Monday, March 10
Ukraine on the Brink: A Conversation with Yevgeny Kiselyev
Date: March 10, 2:15-4:00pm
Location: Carnegie Endowment for International Peace
The situation in Ukraine remains extremely tense. Each day brings dramatic developments from the region and a marked deterioration in Russia’s relations with the United States and other Western governments.
Renowned television journalist and political analyst Yevgeny Kiselyev will discuss the ongoing crisis in Ukraine. Kiselyev has been a preeminent voice in Russian and Ukrainian media and political circles for more than two decades. Carnegie’s Andrew S. Weiss will moderate the discussion.
Registration required.
Tuesday, March 11
Advancing the Kerry Peace Process
Date: March 11, 12:00- 1:30pm
Location: Human Rights Campaign, 1640 Rhode Island Avenue, NW, Washington DC 20036
The Middle East Institute’s George and Rhonda Salem Family Foundation Lecture Series presents a discussion about the current status of the peace process and the challenges faced by Secretary of State John Kerry as he seeks to forge a historic agreement. The talk will feature three veteran peace process experts - Daniel Levy, Aaron David Miller, and Shibley Telhami - who will analyze the obstacles and opportunities and assess the next steps key actors and international players must take to ensure the success of the negotiations.
Registration required.
Toppling Qaddafi: Libya and the Limits of International Intervention
Date: March 11, 5:00-6:00pm
Location: Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies, The Rome Building, Room 806
Christopher Chivvis, adjunct professor in the European and Eurasian Studies Program and senior political scientist at the RAND Corporation, will discuss his new book Toppling Qaddafi: Libya and the Limits of International Intervention. Karim Mezran, adjunct professor of Middle East Studies at SAIS, will join the discussion.
Iran Nuclear Deal: Breakthrough or Failure?
Date: March 11, 5:00pm
Location: Jack Morton Auditorium at GW, 805 21st St NW, Washington DC
The interim nuclear agreement with Iran has been hailed by proponents as a major step forward: delaying Iran’s progress toward a nuclear weapon capacity, and giving time for further negotiations aimed at ratcheting back the program. These advocates see a new kind of leader in President Rouhani, and want to show moderates in Iran that cooperation with the rest of the world yields benefits — such as sanctions relief. However, skeptics argue that the nuclear deal steps back from five UN Security Council Resolutions demanding that Iran stop nuclear enrichment, and starts to unwind sanctions on Iran, without Iran being obliged to unwind its nuclear program. They see Rouhani buying time for Iran’s program while giving up nothing. What comes next? Is the interim agreement a diplomatic success on the road to further progress, or will it serve only to cement Iran’s nuclear program? Hear leading American experts debate ”The Iran Nuclear Deal: Breakthrough or Failure” — the latest in our debate and decision series at the McCain Institute.
Panelists include: Robert Einhorn, Senior Fellow, The Brookings Institution; Karim Sadjadpour, Senior Associate, Carnegie Endowment for International Peace; Bret Stephens, Deputy Editor, The Wall Street Journal; and Reuel Gerecht, Senior Fellow, Foundation for Defense of Democracies. Award-winning journalist and former CNN Chief White House Correspondent Jessica Yellin will serve as the debate moderator.
To register for the debate, click here.
Wednesday, March 12
The Future of Global Nuclear Security Policy Summit
Date: March 12, 8:00-10:00am
Location: The Knight Broadcast Studio at the Newseum, Third Floor, 555 Pennsylvania Ave NW, Washington DC 20001
Early in his first term in office, President Obama identified nuclear terrorism as “the most immediate and extreme threat to global security” and hosted the first Nuclear Security Summit in Washington, DC, with a goal to secure all vulnerable nuclear materials. Years later, supporters and critics of the Obama administration alike continue to underscore the importance of this task as focus turns now to the third Nuclear Security Summit, this time in The Hague in late March.
The 2014 Summit is being held at a time of both progress and peril in the international effort to secure the materials that could be used to build a nuclear bomb. Since 2012, seven countries have removed all or most of these dangerous materials from their territories, bringing the number of countries now storing weapons-usable materials down to 25, according to a new report out by the Nuclear Threat Initiative. Despite this progress, there is much work to be done. Terrorist organizations continue to seek weapons of mass destruction, materials are still stored at hundreds of sites with varying levels of security, and the International Atomic Energy Agency each year receives reports of more than a hundred incidents of theft and other unauthorized activity involving nuclear and radiological material.
