Peace Picks July 22-26

1. Rouhani: Challenges at Home, Challenges Abroad, Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars, Monday, July 22 / 9:00am – 11:30am

Venue: Woodrow Wilson Center

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

Speakers: Bijan Khajehpour, Shervin Malekzadeh, Suzanne Maloney, Roberto Toscano, Ali Vaez, Shaul Bakhash

Six Iran experts discuss President-elect Rouhani’s domestic and foreign policy challenges.

Register for the event here:

http://www.wilsoncenter.org/event/rouhani-challenges-home-challenges-abroad

2. Protecting the American Economy from Cyber Attacks with Congressman Mike Rogers, Chairman of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, International Institute for Strategic Studies, Monday, July 22 / 10:00am – 11:00am

Venue: 2121 K Street NW, Washington, DC 20037

Suite 801

Speakers: Congressman Mike Rogers, Steven Simon

Congressman Mike Rogers will discuss cybersecurity and the threats cyber attacks pose to the American economy in this IISS-US Policy Makers Series lecture.

Congressman Rogers is the Chairman of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence and also serves on the House Energy and Commerce Committee. Congressman Rogers served as a commissioned officer in the United States Army before joining the FBI as a special agent in Chicago. He was elected to the Michigan Senate in 1995 and has served as the representative for Michigan’s 8th District in the US House of Representatives since 2001.

Register for the event here:

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/11hSozm56beR0Y1yO4Tm8j60GTf87knBZqM97c3QBCTs/viewform

 

3. The International Terror Nexus: Understanding Threats from Abroad, Heritage Foundation, Monday, July 22 / 12:00pm – 1:00pm

Venue: Heritage Foundation

214 Massachusetts Ave NE, Washington, D.C. 20002

Lehrman Auditorium

Speakers: Mary Habeck- Ph.D., Ariel Cohen- Ph.D., Luke Coffey

For over a decade, the United States has been working to actively combat the threat of international terrorism. Sadly, the Boston Marathon Bombing served as a deadly reminder that this threat remains very real. Whether from the Northern Caucasus, the Middle East, Africa, Europe, or elsewhere, terrorism from abroad has struck at the U.S. in the past and will continue to do so in future. Given this reality, it is important that the United States more fully understand the dangerous nature of international terrorist threats. Furthermore, the U.S. must do more to work with allies around the world to counter such threats before they reach the American homeland.

Join the Heritage Foundation for a discussion on international terrorism, what it means for the United States and her allies, and what the U.S. should do to counter this threat.

Register for the event here:

http://www.heritage.org/events/2013/07/international-terror

 

4. Estimating the Cost of Cyber Crime and Cyber Espionage, Center for Strategic and International Studies, Monday, July 22 / 1:30pm – 3:00pm

Venue: Center for Strategic and International Studies

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

Speakers: Stewart A. Baker, James A. Lewis, Phyllis Schneck, Tom Gann

Are cyber crime, cyber espionage, and other malicious cyber activities what some call the greatest transfer of wealth in human history, or are they what others say is a rounding error in a fourteen trillion dollar economy? Join CSIS’s James A. Lewis and Stewart Baker as they present the interim results of their project: ‘Estimating the Cost of Cyber Crime and Cyber Espionage.’

RSVP through email to:

techpolicy@csis.org

 

5. Beyond the Elections in Zimbabwe, Freedom House, Tuesday, July 23 / 9:00am – 3:30pm

Venue: National Endowment for Democracy

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

Speakers: Glanis Changachirere, Jenni Williams, Oswell Binha, Foster Dongozi, Japhet Moyo, and more

As recent elections in Kenya, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Cote d’Ivoire show, elections are a necessary, but not the only, condition for democracy. Days before the upcoming elections in Zimbabwe, this conference will bring together Zimbabwean officials, civil society activists, and political analysts, along with representatives from the U.S. government and NGOs, to focus on strengthening democracy in Zimbabwe.

Register for the event here:

http://beyondzimelections.eventbrite.com/

 

6. Setting the Stage for the 2014 QDR, Center for Strategic and International Studies, Tuesday, July 23 / 9:00am – 10:30am

Venue: Center for Strategic and International Studies

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

Speakers: David J. Berteau, Clark Murdock, Sam Brannen, Stephanie Sanok Kostro, Kim Wincup

CSIS invites you to attend a panel discussion on how the Defense Department’s recent Strategic Choices and Management Review may affect the Fiscal Year 2014 Quadrennial Defense Review, key capabilities and organizational structures, and the defense budget.

