Tag: Democracy and Rule of Law
Stevenson’s army, May 7
-US banks overwhelmed by volume of economic sanctions.
– Afghans still dependent on US air power.
– WaPo reports on Iran talks.
– New Yorker reports on Lee Atwater confessions of election dirty tricks.
– G7 criticizes China over Taiwan.
– China & Australia halt talks.
– US News says hope has become the strategy in Afghanistan.
Here, in my opinion, is misleading quantification of political analysis. The professors want to compare US and Chinese influence in Africa, and they count as equal impact each of five areas: trade, aid, diplomacy, military, social-cultural. Sure…
From Politico’s China newsletter:
The trade statistics are a simple and powerful guide.
Roughly two-thirds of the 190 countries in the world now trade more with China than they do with the U.S., with about 90 countries doing more than twice as much trade with China as with America, according to the Lowy Institute in Australia.
Despite all the noise about America’s economic dependence on China, the U.S. actually relies much less on trade overall, and trade with China in particular, than most of the rest of the world — including the countries Biden hopes will be linchpins in his anti-China coalition.
Today, global trade amounts to about 60 percent of the world’s GDP. But trade is only one-quarter of GDP for the U.S. The U.S. is also less reliant on China trade than most countries — with roughly as much American trade with each of Canada, the European Union and Mexico as with China.
This means that the potential economic costs of confronting China are simply lower for the U.S. than they are for many other countries. That is one reason Biden seems in no hurry to end Trump’s trade war and why China policy is a rare instance of bipartisanship in Washington, D.C.
My SAIS colleague Charlie Stevenson distributes this almost daily news digest of foreign/defense/national security policy to “Stevenson’s army” via Googlegroups. I plan to republish here. To get Stevenson’s army by email, send a blank email (no subject or text in the body) to stevensons-army+subscribe@googlegroups.com. You’ll get an email confirming your join request. Click “Join This Group” and follow the instructions to join. Once you have joined, you can adjust your email delivery preferences (if you want every email or a digest of the emails).
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Stevenson’s army, April 20
– New Zealand doesn’t went to expand Five Eyes [as a student urged in a policy memo] or even to join Biden’s “alliance of democracies.”
– Ukraine worries about Russian military moves and leaks memo.
– USAF sends planes to Poland.
-FP says Philippines is releasing more details about China maritime activities.
– FP writers urge new hotlines for crisis management.
-NYT surveys new research showing deepening US sectarian divisions. The two parties have not only become more ideologically polarized — they have simultaneously sorted along racial, religious, educational, generational and geographic lines. Partisanship has become a “mega-identity.”
My SAIS colleague Charlie Stevenson distributes this almost daily news digest of foreign/defense/national security policy to “Stevenson’s army” via Googlegroups. I plan to republish here. To get Stevenson’s army by email, send a blank email (no subject or text in the body) to stevensons-army+subscribe@googlegroups.com. You’ll get an email confirming your join request. Click “Join This Group” and follow the instructions to join. Once you have joined, you can adjust your email delivery preferences (if you want every email or a digest of the emails).
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Peace Picks | April 5 – 9
Notice: Due to public health concerns, upcoming events are only available via live stream
1. The Cold War in the Middle East or the Middle East in the Cold War? | April 5, 2021 | 11:00 AM – 12:30 PM ET | Wilson Center | Register Here
Speakers
Lorenz Lüthi: Associate Professor, McGill University
Eliza Gheorghe (moderator): Scholar, Romanian Cultural Institute
Guy Laron: Senior Lecturer, Hebrew University of Jerusalem
Alexander Shelby: Professor, Indian River College
In this discussion with Guy Laron, Alexander Shelby and Eliza Gheorghe, Professor Lüthi will discuss the Middle East angle of his book, with a focus on the Arab-Israeli conflict. Long one of the most controversial and significant issues of the 20th century, Professor Lüthi removes the “great power” lense and seeks to provide the perspective of those parties directly involved, Israel and the Arab states.