What tangible results should we expect out of The Hague summit in two weeks? What work remains to be tackled by leaders over the next two years on the road to 2016? Is Congress a support or a hindrance? And as we approach the 5th anniversary of President Obama’s Prague speech, laying the foundation for his broad nuclear agenda and addressing nuclear weapons in the 21st century, how is his legacy on nuclear issues taking shape?
RSVP required.
Securing America’s Future in the New “Interwar Years”
Date: March 12, 9:00am-4:00pm
Location: Brookings Institution, Falk Auditorium, 1775 Massachusetts Ave, NW, Washington DC 20036
The fifth annual Military and Federal Fellow Research Symposium, hosted by the Center for 21st Century Security and Intelligence at Brookings, will feature the independent research produced by the members of each military service and federal agencies who have spent the last year serving at think-tanks and universities across the nation. Organized by the fellows themselves, it is intended to provide a platform for building greater awareness of the cutting-edge work that America’s military and governmental leaders are producing on key policy issues.
The theme of this symposium will be “Securing America’s Future in the New Interwar Years,” reflecting post-Afghanistan security priorities, fiscal austerity and burgeoning challenges. Panel discussions will focus on fellows’ independent research findings in the areas of emerging grand strategy, enduring regional issues, opportunities and challenges for unmanned systems and developing the force for the future. Dr. David Kilcullen, author and president of Caerus Associates, a global strategic design consulting firm, will deliver opening remarks, and Lieutenant General Edward C. Cardon, commander U.S. Army Cyber Command, will give a keynote address.
After each panel, participants will take audience questions. Dress is business attire or working uniform. Lunch is provided.
Registration required.
Cold Peace: China-India Rivalry in the Twenty-First Century
Date: March 12, 11:00am-12:00pm
Location: Heritage Foundation, Lehrman Auditorium
The 21st Century is likely to witness Asia’s two largest civilizations – China and India – join the United States in an elite club of global superpowers. By some economic indicators, the two Asian giants are already the second and third largest economies in the world, and they are developing world-class militaries to complement that economic clout. While Beijing and Delhi have spent the past 50 years free from armed conflict, elements of rivalry have shadowed the relationship since the two countries went to war in 1962 over their disputed Himalayan border. In the 21st Century, the rivalry has evolved in unpredictable ways, as India has moved toward a strategic partnership with the U.S. and has expressed growing concerns about Chinese aggression and militarism.
In Cold Peace: China–India Rivalry in the Twenty-First Century, Jeff M. Smith examines the complex layers of the contemporary China–India rivalry. He draws from over 100 interviews with subject-matter experts, government officials, and military officers in India, China, and the United States between November 2011 and July 2013. Additionally, he brings the special benefit of his rare and unique field research at the disputed China–India border in Ladakh and Arunachal Pradesh; at the contested town of Tawang in the Himalayas; at Dharamsala, the seat of the Tibetan Government in Exile; at the Andaman and Nicobar Islands; and on Hainan Island, which administers China’s South China Sea territories.
Registration required for in person attendance or watch online.
Understanding Brazil’s Nuclear Policy
Date: March 12, 12:00-2:00pm
Location: Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, 1779 Massachusetts Ave NW, Washington DC 20036
For a country whose importance in the global nuclear order is of potentially great significance, remarkably little is understood about the domestic drivers behind Brazil’s nuclear policy decision making. Brazil is moving toward industrializing a full nuclear fuel cycle. It operates nuclear power plants and plans to build more. It is the only non-nuclear-weapon state to work on a nuclear-powered submarine. And it does not shy away from being a confident voice on the matters of global nuclear politics.
Based on numerous conversations over two years with Brazilian policy experts, academics, former and current officials, and representatives of the nuclear industry, Togzhan Kassenova will reflect on how Brazilians think about and explain their country’s nuclear policy. The discussion will mark the release of Kassenova’s new report Brazil’s Nuclear Kaleidoscope: An Evolving Identity. Copies of the report will be available. George Perkovich will moderate.
Lunch will be served beginning at 12:00 p.m. The event will begin at 12:30 p.m. Join the conversation on Twitter @carnegienpp with #NuclearBrazil.
Registration required.
Crisis in the Horn: How Can the U.S. Support a More Stable and Secure Somalia?
Date: March 12, 12:30- 2:00pm
Location: Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies, The Bernstein-Offit Building, Room 500
J. Peter Pham, director of the Atlantic Council’s Africa Center; Harun Maruf, senior editor and international broadcaster at Voice of America’s Somalia Service; and Peter Lewis, associate professor and director of the African Studies Program, will discuss this topic.
