeted” thefts of confidential information and technology were coming from China “on an unprecedented scale.” US Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel also accused Beijing of involvement in cyber espionage in a speech at the Shangri-La Dialogue, openly blaming the Chinese government and military for “cyber intrusions” into sensitive US information systems. A summit meeting between Chinese President Xi Jinping and US President Barack Obama last week brought cybersecurity to the center of US-China relations, but failed to result in any agreement. Cyber espionage destabilizes every facet of the US-China relationship, and how the United States addresses these problems will be a harbinger of its overall approach to the challenge China poses to the global commons.

Register through email to:

scowcroftcenter@acus.org 

2. Syria’s Uprising and the Fracturing of the Levant, International Institute for Strategic Studies, Tuesday, June 25 / 10:00am – 11:00am

Venue: IISS-US

2121 K Street NW, Washington, DC 20037

Suite 801

Speakers: Emile Hokayem

Mr. Hokayem will discuss his new IISS Adelphi book Syria’s Uprising and the Fracturing of the Levant, which explores the internal dynamics of the Syrian crisis and the regional competition over the country’s future. While writing the book, Mr. Hokayem traveled regularly to Syria and the region, and met with senior Assad associates; rebel commanders and fighters; opposition leaders in exile; Western, Turkish and Arab government officials; and a variety of humanitarian and international leaders.

Prior to joining the Institute, Mr. Hokayem was the Political Editor and International Affairs Columnist of the Abu Dhabi-based English-language newspaper on The National. From 2004 to 2008, he served as a resident fellow with the Henry L. Stimson Center’s Southwest Asia/Gulf program, researching strategic, security, and political issues in the Gulf and the Levant. He earned his Master of Science in Foreign Service from Georgetown University, where he focused on international security, US foreign policy, and the Middle East.

Register through this link:

http://us4.campaign-archive2.com/?u=748c5428d5f7b24a915009abd&id=3f16477e96

3. Defending the Homeland: The Role of Missile Defense, George C. Marshall Institute, Tuesday, June 25 / 12:00pm – 2:00pm

Venue: Senate Visitors Center

East Capitol Street & 1st Street NE, Washington, DC 20004

SVC 203-02

Speakers: J.D. Williams, Baker Spring, Jeff Kueter, Peter Vincent Pry, Robert M. Soofer

The Independent Working Group (IWG) on Missile Defense and the Space Relationship will be hosting a roundtable discussion on June 25, 2013 on missile defense, space, and homeland security. Topics include the ground-based midcourse defense (GMD) system and the issue currently being debated whether to build a third GMD site on the East Coast of the United States and the status of Aegis sea-based ballistic missile defense (BMD) programs, as well as options for: (1) defense from space and (2) Aegis BMD based on shore. In addition, homeland security threats such as electromagnetic pulse (EMP) and defense funding/budget issues will be addressed.

Register through email to:

pparke@ifpa.org

4. Joint Subcommittee Hearing: Religious Minorities in Syria: Caught in the Middle, U.S. House Committee on Foreign Affairs, Tuesday, June 25 / 3:00pm

Venue: Rayburn House Office Building

45 Independence Ave SW, Washington, DC

Room 2172

Speakers: Mr. Thomas O. Melia, Rev. Majed El Shafie, John Eibner- Ph.D., Ms. Nina Shea

Chairman Smith on the hearing: “Amid reports of atrocity and death in Syria, we see an alarming pattern of religiously-motivated violence against minority religious groups, such as Christians, Jews, Yezidis, and Druze. Viewed with suspicion by both sides of the civil war, these groups are caught in the middle. Some NGOs even warn that conditions have aligned for genocide. This hearing will examine how U.S. policy and assistance can try to prevent religiously-motivated atrocities and promote protection of religious minorities during and after the civil war.” Chairman Ros-Lehtinen on the hearing: “The ongoing violent crisis in Syria continues to have crippling effects on the Syrian people and throughout the region. Nearly 100,000 people have been killed since the fighting began, with thousands of refugees fleeing from the violence every day to potentially destabilize our allies in the region such as Jordan, which could impact the democratic Jewish state of Israel. Gross human rights violations are being committed by Sunni extremists linked to al-Qaeda as well as Assad’s forces with the assistance of Iran’s IRGC and Hezbollah fighters. According to reports, religious minorities have become victims of religiously-motivated atrocities by factions within Syria. As we have learned from Egypt and Iraq, many Christians fled for fear of losing their lives and now religious minorities in Syria are faced with the same existential threat. This hearing will examine how the United States can come up with a comprehensive strategy to promote religious freedom and protect Syria’s religious minorities.”