2. Preventing nuclear proliferation and reassuring America’s allies | April 7, 2021 | 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM ET | Atlantic Council | Register Here
Speakers
Sec. Chuck Hagel: Former US Secretary of Defense
Christopher Ford: Former Assistant Secretary of State for International Security and Non-Proliferation
Elaine Bunn: Former Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Nuclear and Missile Defense Policy
Missy Ryan (moderator): Reporter, Washington Post
A task force, co-chaired by Chuck Hagel, Malcolm Rifkind, and Kevin Rudd, with Ivo Daalder, argues that fraying American alliances and a rapidly changing security environment have shaken America’s nuclear security guarantees and threaten the 50-year-old nuclear nonproliferation regime. Please join Sec. Chuck Hagel, former US Secretary of Defense; Dr. Christopher Ford, former assistant secretary of state for international security and non-proliferation; and Ms. Elaine Bunn, former deputy assistant secretary of defense for nuclear and missile defense policy, for a discussion moderated by Washington Post national security reporter Ms. Missy Ryan on preventing nuclear proliferation, strengthening America’s nuclear security guarantees, and a recent Chicago Council of Global Affairs report on these issues.
3. Mitigating the Impact of Sanctions on Humanitarian Action | April 7, 2021 | 9:30 AM – 10:15 AM ET | Center for Strategic and International Studies | Register Here
Speakers
Representative Andy Levin: Vice Chair, House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Asia, the Pacific, Central Asia, and Nonproliferation
Jacob Kurtzer: Director and Senior Fellow, Humanitarian Agenda
J. Stephen Morrison: Senior Vice President and Director, Global Health Policy Center
To discuss the impact of sanctions on humanitarian assistance, the CSIS Humanitarian Agenda welcomes Congressman Andy Levin (D-MI-9), Vice Chair, House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Asia, the Pacific, Central Asia, and Nonproliferation, and author of the “Enhancing North Korea Humanitarian Assistance Act”. This armchair discussion, hosted by Jacob Kurtzer, Director and Senior Fellow of the Humanitarian Agenda, will explore some of the consequences of sanctions on civilian populations and policy solutions that could mitigate their humanitarian impact.
4. China’s sanctions on Europe | April 8, 2021 | 9:00 AM – 10:30 AM ET | Brookings Institution | Register Here
Speakers
Reinhard Bütikofer: Member of the European Parliament
Miriam Lexmann: Member of the European Parliament
Dovilé Sakaliene: Member of the Seimas of the Republic of Lithuania
Thomas Wright (moderator): Director, Center on the United States and Europe
The Chinese government recently imposed sanctions on EU and U.K. parliamentarians, think tanks, academics, and EU committees. Beijing said its sanctions were a response to European sanctions on officials connected to human rights violations in Xinjiang. China’s sanctions have been condemned by EU and U.K. officials as an attack on democracy and are likely to complicate the ratification of the EU-China Comprehensive Agreement on Investment (CAI). On April 8, the Center on the United States and Europe at Brookings will host parliamentarians targeted and sanctioned by China for a panel discussion on China’s actions, what they mean for future EU and U.K. relations with China, and the role of human rights in foreign policy.
5. “Taking Stock of the Arab Uprisings” | April 8, 2021 | 1:30 PM – 2:45 PM ET | Belfer Center | Register Here
Speakers
Michael Hanna: Senior Fellow, The Century Foundation
Tarek Masoud (moderator): Faculty Director, Middle East Institute
As the initial promise of the Arab uprisings has collapsed and curdled, many have revisited nagging questions posed by political dysfunction in the Arab world. Special guest Michael Hanna, Senior Fellow of The Century Foundation joins MEI to discuss the question of whether or not the Arab uprisings were a failure and what this all means for the new Biden Administration.
6. How Can Middle-Power Democracies Renovate Global Democracy Support? | April 8, 2021 | 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM ET | Carnegie Endowment for International Peace | Register Here
Speakers
Ken Godfrey: Executive Director, the European Partnership for Democracy
Rachel Kleinfield: Senior Fellow, Democracy, Conflict, and Governance Program
Roland Paris: Professor, University of Ottawa
Lisa Peterson: Senior Official for Civilian Security, Democracy, and Human Rights
As autocracy engulfs ever more countries, how should the world’s remaining democracies respond? Many are struggling to address internal demands from aggrieved citizens and pandemic pressures, while fending off attempts from authoritarian governments to undermine them from without and within. The conventional menu of democracy support tools seems too meager to meet this geopolitical moment. Germany wants a Marshall Plan for Democracy; Sweden emphasizes a Drive for Democracy. Can middle power democracies enact a strategy commensurate with the challenges at hand?
