Peace Picks April 21 – 25

1. America’s Great Game: The CIA’s Secret Arabists and the Shaping of the Modern Middle East

Monday, April 21 | 4 – 5:30pm

6th Floor, Woodrow Wilson Center; 1300 Pennsylvania Ave NW

Reservations requested because of limited space: WHS@wilsoncenter.org

The CIA has an almost diabolical reputation in the Arab world. Yet, in the early years of its existence, the 1940s and 1950s, the Agency was distinctly pro-Arab, lending its support to the leading Arab nationalist of the day, Gamal Nasser, and conducting an anti-Zionist publicity campaign at home in the U.S. Drawing on a wide range of sources, Hugh Wilford uncovers the world of early CIA “Arabism,” its origins, characteristic forms, and eventual demise.

2. Iraq After 2014

Tuesday, April 22 | 12:30 – 2pm

Kenney Auditorium, SAIS (The Nitze Building), 1740 Massachusetts Ave NW

REGISTER TO ATTEND

Ambassador Zalmay Khalilzad, counselor at CSIS, President and CEO of Khalilizad Associates, and former U.S. ambassador to Iraq, Afghanistan, and the United Nations, will discuss this topic.

3. Cities at the Center of the World

Tuesday, April 22 | 9am – 4pm

5th Floor, Woodrow Wilson Center; 1300 Pennsylvania Ave NW

REGISTER TO ATTEND

The Wilson Center’s Urban Sustainability Laboratory and the Cities and Globalization Working Group at George Mason University’s Center for Global Studies invite you to a discussion of the nexus between urban growth and globalization. Please join leading urban scholars, practitioners and policy makers for a discussion of the social, spatial and political terrain of cities as critical global centers. The conference will feature panel discussions on: emerging issues in urban development; new directions in global urban research; and, slums, globalization and urban adaptation.

SPEAKERS
Keynote Address:
Cities of Megasecurity: Urban Brazil and Egypt as Laboratories for New Models of Global Governance and Popular Resistance
Paul Amar, Associate Professor, Global & International Studies Program, University of California, Santa Barbara

Speakers:
Desmond Arias
Associate Professor of Public Policy, George Mason University

Gilberto Chona
Lead Specialist, Fiscal Policy and Urban Economics, Fiscal and Municipal Management Division, Institutions for Development, Inter-American Development Bank

Beth Chitekwe-Biti
Founding Director, Dialogue on Shelter a Zimbabwe Slum Dwellers International, Member Slum Dwellers International

Ellen Hamilton
Lead Urban Specialist, Urban Development and Resilience Unit, Sustainable Development Network, World Bank

Martin Murray
Professor of Urban Planning, Taubman College and Department of African-American and African Studies (DAAS), University of Michigan

Malini Ranganathan
Assistant Professor, Global Environmental Politics, School of International Service, American University

Xuefei Ren
Associate Professor of Sociology and Global Urban Studies, Michigan State University

Andrew Rudd
Urban Environment Officer, Urban Planning and Design Branch, UN-Habitat

Rashmi Sadana
Assistant Professor of Anthropology, George Mason University

Kristin Scott
Term Assistant Professor of Integrative Studies and Ph.D. Candidate in Cultural Studies, George Mason University 

4. Progress or Peril in Somalia?

Tuesday, April 22 | 10 – 11:30am

U.S. Institute of Peace, 2301 Constitution Ave NW

REGISTER TO ATTEND

Despite the optimism that surrounded President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud’s inauguration in 2012, Somalia has struggled to achieve key governance and security goals. A recent cabinet reshuffle and intensified al-Shabab militant activity in Mogadishu have raised more concerns about Somalia’s trajectory. With elections planned for 2016, rapid progress is required to bolster confidence in Somalia’s government and leadership.

To address these issues, USIP is pleased to host a discussion with Nicholas Kay, the Special Representative of the U.N. Secretary-General for Somalia. As the head of the United Nations Assistance Mission in Somalia (UNSOM), Amb. Kay oversees a mission charged with providing policy advice to the federal government on a range of governance and security issues and coordinating international engagement. He will provide an update on recent developments and UNSOM’s progress in executing its mandate and take questions from the audience.

5. Social Change – Social Media: The Dialectic Implications of Technology in Times of Revolution
featuring Miriyam Aouragh

Tuesday, April 22 | 12:30 – 2pm

Edward B. Bunn, S.J. Intercultural Center, CCAS Boardroom, ICC 241 (Georgetown University); 37th and O St NW

REGISTER TO ATTEND

The Arab uprisings and their ripple effects around the world have ignited great interest in the democratic potential of new information technologies. People are empowered through connected mobile phones, blogs and social media on a global scale. Initially this was understood as an empowerment to challenge authoritarianism and repression. Three years on, against the background of the aggressive imperial interests; the political economic context of neoliberalism and counter-revolutionary regime forces, these imaginings have taken a tense if not pessimistic form. The expanding influence of transnational corporate technology firms shapes the design and in due course usage of information technologies, with surveillance and propaganda becoming its main protestations. Nevertheless, the revolutions happened precisely because empires and dictators don’t enjoy full hegemony. Oppressed peoples come up with the most creative, persistent, and effective strategies for resistance as research on the Syrian online activist scene illustrates.