5. Asia’s most lethal military? What Abe’s defense plans mean for Japan and the region, American Enterprise Institute, Wednesday, June 26 / 8:30am – 9:45am

Venue: American Enterprise Institute

1150 17th Street, NW, Washington, D.C. 20036

Speakers: Mackenzie Eaglen, Ely Ratner, James Schoff, Michael Auslin

Is Japan about to become Asia’s most lethal military power? Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has been exploring avenues to dramatically improve Japan’s military capabilities, including adding precision-guided munitions and increasing missile defense and aerial refueling capabilities. If successful, Japan may develop one of the region’s best preemptive strike capabilities, which could be used against North Korea or to protect Japan’s vulnerable southwestern islands from invasion. In addition, Abe plans to revise Japan’s constitution to allow for more regular military operations and to set up a national security council. This month, the US and Japan will conduct a military exercise in California centered on the development of joint amphibious capabilities. Can Abe realize these plans, and what are the potential obstacles to his agenda? How will other regional powers react? A panel of experts will convene at AEI to answer these and other questions.

Register through this link:

http://www.aei.org/events/2013/06/26/asias-most-lethal-military-what-abes-defense-plans-mean-for-japan-and-the-region/

6. The Story of the Convicted NGO Workers in Egypt, Freedom House and SAIS, Wednesday, June 26 / 9:00am – 10:30am

Venue: Johns Hopkins SAIS – Nitze Building

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

Kenney Auditorium

Speakers: Nancy Okail, Yehia Ghanem, Lila Jaafar

On June 4th, forty-three NGO workers were convicted in a politically motivated trial targeting foreign civil society organizations in Egypt. The men and women caught up in the case find themselves as convicted criminals, with many forced to leave their homes in order to avoid imprisonment. Join for a discussion of the case, the current human rights situation in Egypt, and prospects for the future.

7. US-Iran Cultural Engagement: A Cost Effective Boon to US National Security, Atlantic Council, Thursday, June 27 / 9:30am – 11:00am

Venue: Atlantic Council of the United States

1101 15th Street, NW, 11th Floor, Washington, D.C. 20005

Speakers: Ramin Asgard, Glenn E. Schweitzer, Morad Ghorban, Barbara Slavin

Join the Atlantic Council’s Iran Task Force for the launch of a new issue brief by Ramin Asgard and Barbara Slavin entitled “US-Iran Cultural Engagement: A Cost Effective Boon to US National Security,” along with a public briefing on people-to-people exchanges with Iran. While US policy toward Iran has understandably focused on the nuclear question, the history of US cultural diplomacy suggests that programs promoting the good will of the Iranian people can help moderate Iranian government policies over the long term and foster research that is of mutual benefit. Panelists will discuss the history of US exchanges with Iran, applicable lessons from the Cold War, and recommendations to increase and better administer these programs.

Register through email to:

southasia@acus.org

8. Defending the Nation at Network Speed, Brookings Institution, Thursday, June 27 / 10:30am – 11:30am

Venue: Brookings Institution

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

Falk Auditorium

Speakers: Peter W. Singer, General Martin E. Dempsey- Usa

On June 27, the Center for 21st Century Security and Intelligence at Brookings will host General Martin E. Dempsey, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, for keynote remarks and a discussion of the military’s role in cyberspace and the threat that cyberattacks pose to the U.S. General Dempsey is the nation’s highest-ranking military officer. He previously served as the chief of staff of the Army, and before that as commander of U.S. Central Command. Following the general’s remarks, Brookings Senior Fellow Peter W. Singer, director of the Center for 21st Century Security and Intelligence, will join him in a discussion of the state of American cybersecurity.