7. Building Resilience in the Sahel in an Era of Forced Displacement | April 8, 2021 | 9:30 AM – 11:00 AM ET | Wilson Center | Register Here
Speakers
Lauren Herzer Risi (moderator): Project Director, Environmental Change and Security Program
Ngozi Amu: Team Leader, UN Office for West Africa and the Sahel
Elizabeth Ferris: Professor, Georgetown University
Florian Morier: Head of Stabilization, UNDP Cameroon
WIse Nzikie Ngasa: Justice and Resilience Program Director – Mali, Mercy Corps
Kayly Ober: Program Manager, Climate Displacement Program, Refugees International
In the Sahel, a growing crisis driven by ongoing violence and devastation wrought by the COVID-19 pandemic, climate change, and food insecurity, has led to the internal displacement of more than 2 million people—four times the number displaced just 2 years ago. This humanitarian crisis demands an urgent response to ensure adequate provision of shelter, food, and water for those forced from their homes. It also points to a need for comprehensive approaches and sustained investments to address the drivers of forced displacement in the region. Join the Wilson Center and Population Institute for a discussion with experts who are working across disciplines to identify entry points for policies and programs that strengthen the resilience of communities across the region.
8. AI and democracy: Transformative and disruptive potential | April 8, 2021 | 2:00 PM – 3:00 PM ET | Chatham House | Register Here
Speakers
Marjorie Buchser: Executive Director, Digital Society Initiative
Cornelia Kutterer: Senior Director, Rule of Law & Responsible Tech
Matthias Spielcamp: Co-Founder and Executive Director, AlgorithmWatch
Philip Howard: Professor, Oxford Internet Institute
Rebecca Finlay: Acting Executive Director, Partnership on AI
This panel discusses the transformative potential of AI and how policymakers, technology companies and civil society can work together to make sure that these advancements are for the betterment of, rather than a detriment to, democratic norms and practices. It also explores some existing and future AI applications, encouraging participants to share their views, hopes and concerns regarding AI and democracy.
9. The Future of U.S. Cultural Diplomacy | April 9, 2021 | 1:00 PM – 2:15 PM ET | Belfer Center | Register Here
Speakers
Nancy Szalwinski: Director of the Cultural Division in the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs
Ambassador Nicholas Burns: Professor, Harvard Kennedy School
Carla Dirlikov Canales (moderator): Co-Creator, Culture Summit
Nancy Szalwinski, Director of Cultural Programs, Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, U.S. Department of State, and Ambassador Nicholas Burns, Goodman Professor of the Practice of Diplomacy and International Relations at Harvard Kennedy School will discuss ways in which cultural diplomacy can play a significant role in furthering U.S. foreign policy objectives and the Biden administration’s promise to “restore America’s global standing.” The conversation will focus on current cultural diplomacy priorities for the United States and how changing technologies, geopolitical trends, and recent events have led to new approaches, initiatives, and challenges. Carla Dirlikov Canales will moderate the discussion.
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Stevenson’s army, March 31
-Blinken broadens human rights categories.
-But keeps some of Trump’s Taiwan moves.
– Human rights report released. The text is here.
– NYT says the Taliban believe they’ve won.
– Top military quit in Brazil.
-Politico says CISA is in bad shape.
My SAIS colleague Charlie Stevenson distributes this almost daily news digest of foreign/defense/national security policy to “Stevenson’s army” via Googlegroups. I plan to republish here. To get Stevenson’s army by email, send a blank email (no subject or text in the body) to stevensons-army+subscribe@googlegroups.com. You’ll get an email confirming your join request. Click “Join This Group” and follow the instructions to join. Once you have joined, you can adjust your email delivery preferences (if you want every email or a digest of the emails).
Share this, I'll really appreciate it:
Peace Picks | March 29 – April 2, 2021
Peace Picks | March 29 – April 2, 2021
Notice: Due to public health concerns, upcoming events are only available via live stream.
- Ready for Reform? Upholding the Rule of Law in Ukraine | March 29, 2021 | 10:00 AM ET | Atlantic Council | Register Here
Ukraine’s Euro-Atlantic trajectory continues to face two immediate threats: vested interests and malign influence from the Kremlin. President Zelenskyy has recently taken important steps to fight back against these corrupt forces, shutting down Kremlin-backed Member of Parliament Viktor Medvedchuk’s pro-Russian TV channels and vowing to pursue criminal charges against other oligarchs, including Ihor Kolomoisky. Yet 2020 was a year of walking back from aspects of the post-Maidan anti-corruption program. Questions remain about Zelenskyy’s willingness to initiate broad-based reforms, which will require a coordinated, systemic approach to be successful in the long-term.
Is Zelenskyy ready to restart the reforms he began in 2019? How can Ukraine’s leading reformers work together to create a more just Ukraine?