Register for the event here:

http://csis.org/event/setting-stage-2014-qdr

 

7. The United States and R2P: From Words to Action, Holocaust Memorial Museum, Tuesday, July 23 / 9:00am – 1:00pm

Venue: United States Holocaust Memorial Museum

100 Raoul Wallenberg Place, SW Washington, DC 20024

Joseph and Rebecca Meyerhoff Theater

Speakers: Madeleine K. Albright, Richard S. Williamson, Lloyd Axworthy, David Ignatius, Michael Gerson, Heather Hurlburt and more

Sixty-eight years after the Holocaust, governments continue to struggle with how to prevent genocide and mass atrocities. This symposium will bring together leaders from inside and outside government to examine the utility of the Responsibility to Protect (R2P) as a tool for preventing the world’s worst crimes.

The Working Group on R2P—a joint project of the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, the Brookings Institution, and the United States Institute of Peace—will release its report, co-authored by Madeleine K. Albright and Richard S. Williamson, at the symposium. This report takes a critical look at how R2P has been applied in recent cases and makes recommendations for how US policymakers could strengthen and better apply this international norm.

The symposium will address such questions as: What is R2P and how did it evolve? Has R2P been successful in preventing mass atrocities? What are some of the challenges associated with implementing R2P? How has R2P impacted recent situations, such as Libya and Syria? What role does R2P play in the formation of US foreign policy?

Register for the event here:

https://www.cvent.com/events/the-united-states-and-r2p-from-words-to-action/registration-133477829ab04c3e80bdd597a452a831.aspx

 

8. American Terrorists Abroad: Options for U.S. Policymakers, Brookings Institution, Tuesday, July 23 / 1:00pm – 2:30pm

Venue: Brookings Institution

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

Falk Auditorium

Speakers: Bruce Riedel, Daniel L. Byman, Benjamin Wittes

A cornerstone of the Obama administration’s counterterrorism policy has been the dramatic increase in drone strikes against suspected militants overseas. That policy reached uncharted waters however, with the killing of Anwar Awlaki, a U.S. citizen, on September 30, 2011. Awlaki’s killing raises a number of important questions related to the scope of the war on terror, as well as the complex constitutional and legal issues surrounding it. In addition, the attention to the killing obscured the wide range of other approaches the United States has used against suspected American terrorists operating abroad. How robust is the American counterterrorism arsenal against foreign-based U.S. citizens? What unique challenges are presented compared to the pursuit of foreign-born terrorists?

On July 23, the Saban Center for Middle East Policy and Governance Studies at Brookings will release ‘Tools and Tradeoffs: Confronting U.S. Citizen Terrorist Suspects Abroad,’ a new report examining the options available to policymakers. Panelists and co-authors of the report will include Senior Fellow Daniel Byman, research director of the Saban Center, and Senior Fellow Benjamin Wittes, editor-in-chief of the Lawfare blog. Brookings Senior Fellow Bruce Riedel will provide introductory remarks and moderate the discussion.

Register for the event here:

https://www.cvent.com/events/american-terrorists-abroad-options-for-u-s-policymakers/registration-9363c0f0d28e4ed892e4eca5aafe429d.aspx

 

9. Subcommittee Hearing: Asia: The Cyber Security Battleground, U.S. House Committee on Foreign Affairs, Tuesday, July 23 / 2:00pm

Venue: Rayburn House Office Building

45 Independence Ave SW, Washington, DC

Room 2172

Speakers: Phyllis Schneck- Ph.D., Mr. James Lewis, Mr. Karl Frederick Rauscher

 

10. The 1953 Coup 60 Years On: A Symposium, Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars, Wednesday, July 24 / 9:00am – 12:30pm

Venue: Woodrow Wilson Center

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

6th Floor Board Room

Speakers: Ali Rahnema, Ahmad Ashraf, Christian Ostermann, Mark Gasiorowski, Ervand Abrahamian, Wm. Roger Louis

August marks the 60th anniversary of the coup against Mohammad Mosaddeq, one of the pivotal events of modern Iranian and Middle Eastern history. The coup and the conditions surrounding it continue to spark academic and political debate due to their significance for subsequent developments in Iran as well as for the Islamic Republic’s relations with the United States and the West.