Register through this link:

http://www.brookings.edu/events/2013/06/27-defense-cybersecurity-dempsey?rssid=UpcomingEvents&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+BrookingsRSS%2Ftopfeeds%2FUpcomingEvents+%28Brookings+Upcoming+Events%29

9. Hezbollah’s Plunge into the Syrian Abyss, Middle East Institute, Thursday, June 27 / 12:00pm – 1:00pm

Venue: Middle East Institute

1761 N Street, NW, Washington, D.C. 20036

Boardman Room

Speakers: Randa Slim

The Middle East Institute will host a discussion with MEI Scholar Randa Slim on the implications of Hezbollah’s growing role in Syria for Lebanese politics and Lebanon’s Shiite community. Recently returned from a trip to the region, Slim will examine Hezbollah’s potential end game in Syria, and whether Lebanon will be able to resist being drawn into the conflict following Hezbollah’s plunge into the Syrian abyss. Lebanon is fast approaching a tipping point, with sectarian tensions running high, the fight in northern Lebanon between Alawite and Sunni groups entering a new phase, fragile state institutions near collapse, and parliamentary elections postponed.

Register through this link:

http://www.mei.edu/events/hezbollahs-plunge-syrian-abyss

10. The Arab Silent Majority: Challenging Assumptions about Regional Transitions, Project on Middle East Democracy, Thursday, June 27 / 2:00pm – 3:30pm

Venue: 1777 F Street NW, Washington DC

1st Floor Conference Room

Speakers: Lindsay Benstead, Ellen Lust, Jakob Wichmann, Stephen McInerney

Since the 2011 Arab uprisings, numerous narratives have arisen about how revolutions have reshaped political attitudes and participation in the region. Where do these narratives come from, are they accurate, and how do they alter outside perceptions of transitions in North Africa? To address these questions, a team of researchers launched the Transitional Governance Project, and through a series of public opinion surveys, they have gained new insights into the pressures, processes, and prospects for transitions. Their findings provide new perspectives on questions related to the transitions in Egypt, Tunisia, and Libya, including: What groups have been mobilized by transitions in their respective countries, and who has been sidelined in the transition process? What fault lines in each nation are driving trends in political processes, and how does each country compare to others in the region in this respect? What is the relationship between demands for economic welfare and those for religious and political expression? How can transitional politics lead to improved participation, accountability and governance? And how can the U.S. and the broader international community help each of these transitioning countries to become a robust, sustainable, and inclusive democracy?

Register through this link:

http://pomed.org/arab-silent-majority-challenging-assumptions/

11. Iran and Syria at the Crossroads, Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars, Friday, June 28 / 9:00am – 10:00am

Venue: Woodrow Wilson Center

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

Speakers: Jubin Goodarzi

The alliance between Iran and Syria has been an important and persistent feature on the political landscape of the Middle East for more than three decades. The eruption of the Syrian uprising in the spring of 2011 has presented the greatest challenge to the survival of the Tehran-Damascus nexus. Whither the alliance? Jubin Goodarzi provides an overview of the relationship and focus on the evolution of Iran’s policies, perspectives, interests and options in the ongoing Syrian crisis.

Register through this link:

http://www.wilsoncenter.org/event/iran-and-syria-the-crossroads

12. Arming the Syrian Rebels: Sliding Toward Iraq or Inching Toward Stability, Washington Institute for Near East Policy, Friday, June 28 / 12:30pm – 2:00pm

Venue: Washington Institute for Near East Policy

1828 L Street NW Suite 1050, Washington, D.C. 20036

Speakers: Andrew Tabler, Marc Lynch

President Obama’s decision last week to begin providing weapons to the Syrian opposition has met with both praise and disapproval. The administration’s new policy comes two years into a war that has killed thousands of Syrians and is threatening to destabilize at least three neighboring states. Will arming the rebels help shift momentum away from the Assad regime and move the parties toward a negotiated solution? And how will Washington ensure that the weapons do not spark a Syria-focused arms race with Iran and Russia or end up in the hands of Islamists unfriendly to the United States?