Daniel Bilak,
Senior Counsel, Kinstellar
Sergii Ionushas,
Deputy Chair of the Verkhovna Rada’s Law Enforcement Committee
Oleksandr Novikov
Chair of the National Agency for the Prevention of Corruption
Anastasia Radina,
Chair of the Verkhovna Rada’s Anti-Corruption Committee,
Ruslan Ryaboshapka,
Former Prosecutor General of Ukraine, and
Artem Sytnyk,
Director of the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine
Melinda Haring (Moderator)
Deputy Director of the Eurasia Center
2. A Strategic Proxy Threat: Iran’s Transnational Network | March 29, 2021 | 12:00 PM ET | Middle East Institute | Register Here
Iran’s influence throughout the Middle East has grown dramatically in the past decade, in large part due to its expanding regional network of militias and their assertion of influence in unstable environments. Through the IRGC’s Quds Force and Iranian allies such as Lebanese Hezbollah, the Popular Mobilization Units (PMUs) in Iraq, and the Houthis in Yemen, Iran’s pursuit of regional hegemony through the removal of Western influence threatens stability.
What are the main challenges and threats posed by Iran’s regional network? How best should they be dealt with? Can diplomacy remove the incentive for Iranian proxy aggression? How must the United States and the wider international community respond to Iran’s direct and proxy involvement in conflicts across the Middle East?
Speakers:
Nadwa Al-Dawsari
Non Resident Scholar, Middle East Institute
Hanin Ghaddar
Friedmann Fellow, Washington Institute for Near East Policy
Michael Knights
Jill and Jay Bernstein Fellow, Washington Institute for Near East Policy
Charles Lister, (Moderator)
Senior Fellow and Director, Syria and Countering Terrorism and Extremism Programs, Middle East Institut
3. Nonviolent Action and Civil War Peace Processes | March 30, 2021 | 10:00 AM ET | United States Institute of Peace | Register Here
Civilians are often assumed to be victims or passive agents in civil war. However, civil society actors and nonviolent movements are far more active than is often acknowledged and they have used a vast array of nonviolent action tactics to foster peace — from forming local peace communities to organizing protests and strikes to demanding warring parties come to the negotiating table. Civil society actors have also participated in negotiation processes, either as negotiation delegations themselves or as observers, and have played active roles in the monitoring and implementation stages of peace processes as well. But what civilian nonviolent action strategies are effective in promoting peaceful conflict resolution in civil war?
Speakers:
Jacob Bul Bior
Cofounder and Media Coordinator, Anataban Arts Initiative
Luke Abbs
Researcher, BLG Data Research Centre, University of Essex
Esra Cuhadar
Senior Expert, Dialogue and Peace Processes, U.S. Institute of Peace
Marina Petrova
Post-Doctoral Research Fellow, Università Bocconi
Waheed Zaheer
Journalist and Peacebuilding Trainer
Jonathan Pinckney, (Moderator)
Senior Researcher, Nonviolent Action, U.S. Institute of Peace
4. Equity, Violence and the Law: Policing Lessons for Europe and the United States | March 30, 2021 | 10:00 AM ET | Wilson Center| Register Here
The deaths of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery and other individuals energized the Black Lives Matter movement and sparked calls for police reforms not only in the United States, but in Europe and around the world. With the trial of former police officer Derek Chauvin scheduled to begin on March 29, it is time to assess the impact of such efforts over the past year. While some U.S. states banned chokeholds or explored community-centered policing models, the use of deadly force by police in America is 10 to 20 times higher than in Europe. Still, policy brutality is very real for people of color in Europe.
How do U.S. and European approaches to safety and policing differ? What can we learn from each other? Who needs to be at the table to make sure police are adequately equipped to respond? Join us for a transatlantic discussion on police reforms, how to re-imagine public safety and assure policing equity for all citizens.