Organized by the History and Public Policy Program and the Middle East Program at the Wilson Center and the National Security Archive at George Washington University, The 1953 Coup 60 Years On: A Symposium will serve as a forum for the introduction of new evidence and fresh analysis by some of the top experts in the field. Participants will discuss their latest findings and their assessments of the most recent published works about the coup. The conference seeks to identify new as well as lingering historical questions about this critical period for future research. In addition to deliberating the history, the sessions will treat the coup’s role in current discourse over US policy toward Iran.

Register for the event here:

http://www.wilsoncenter.org/event/the-1953-coup-60-years-symposium

 

11. The Future of MILSATCOM, Center for Strategic and Budgetary Assessments, Wednesday, July 24 / 9:30am – 11:00am

Venue: 45 Independence Avenue Southwest, Washington, DC 20515

2212 RHOB

Speakers: Todd Harrison, Doug Lamborn

Space is no longer a sanctuary for the United States military. An implicit assumption in the space domain has been that deterrence would hold and space systems would not be attacked in conventional conflicts. One of the consequences of this assumption is that U.S. space systems, and military satellite communications (MILSATCOM) systems in particular, have critical vulnerabilities in conventional warfare to physical, electronic, and cyber attacks. If the U.S. military is committed to a strategy of assured access in the face of anti-access/area denial (A2/AD) capabilities, as the 2012 Defense Strategic Guidance states, then the Department must adapt the next-generation MILSATCOM architecture to operate in a more contested environment.In a constrained budget, however, it is cost prohibitive to increase protected MILSATCOM capacity by starting new programs or continuing to conduct business as usual.

What must the military do to bridge the gap between the capabilities needed and the funding available?

Register for the event here:

http://www.eventbrite.com/event/7472667951

 

12. Iran’s New President: Implications for the United States, Heritage Foundation, Wednesday, July 24 / 12:00pm – 1:00pm

Venue: Heritage Foundation

214 Massachusetts Ave NE, Washington, D.C. 20002

Lehrman Auditorium

Speakers: Kenneth Katzman- Ph.D., James Phillips, Henry Sokolski

Iran’s new president, Hassan Rouhani, takes office on August 3. He has raised the hopes of Iranians for a softening of the regime’s repression, domestic political reforms and an end to Iran’s international isolation. Can he deliver? More importantly, what are the foreign policy implications for the United States of Iran’s new government?

Register for the event here:

http://www.heritage.org/events/2013/07/irans-new-president

 

13. Subcommittee Hearing: Challenges to Democracy in the Western Hemisphere, U.S. House Committee on Foreign Affairs, Wednesday, July 24 / 2:00pm

Venue: Rayburn House Office Building

45 Independence Ave SW, Washington, DC

Room 2172

Speakers: Carlos Lauría

 

14. The Role of Media Development in Democratic Transitions: The Case of Southern Africa, National Endowment for Democracy, Thursday, July 25 / 12:00am

Venue: National Endowment for Democracy

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

Speakers: Libby Lloyd, Amadou Mahtar Ba, Dave Peterson, Jerri Eddings

A vibrant and diverse media culture is an essential facet to any democratic transition. This was evident in South Africa’s transition from apartheid censorship to democracy and freedom of expression, but according to Freedom House’s Freedom of the Press Survey, the country’s media freedom declined from Free to Partly Free in 2010. Is what was dubbed the miracle of South Africa coming undone? Does this pattern of declining media freedom extend throughout southern Africa?

Register for the event here:

http://southernafrica.eventbrite.com/

 

15. Crisis in Egypt, U.S. Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, Thursday, July 25 / 10:30am

Venue: Dirksen Senate Office Building

Constitution Avenue and 1st Street, NE, Washington, DC

Speakers: The Honorable Daniel C. Kurtzer, The Honorable Dennis Ross, Dr. Michele Dunne

 

16. Global Zero and New Paradigms for Nuclear Deterrence, George C. Marshall Institute, Thursday, July 25 / 12:00pm – 1:30pm

Venue: Capitol Hill Club 301 First Street SE, Washington, DC 2003

Speakers: Robert Butterworth, Barry Blechman

In April 2013, Marshall Institute Director Dr. Robert Butterworth published a detailed analysis of the nation’s nuclear defense policy in the Policy Outlook Slouching Towards Zero: Considering U.S. Nuclear Weapons Programs and Policy. Dr. Butterworth observes “Under these conditions, the strategic uncertainties of the future are probably better met with a more incremental approach to nuclear force modernization but with greater and more flexible capabilities.”