6. Change in Bosnia-Herzegovina: Mission Impossible 5?

Tuesday, April 22 | 12 – 1pm

4th Floor, Woodrow Wilson Center; 1300 Pennsylvania Ave NW

REGISTER TO ATTEND

Sovereignty and identity in the modern state have been subjected to rapid changes, disagreements and debate about their nature among academics, politicians and citizens. Bosnia-Herzegovina provided them with a very special case to study. In this discussion, Neven Andjelic, Senior Lecturer in International Relations and Human Rights at Regent’s University, will focus on key elements, including analysis of what sovereignty means for domestic constituents and will examine the role of international actors in Bosnia-Herzegovina. The presentation underlines the distinction among various interests involved and examines the level of compatibility between ethnic and national identity in Bosnia-Herzegovina. The discussion introduces an element of ideology, while focusing on recent protests, as well as the reaction to them, and the forthcoming elections later this year. The presentation will also attempt to answer the question whether the citizens of Bosnia and Herzegovina can unite around a single issue.

7. Media and Civil Society in Syria’s Evolving Conflict

Tuesday, April 22 | 12:30 – 2pm

New America Foundation, 1899 L Street NW Suite 400

REGISTER TO ATTEND

The conflict in Syria is being presented to the international community through a complex mix of state, opposition, international and local media sources. Individuals and NGOs in Syria have also effectively used social media to show the world the horrors of the conflict. As the crisis has evolved, so too have the ways in which activists have deployed the media available to them.

We hope you will join New America to discuss the evolution of media throughout the conflict with award-winning filmmaker and activist Orwa Nyrabia. Mr. Nyrabia, an independent documentary film producer, filmmaker, actor, writer, and former journalist, is in the forefront of efforts to illuminate the ongoing destruction of Syrian creative culture. In addition to focusing on developments in the independent media sector, Mr. Nyrabia will also discuss how civil society groups are struggling to navigate the dynamics of conflict. Mr. Nyrabia will present a selection of video clips to frame the discussion.

8. U.S. Commitments to the Gulf Arab States: How Adequate in Light of U.S. Regional Policies?

Wednesday, April 23 | 9:30am – 12pm

Rayburn House Office Building Gold Room (2168); 45 Independence Ave SW

RSVP Acceptances only: call (202) 296-6767 or e-mail info@mepc.org

The Middle East Policy Council invites you and your colleagues to our 76th Capitol Hill Conference. Our distinguished panelists will address U.S. security commitments to the Gulf Arab states and how current U.S. policies toward Iran, Iraq, Syria, Egypt, and Yemen impact their security. Live streaming of this event will begin at approximately 9:30am EST on Wednesday, April 23rd and conclude at noon. A questions and answers session will be held at the end of the proceedings. Refreshments will be served.

SPEAKERS
Colin Kahl
Associate Professor, Georgetown University; Senior Fellow and Director, Middle East Security Program, Center for a New American Security; Former Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for the Middle East

Michael Gfoeller
Adviser, Chertoff Group; Former head, Middle East & North African Affairs, International Government Relations, ExxonMobil; Former Deputy Chief of Mission & Chargé d’Affaires, U.S. Embassy, Riyadh

Mark N. Katz
Professor of Public and International Affairs, George Mason University; Former Soviet Affairs Analyst, U.S. Department of State; Former Visiting Scholar, Middle East Policy Council

Mark T. Kimmit
Middle East Security and Defense Adviser Brigadier General, U.S. Army (retired); Former Assistant Secretary of State for Political-Military Affairs; Former Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for the Middle East

Moderator:
Ford M. Fraker
President, Middle East Policy Council; Former U.S. Ambassador to Saudi Arabia

Discussant:
Thomas R. Mattair
Executive Director, Middle East Policy Council

9. Environmental Pressures on China’s Changing Cities and Countryside

Wednesday, April 23 | 9 – 11am

6th Floor, Woodrow Wilson Center; 1300 Pennsylvania Ave NW

REGISTER TO ATTEND

China’s urban and rural areas are rapidly changing and are facing dire resource constraints. Cities and countryside both contribute to and are vulnerable to water pollution and scarcity, particularly in China’s dry north. At this CEF meeting, speakers will provide a comparative perspective of pollution, drought, and development challenges in China’s metropolitan and rural areas, particularly in the Gobi Desert region.

At this talk Xuefei Ren will discuss recent trends of urbanization in China and its implications on mobility and the environment. Troy Sternberg will discuss how droughts, extreme winters, and climate impacts not only threaten rural north China, but reverberate in Chinese cities and beyond

SPEAKERS
Xuefei Ren, Fellow
Assistant Professor of Sociology and Global Urban Studies, Michigan State University and Faculty Associate, Center for Chinese Studies, University of Michigan

Troy Sternberg
The John Fell Research Fellow in the School of Geography, University of Oxford

10. Africa and the Arms Trade Treaty

Wednesday, April 23 | 1 – 2:30pm

212-C Conference Room, CSIS; 1616 Rhode Island Avenue NW

To RSVP, e-mail: PPP@CSIS.org

Last year, the United States signed the Arms Trade Treaty (ATT), a multilateral agreement to regulate international conventional weapons trade. This treaty, which 118 states have signed and 31 have ratified, has not yet entered into force. While the ATT’s standards are not as high as those of the United States, the potential for the treaty to reduce illicit trade could help improve security in areas that need it most – particularly in regions of conflict like Africa. Greater scrutiny of African governments, better review of legitimate exports, import controls that can stop illicit shipments, and management of arms stockpiles can help to address the humanitarian impact of conventional weapons. The ATT can be one part of the formula to catalyze change and reduce violence.