Speakers:
Artika R. Tyner
Professor and Director of the Center on Race, Leadership and Social Justice, University of St. Thomas
Kimmo Kimberg
Director of the Police University College, Finland
Ojeaku Nwabuzo
Senior Research Officer, European Network Against Racism
Teresa Eder (Moderator)
Program Associate, Global Europe Program
5. Sanctions and Tools of Economic Statecraft: Getting Allies’ Act Together | March 30, 2021 | 12:00 PM ET | German Marshall Fund| Register Here
The Biden administration has shown itself ready and willing to use sanctions as a tool of foreign policy, already having enacted a robust package of sanctions against Russia for its treatment of Alexei Navalny. The EU, for its part, recently passed a new human rights sanctions regime with which it hopes to better punish countries for human rights abuses. In this Transatlantic Tuesday, we will discuss how these developments are likely to impact U.S. and European sanctions policy going forward, as well as the prospects for allied coordination of sanctions. #TransatlanticTuesdays
Speakers:
Daniel Fried
Former US Ambassador to Poland, 1997-2000 and Weiser Family Distinguished Fellow, Atlantic Council
Markus Ziener
Professor of Journalism at the University of Applied Sciences Berlin (HMKW), Incoming Helmut Schmidt Fellow, The German Marshall Fund of the United States & Zeit-Stiftung Ebelin und Gerd Bucerius
6. Yemen’s War: Current Developments and Regional Dynamics | March 30, 2021 | 1:00 PM ET | Chatham House| Register Here
In the last week of March 2015, Saudi Arabia announced that a coalition of twelve countries will begin Operation Decisive Storm in Yemen, a nation troubled by civil war and severe humanitarian crisis.
The Saudi-led intervention aimed at retaliating against the Shia Houthi rebels and restoring the exiled international government of Yemeni President Abdrabbuh Mansur Hadi. Six years later, regional and international dynamics have changed, and Yemen has become even more fragmented with Yemeni civilians paying the heaviest price as they find themselves in what the UN has called the worst humanitarian crisis in the world.
Within the Gulf, reconciliation between GCC countries is picking up after more than three years of diplomatic crisis between Qatar and a number of regional countries led by Saudi Arabia. In addition, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi’s main ally in the Yemen war, has withdrawn from the country.
In the United States, the new Biden administration has ended its military support for offensive operations by Saudi-led allies in Yemen including a freeze of arms sales.
In this webinar, organized by the Chatham House Middle East Programme, speakers will reflect on the last six years of war in Yemen and discuss prospects for peace.
• How has the conflict changed since 2015?
• What does the UAE military withdrawal from Yemen mean for the different parties involved?
• Is the UN framework for peace process still viable?
• How have the wider dynamics in the Gulf and the Middle East impacted the Yemen war, and vice versa?
• What is Iran’s end game in Yemen? And how has the regional order changed since 2015?
Speakers:
Farea Al-Muslimi, Chairman and Co-founder, Sanaa Center for Strategic Studies; Associate Fellow, MENA Programme, Chatham House
Mohammed Alyahya, Editor in Chief, Al Arabiya English
Sanam Vakil, Deputy Director and Senior Research Fellow, MENA Programme Chatham House
Moderator: Lina Khatib, Director, MENA Programme, Chatham House.
7. Analyzing Israel’s Fourth Election: Will there be a Fifth? | March 30, 2021 | 2:00 PM ET | Carnegie Endowment for International Peace| Register Here
On March 23, for the fourth time in a little over two years, Israelis went to the polls to choose their next government. All votes have yet to be counted, but results so far suggest continued stalemate and the possibility of a fifth election.
Please join us as Daniel C. Kurtzer, Natan Sachs, and Dahlia Scheindlin sit down with Aaron David Miller to analyze the results, unpack the coalition negotiations to follow, and interpret the implications for Israel, the Middle East, and relations with the United States.
Speakers:
Daniel C. Kurtzer
Professor of Middle East Studies, Princeton University School of Public and International Affairs
Natan Sachs
Director, Brookings Institution Center for Middle East Policy
Dahlia Scheindlin
Strategic Consultant and Researcher; Fellow, Century
Aaron David Miller (Moderator)
Senior Fellow, Carnegie Endowment for International Peace
8. Women of the Revolution: A Vision for Post-War Yemen | March 31, 2021 | 10:00 AM ET | Wilson Center| Register Here
This event features some of the brightest female stars in Yemeni diasporic society. These women participated in Yemen’s revolution and have since risen to prominence in advocacy organizations, academia, and journalism. Each has been a vocal advocate for change in Yemen and has been on the forefront of considering possibilities for the country’s political future that go beyond the short-term solutions to the current conflict. They will provide a vision of post-war Yemen – how will the country be reconstituted, and what will its future look like? What can be done economically and socially to create a more stable and prosperous country?
Rather than seeing through the eyes of foreign pundits or Yemeni men commenting on events at home from abroad, this panel will offer the perspectives of Yemen’s women who are the defenders and peacemakers of their homeland.