Barry Blechman, the Co-Founder of the Stimson Center and 2013 winner of the MacArthur Award for Creative and Effective Institutions, will present remarks on the “Contemporary Role of US Nuclear Weapons.” He will discuss how US nuclear weapons do, and do not, support US foreign and defense policies in today’s world, and the implications of that assessment for decisions on forces and arms negotiations.

RSVP through email to:

phuessy@afa.org

 

17. Hezbollah’s Interests in Syria, Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars, Thursday, July 25 / 12:00pm – 1:00pm

Venue: Woodrow Wilson Center

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

Speakers: Hanin Ghaddar

Hezbollah seems to be willing to lose its popularity in Lebanon to help Bashar al-Assad. Ghaddar explains why Hezbollah’s involvement seems as if they are helping secure some kind of federalism; however, their main interest is not to protect Assad, but instead, Iran.

Register for the event here:

http://www.wilsoncenter.org/event/hezbollah%E2%80%99s-interests-syria

 

18. No Time to Stand Still: Changing the Paradigm of Domestic Counterterrorism, Heritage Foundation, Thursday, July 25 / 12:00pm – 1:00pm

Venue: Heritage Foundation

214 Massachusetts Ave NE, Washington, D.C. 20002

Lehrman Auditorium

Speakers: The Honorable Robert Pittenger (R-Nc), Jessica Zuckerman, Scott Erickson, Jennifer Jacobs- Ph.D.

In the aftermath of the terrorist attacks at the Boston Marathon, it is essential that the United States reinvigorate its domestic counterterrorism efforts. Boston is a tragic reminder that the threat of terrorism is real and that no system of security is perfect. On the other hand, it is important to remember that since 9/11 the U.S. has done a great deal to enhance its counterterrorism efforts and has prevented over 50 terrorist plots. The continued success of these operations, however, is dependent upon preserving and improving existing counterterrorism tools, and enhancing cooperation with state and local law enforcement. While the United States has come a long way since 9/11, this is no time to stand still.

Join the Heritage Foundation as expert panelists discuss these critical issues, and explore how the U.S. can continue to improve its counterterrorism enterprise to thwart future terrorist attacks.

Register for the event here:

http://www.heritage.org/events/2013/07/no-time-to-stand-still

 

19. The Future of Democracy in Egypt: Notes from the Ground, Middle East Institute, Thursday, July 25 / 12:00pm – 1:00pm

Venue: Middle East Institute

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

Boardman Room

Speakers: Sahar F. Aziz, Mirette F. Mabrouk

The Middle East Institute is proud to host Sahar F. Aziz, associate professor of Law at Texas Wesleyan University, and Mirette F. Mabrouk, deputy director for Regional Programs at the Atlantic Council’s Rafik Hariri Center for the Middle East, for a discussion about the impact and implications of the ouster of President Mohamed Morsi. Mirette Mabrouk will provide a macro-perspective of the current situation and discuss some of the key turning points that precipitated the recent crisis. Building upon this framework, Sahar Aziz, who was in Egypt during the recent protests, will analyze the role of law in the lead up to the current political crisis as well as key legal issues facing Egypt as its people continue to demand meaningful democracy. Together, the panelists will offer a first-hand account of events as they unfolded on the ground and look ahead at Egypt’s uncertain political trajectory.

Register for the event here:

https://www.mei.edu/civicrm/event/register?id=325&reset=1

 

20. Egypt and the Question of U.S. Assistance, RAND Corporation, Thursday, July 25 / 12:30pm – 1:45pm

Venue: Rayburn House Office Building

45 Independence Ave SW, Washington, DC

B-340

Speakers: Steven A. Cook, Michele Dunne

Where is Egypt headed and what role should U.S. aid play right now?