Please join our distinguished panel of speakers as we discuss the significance of the ATT, its relevance to Africa, and how the treaty might move forward into the future.

SPEAKERS
Mr. Thomas Countryman
Assistant Secretary, Bureau of International Security and Nonproliferation, State Department

Dr. Raymond Gilpin
Academic Dean, Africa Center for Strategic Studies, National Defense University

Ms. Jennifer G. Cooke
Director, Africa Program, Center for Strategic and International Studies

Moderated by:
Ms. Sharon Squassoni
Senior Fellow and Director, Proliferation Prevention Program, Center for Strategic and International Studies

11. Insurgency and Counterinsurgency in Pakistan and the South Asia Region

Wednesday, April 23 | 10 – 11:30am

United States Institute of Peace, 2301 Constitution Ave NW

REGISTER TO ATTEND

South Asia has experienced excessive and sustained violence over the past decade. India, Pakistan and Afghanistan continue to face major internal insurgencies, while Sri Lanka and Nepal face political turbulence and lingering tensions despite having declared a formal end to their intra-state conflicts.

Reflecting new research from two recently published books, Counterterrorism in Pakistan (Georgetown University Press and USIP) and Insurgencies and Counterinsurgencies in South Asia (USIP Press), USIP will host a panel discussion on South Asia’s security challenges, with a special focus on Pakistan.

SPEAKERS
Moeed Yusuf
Director, South Asia Programs, U.S. Institute of Peace

General John Allen
Distinguished Fellow, Brookings Institution, and former Commander, International Security Assistance Force (ISAF)

Cameron Munter
Professor of International Relations, Pomona College, former U.S. Ambassador to Pakistan

Peter Lavoy
Partner, Monitor 360, former Assistant Secretary of Defense for Asian and Pacific Security Affairs (APSA)

Andrew Wilder, Moderator
Vice President, South & Central Asia, U.S. Institute of Peace

12. India-Pakistan: The Opportunity Cost of Conflict

Thursday, April 24 | 9:30 – 11am

12th Floor (West Tower), The Atlantic Council; 1030 15th St NW

REGISTER TO ATTEND

Please join the Atlantic Council’s South Asia Center on April 24 from 9:30 to 11:00 a.m. for the public briefing and launch of a report entitled “India-Pakistan: The Opportunity Cost of Conflict.” Over the course of sixty-six years, India and Pakistan have continued an implacable rivalry marked by periodic wars and hostilities, and invested heavily in the acquisition of new and more lethal weapons systems. Yet increased spending has not brought foolproof security to either country, but instead has pulled resources from much-needed economic development in Pakistan and social investment in India, among other things.

SPEAKERS
Shuja Nawaz
Director, South Asia Center
Atlantic Council

Mohan Guruswamy (from New Delhi via Skype)
Senior Fellow, South Asia Center
Atlantic Council

Bharath Gopalaswamy
Deputy Director, South Asia Center
Atlantic Council

13. Stolen Heritage: Cultural Racketeering in Egypt

Thursday, April 24 | 12 – 1pm

The Middle East Institute, 1761 N St NW

REGISTER TO ATTEND

Cultural racketeering, the systematic theft of art and antiquities by organized crime, has increased at Egyptian archaeological sites by as much as 1000% in the past three years, with devastating consequences for the country’s priceless cultural heritage. The Middle East Institute is pleased to host Deborah Lehr, founder of the International Coalition for the Protection of Egyptian Antiquities, for a discussion about the sharp rise of looting and racketeering, the damage it is doing to Egypt’s critical tourism sector, and what Egypt and the international community can do to address the problem.

14. Getting it right: A better strategy to defeat al Qaeda

Thursday, April 24 | 12 – 1:30pm

AEI, Twelfth Floor; 1150 Seventeenth Street, NW

REGISTER TO ATTEND

Has the United States gotten any closer to defeating al Qaeda in the three years since the US raid on Abbottabad and death of Osama bin Laden? Who exactly is the enemy we’re targeting?

On April 24, AEI will host a luncheon event to discuss why we’re not seeing lasting success against al Qaeda. This event will coincide with the release of a new report by AEI’s Mary Habeck, which analyzes why current national security policy is failing to stop the advancement of al Qaeda and its affiliates and what the US can do to develop a successful strategy to defeat this enemy.

SPEAKERS
Mary Habeck, AEI 

Bruce Hoffman, Georgetown University

Katherine Zimmerman, AEI

Moderated by
Frederick W. Kagan, AEI