Speakers:
Afrah Nasser
Researcher, Human Rights Watch
Summer Nasser
CEO, Yemen Aid
Maha Awadh
Found and Director, Wogood Foundation for Human Security
Asher Orkaby
Fellow, Research Scholar, Transregional Institute, Princeton University
Merissa Khurma,
Program Director, Middle East Program, Wilson Center
Amat Alsoswa (Moderator)
Founder, Yemeni National Women’s Committee
9. Who’s Voices Count on Afghanistan? The Politics of Knowledge Production | April 1, 2021 | 9:00 AM ET | Atlantic Council | Register Here
Over the last two decades, Afghanistan has rebuilt its academic and expert capability, with an increasingly vibrant research and academic community who are at the frontlines of the challenges and opportunities the country is grappling with. Yet these voices and their ideas are often sidelined, dismissed, and rarely at the center of debates on Afghanistan. The political nature of knowledge production and how it shapes narratives, understandings, processes, and outcomes is becoming increasingly apparent in the Afghan context.
The soft power of experts working in and on these conflict spaces is considerable. Experts can shape policies and practices, structure whose ideas and voices are suppressed or promoted, and can even disrupt or determine resource flows for elites, civil society, and communities. This makes it imperative that we recognize how research and policy analysis involves making ethical and political choices about whose knowledge counts and whose voices are heard.
Speakers:
Orzala Nemat
Director
Political Ethnographer and Veteran Researcher on Afghanistan
Afghanistan Research and Evaluation Unit
Bashir Safi
Former Senior Adviser
CT, CVE, and Propaganda in Conflict Zone
Afghan National Security Council
Mariam Safi
Co-Director
Women, Peace, and Security, and Peace Processes
The Afghanistan Mechanism for Inclusive Peace
Obaid Ali
Co-Director
Political Analyst and Veteran Researcher on Afghanistan
Afghanistan Analysts Network
Sahar Halaimzai (Introductory Remarks)
Non-resident senior fellow
Atlantic Council’s South Asia Center
Mustka Dastageer (Moderator)
Lecturer
Anti-Corruption Expert
American University of Afghanistan
10. Improving Civilian Protection in Conflict | April 1, 2021 | 1:00 PM ET | Center for Strategic and International Studies | Register Here
The United States has been involved in armed conflict continuously for the past two decades. While the U.S. military has invested time and effort in processes and technologies for avoiding collateral damage on the battlefield, the larger challenge of protecting civilians during operations has proved to be a recurring challenge. Despite substantial efforts in multiple campaigns, the protection of civilians remains an area for improvement, including in efforts to reduce civilian casualties, measuring the impact to civilians in military operations, and in providing compensation for such injuries.
Please join the CSIS Humanitarian Agenda for a discussion with Sarah Holewinski, Washington Director of Human Rights Watch, and Larry Lewis, Vice President and Director of the Center for Autonomy and Artificial Intelligence at the Center for Naval Analyses. The panel will explore the history of civilian protection in U.S. military operations, the nature of and reasons for recurring challenges, and steps the Biden administration can take to improve policy and practice on this crucial humanitarian mandate.
Speakers:
Sarah Holewinski
Washington Director, Human Rights Watch
Larry Lewis
Director, Center for Autonomous and Artificial Intelligence, CNA
Jacob Kurtzer
Director and Senior Fellow, Humanitarian Agenda
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Peace Picks | March 21 – March 25, 2021
Notice: Due to public health concerns, upcoming events are only available via live stream
1. Defense Project Series: Ending the War in Afghanistan- a discussion with counter-terror expert David Kilcullen | March 22, 2021 | 3:00 PM – 4:00 PM ET | Belfer Center | Register Here
Speakers
Dave Kilcullen: Lieutenant Colonel, Australian Army Reserves
Dave Kilcullen, strategist/scholar/author, discusses the war in Afghanistan, the Taliban and ISIS, and how the United States and its allies might help Afghanistan forge a future of hope and promise vice a return to the dark days of the 1990s. With the agreed deadline for American withdrawal from Afghanistan looming on 1 May and Taliban attacks ramping up, President Biden is faced with a difficult policy decision to stay in the war or leave. Join Bill Rapp as he moderates this important discussion with the famed counter-terror expert.