With the ouster of former President Morsi by the Egyptian military, there is a renewed debate over the status of U.S. assistance to Egypt. Some in Congress assert that there is a clear legal requirement that the United States cut off military aid to Egypt. Others say that an exception should be made since the assistance serves important U.S. national security interests.

Should the United States cut off aid? What leverage does the U.S. actually gain from the roughly $1.5 billion in aid it provides Egypt annually? Would cutting it off promote or impair American interests in the region? These questions will be addressed in a moderated discussion designed to inform Congress’ approach as it reevaluates assistance to Egypt.

Register for the event here:

http://www.rand.org/congress/activities/2013/07/25/registration.html

 

21. ‘Honoring Six Decades of Service: Commemorating the 60th Anniversary of the Korean War Armistice’, Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies, Thursday, July 25 / 1:30pm – 3:30pm

Venue: Capitol Visitor Center

East Capitol St, NE and 1st St, NE Washington, DC 20004

HVC-201

Speakers: Charles Rangel, Howard Coble, John Warner, Walter Sharp, Ray Kapaun, Steven S. Lee

Korean War veterans Rep. Charles Rangel (D-N.Y), who served in the U.S. Army’s 503rd Field Artillery Battalion, and Rep. Howard Coble (R-N.C.), who served in the U.S. Coast Guard, will be the keynote speakers at this event. Other speakers include former Sen. John Warner (R-Va.), who served in the U.S. Marine Corps during the Korean War; Gen. Walter Sharp, former U.S. Army commander of Republic of Korea-U.S. Combined Forces Command and U.S. Forces Korea (2008-11); Ray Kapaun, nephew of Father Emil J. Kapaun, a U.S. Army chaplain who died as a POW in the Korean War and a posthumous recipient of the Congressional Medal of Honor; and Steven S. Lee, U.S. Navy commander who was the first Korean American graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy to command at sea. Note: This event is located off-site at the U.S. Capitol Visitor Center, HVC-201, First Street and East Capitol Street, Washington, D.C. Members of the media should RSVP to fklubes@jhu.edu or 202.663.5626.

Register for the event here:

http://uskoreainstitute.org/events/koreanwar072513/

 

22. US-Russia Relations and the Asia-Pacific, International Institute for Strategic Studies, Friday, July 26 / 10:00am – 11:00am

Venue: 2121 K Street NW, Washington, DC 20037

Suite 801

Speakers: Oleg Barabanov, Jeffrey Mankoff, Gilbert Rozman, Samuel Charap

This IISS-US Panel Discussion brings together Professor Oleg Barabanov from Moscow State Institute of International Relations (MGIMO); Jeffrey Mankoff, the deputy director of the Russia and Eurasia Program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies; Professor Gilbert Rozman from Princeton University; and Samuel Charap, Senior Fellow for Russia and Eurasia at IISS, to discuss the challenges and opportunities to the US-Russia relationship presented by the Asia-Pacific region.

The Asia-Pacific is of growing importance for the United States and Russia, both of which are seeking to “pivot” or “rebalance” their global commitments toward the region. Yet the vast majority of U.S.-Russia interaction occurs in Europe and post-Soviet Eurasia, and neither country has paid sufficient attention to the implications of their respective renewed interest in the Asia-Pacific for the bilateral relationship. Meanwhile, the region’s economic growth, the rise of China, and the potential for regional conflicts in both Northeast and Southeast Asia create a landscape fraught with challenges for both Moscow and Washington.

Join the IISS-US for the launch of the third paper of the Working Group on the Future of U.S.-Russia Relations, which focuses on the opportunities for and obstacles to U.S.-Russia cooperation in the Asia-Pacific. This event will be on the record.

Register for the event here:

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1QXIyASAmdtVWo4z86rAcAfwGi4ORG9o-3ddNO9DU5CY/viewform

 

23. Syria’s Collapse and How Washington Can Help Stop It, Partnership for a Secure America, Friday, July 26 / 12:00pm – 1:00pm

Venue: Rayburn House Office Building

45 Independence Ave SW, Washington, DC

Speaker: Andrew Tabler

Two participants in Partnership for a Secure America’s Congressional Partnership Program will host Andrew J. Tabler to explore how the U.S. can respond to the crisis in Syria in order to help curb the killing, check the rise of extremists in the opposition, and expedite the downfall of the Assad regime.

RSVP through email to:

George.oconnor@mail.house.gov