2. Iraqi diaspora mobilization and the future development of Iraq | March 22, 2021 | 10:00 AM – 11:00 AM ET | Atlantic Center | Register Here
Speakers
Amb. Feisal Al-Istrabadi: Founding Director, Center for the Study of the Middle East
Dr. Abbas Kadhim: Director, Iraq Initiative, Atlantic Council
Dr. Oula Kadhum: Postdoctoral Research Fellow, University of Birmingham
Dr. Marsin Alshamary (moderator): Postdoctoral Research Fellow, The Brookings Institute
The Atlantic Council hosts a discussion surrounding the upcoming report, Iraqi Diaspora Mobilization and the Future Development of Iraq. Authored by Dr. Oula Kadhum, postdoctoral research fellow at the University of Birmingham, the paper explores Iraqi diaspora mobilization before and after the 2003 invasion and fall of the regime of Saddam Hussein, looking at ways in which members of the diaspora have sought to help in the rebuilding of their country of origin, at both the elite and grassroots levels, as well as investigating changes over time. The discussion will touch on the paper’s key recommendations, considering the obstacles that have hindered diaspora mobilization, beyond the ethno-sectarian system.
3. The Politics of Mass Violence in the Middle East | March 22, 2021 | 4:00 PM – 5:00 PM ET | Wilson Center | Register Here
Speakers
Laura Robson: Professor of History, Penn State University
Laila Parsons: McGill University
Ussama Makdisi: Rice University
Christian F. Ostermann (moderator): Director, History and Public Policy Program, Wilson Center
Eric Arnesen (moderator): Professor of History, The George Washington University
4. In a Consequential Year for Iraq, What’s Next? | March 23, 2021 | 9:00 AM – 10:00 AM ET | United States Institute of Peace | Register Here
Speakers
Lise Grande: President and CEO, U.S. Institute of Peace
Ambassador Matthew Tueller: Ambassador of the United States to Iraq
Ambassador Fareed Yasseen: Ambassador of Iraq to the United States
Bayan Sami Abdul Rahman: Kurdistan Regional Government Representative to the United States
Sarhang Hamasaeed (moderator): Director, Middle East Programs, U.S. Institute of Peace
As Iraq marks the 18th anniversary of the 2003 U.S.-led war that set in motion consequential changes, the country is eyeing what a Biden administration might bring while the country prepares for national elections in October. Meanwhile, His Holiness Pope Francis made a historic visit to Iraq earlier this month and injected much needed messages of hope, coexistence, and peace into an environment dominated by frustrations with the pandemic and its financial consequences, public grievances with governance, continued U.S.-Iran tensions and attacks on coalition forces, and the ongoing threat of ISIS. Join USIP for a discussion of key developments in Iraq and the outlook for U.S.-Iraq relations under the Biden administration. The panel will share their insights on the Pope’s first-ever visit to Iraq, examine the country’s current challenges, and explore areas where policymakers and the international community can support Iraq.
5. Women’s gains in Afghanistan: Leadership and peace | March 23, 2021 | 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM ET | Atlantic Council | Register Here
Speakers
Minister Hasina Safi: Acting Minister for Women’s Affairs, Government of Afghanistan
Fatima Gailani: Member, Afghan Negotiating Team
Lt. Colonel Natalie Trogus: Former Advisor, Afghan Ministry of Defense
Ambassador Paula Dobriansky (moderator): Vice Chair, Scowcroft Center for Strategy & Security, Atlantic Council
For Afghanistan to rebuild and for peace to be sustainable, the country will require a diversity of ideas, experiences, leadership, and action — from all of its people — to move forward. Such progress is impossible without the dedicated, long-term involvement of women, which allows for shifts in both long-held beliefs and practices, including those of the Taliban. This will ultimately allow peace to be not only enduring, but create a shared vision of Afghanistan’s future that puts Afghan women at the center. Join the Atlantic Council for a conversation on how Afghan women and their US partners have worked to improve women’s leadership opportunities in Afghanistan, what these improvements mean for Afghan women, and the critical role women play in Afghanistan’s aspirations for long-term peace.
6. Africa’s Global Reset: Foreign Relations in a Post-Pandemic Era | March 23, 2021 | 9:00 AM – 10:00 AM ET | CSIS | Register Here
Speakers
Andrew Alli: Partner and Group CEO, SouthBridge; former CEO of Africa Finance Corporation
Akunna Cook: Deputy Assistant Secretary, Bureau of African Affairs, U.S. Department of State
Bogolo Kenewendo: Former Minister of Investment, Trade and Industry of Botswana; Non-Resident Fellow, Center for Global Development
Ambassador Koji Yonetani: Assistant Minister for African Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Japan
Judd Devermont (moderator): Director, Africa Program
The Covid-19 pandemic is dramatically changing relationships between African governments and external partners, creating opportunities for a reset in relations and a recommitment to strategic issues. Longstanding grievances stemming from African countries’ status in international affairs, racism against their citizens abroad, and the zero-sum premise of global power competition have reached a boiling point. The pandemic is prompting regional governments to demand more equitable vaccine distribution, debt relief, and targeted investment in key economic sectors. It’s time to pause and identify the trends reshaping the region as well as implications for African governments and their foreign partners. Join the CSIS Africa Program on March 23, 2021, for a virtual livestream event examining the state of Africa’s foreign ties and key strategic issues to watch for, including Covid-19 recovery, debt relief, anti-discrimination, democratization, and climate change.
7. Anti-Coercion Instrument: How can Europe best protect itself from economic coercion? | March 23, 2021 | 8:00 AM – 9:00 AM | European Council on Foreign Relations | Register Here
Speakers
Colin Brown: Head of Unit, Legal Affairs/Dispute settlement (trade, sustainable development and investment), European Commission
Sven Simon: MEP; Member of International Trade Committee, European Parliament
Marie-Pierre Vedrenne: MEP; Vice-Chair of International Trade Committee, European Parliament
Jonathan Hackenbroich (moderator): Head of Task Force for Strengthening Europe against Economic Coercion, ECFR
The European Council on Foreign Relations is delighted to invite you to our webinar on how Europe can strengthen itself against economic coercion. Powerful countries revert to economic blackmail to change European foreign, economic, or financial policy. China has threatened Germany and Sweden with dire economic consequences over excluding Huawei from their 5G networks. Russia is looking into expanding its sanction toolkit. Turkey’s President Recep Erdogan called for boycotting French products over a speech by Emmanuel Macron. Under Donald Trump, the US used various measures of economic coercion, even directly against allies. Now, Europe needs to rebuild strong transatlantic relations especially around economic statecraft.
8. Unmasking Influence Operators: What Are Best Practices for Attribution? | March 25, 2021 | 10:00 AM – 11:00 AM ET | Carnegie Endowment for International Peace | Register Here
Speakers
Marianna Spring: Disinformation and social media reporter, BBC
Elise Thomas: OSINT analyst, the Institute for Strategic Dialogue
Emerson T. Brooking: Resident senior fellow, Digital Forensic Lab, Atlantic Council
Olgo Belogolova: Policy manager for influence operations, Facebook
A growing community of researchers are investigating influence operations, but research standards for conducting investigations are not widely shared. This event will explore one of the thorniest investigative challenges – identifying who is behind an influence operation.
9. Defending democracy against its adversaries | March 26, 2021 | 11:00 AM – 1:00 PM ET | Brookings Institution | Register Here
Speakers
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya: Leader of Democratic Belarus
Bob Dean: Senior research fellow, Clingendael Institute
Kara McDonald: Deputy Assistant Secretary, Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor, US Department of State
Gerard Steeghs: Director, Multilateral Organizations and Human Rights, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Kingdom of the Netherlands
Thomas Wright: Director, Center on the US and Europe, Brookings Institution
Constanze Stellenmüller (moderator): Senior Fellow, Foreign Policy, Brookings Institution
Liberal democracy — representation, the rule of law, and human rights — is the foundation of the trans-Atlantic alliance and a rules-based international order. The Biden administration has placed democracy at the heart of its policy agenda; in the words of its March 2021 Interim National Security Strategic Guidance, “Democracy is essential to meeting all the challenges of our changing world.” Yet democracy is under threat worldwide from populists and rising authoritarian powers. Still, civil societies continue to fight for their rights. In Belarus, a pro-democracy movement led by teacher-turned-presidential-candidate Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya is bravely protesting the fraudulent August 2020 election, despite violent repression by the government of Alexander Lukashenko. Brookings will host Tsikhanouskaya for a keynote address that examines democracy and human rights in Belarus.
10. ‘The Last Shah’: A book event with Ray Takeyh | March 26, 2021 | 10:00 AM – 11:00 AM ET | American Enterprise Institute | Register Here
Speakers
Ray Takeyh: Hasib J. Sabbagh Senior Fellow for Middle East Studies, Council on Foreign Relations
Eric Edelman: Counselor, Center for Strategic and Budgetary Assessments
Kenneth M. Pollack: Resident Scholar, AEI
Colin Dueck (moderator): Visiting Scholar, AEI
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