Thursday, March 13
Do Defense Plans and Budgets Add Up? The Quadrennial Defense Review in Context
Date: March 13, 12:15-1:30pm
Location: Rayburn House Office Building, Room 2226 Washington DC
The Quadrennial Defense Review (QDR) was intended to determine the size and cost of the armed forces America needs to fulfill its strategic obligations. However, since its creation, the effort has largely failed to meet expectations. With the latest strategy just released, did the Pentagon get it right this time?
Please join Represenative Randy Forbes (R-VA), AEI, the Heratige Foundation, and the Foreign Policy Initiative for a timely discussion on the 2014 QDR and the future of American defense strategy in an era of constrained budgets.
RSVP required.
Hearing: Advancing U.S. Interests Abroad: The FY 2015 Foreign Affairs Budget
Date: March 13, 1:30pm
Location: 2172 Rayburn House Office Building, Washington DC 20515
Scheduled Witness, Secretary of State John F. Kerry.
The Future of Energy: North American Energy Security
Date, March 13, 5:30pm
Location: The Embassy of Canada, 501 Pennsylvania Ave NW, Washington DC
Young Professionals in Foreign Policy (YPFP) and Young Professionals in Energy (YPE) are pleased to invite you to the second event in the ongoing seriesThe Future of Energy. Please join us on Thursday, March 13th from 5:30-7:30 pm at the Canadian Embassy for an in depth discussion of Canadian federal and provincial level energy and climate change policy and the U.S.-Canada relationship that underpins these vital issues.
We will hear from Ms. Sheila Reirdon, Minister of Political Affairs at the Embassy, as well as a panel of provincial representatives from the provincial governments of Alberta, Manitoba, Ontario, and Quebec.
RSVP required.
Friday, March 14
QDR 2014: A Post-War Defense Strategy?
Date, March 14, 10:00-11:30am
Location: Reserve Officer Association Building, 1 Constitution Ave NE, Washington DC
The United States Army War College’s Strategic Studies Institute, in partnership with the Reserve Officers Association Defense Education Forum, is proud to sponsor a 90 minute panel discussion “QDR 2014: A Post-War Defense Strategy?” Panelists will offer an assessment of QDR 2014 and its recommended strategic course from a variety of angles ranging from threats, challenges, and major trends; force shape and size; foreign partnerships; technology and innovation; and budget.
Panel members include Dr. John R. Deni, Strategic Studies Institute; Mr. Ben Fitzgerald, Center for a New American Security; Mr. Nathan Freier, Strategic Studies Institute; Dr. Maren Leed, Center for Strategic and International Studies; and Mr. Russell Rumbaugh, The Stimson Center.
Registration required.
Lebanon’s Neutrality Toward the Syrian Conflict: Hot Air or Realistic Promise?
Date: March 14, 10:30am-12:00pm
Location: Atlantic Council, 1030 15th Street NW, 12th floor-West Tower, Washington DC
To prevent the Syrian conflict from completely destabilizing Lebanon, its government has maintained an official policy of disassociation. Yet even if rival factions can agree to maintain this policy of neutrality in the new cabinet formed on February 15, its relevance to reality on the ground would be unclear. In truth, Hezbollah, its domestic rivals, and Lebanon’s security forces have been involved in the Syrian conflict to varying degrees since it began. It is now increasingly clear that the longer the war goes on, the harder it will be for Lebanon’s political factions to keep up the pretense of neutrality. Without an agreement to limit infighting over and involvement in Syria, Lebanon’s government is unlikely to make progress on reforms, economic development, or addressing the country’s other serious challenges.
Please join us for a discussion on the prospects of Lebanese neutrality towards Syria’s civil war, and the critical implications for security and stability in Lebanon. Bilal Saab is a senior fellow at the Atlantic Council’s Brent Scowcroft Center, specializing in the politics, security, and defense-industrial affairs of the Gulf and the Levant. Dr. Paul Salem is vice president for policy and research at the Middle East Institute. Faysal Itani, who focuses on the Levant at the Atlantic Council will moderate the discussion.
Registration required.
Explaining the Latest Developments in Ukraine
Date: March 14, 12:00-1:00pm
Location: Elliot School of International Affairs, 1957 E Street, NW, Room 505, Washington DC
After three months of protests kicked off by former President Viktor Yanukovych’s refusal to sign an Association Agreement with the European Union, Ukraine’s parliament removed him from office and set new presidential elections for May. Shortly afterwards, Russia invaded Crimea, pouring thousands of troops across the international border to gain decisive control of the region. Please join us for a discussion of these issues and their subsequent developments, as well as the economic situation in Ukraine, and an analysis of the international response.
Sergiy Kudelia is an assistant professor of political science at Baylor University in Texas. Anders Aslund is a senior fellow at the Peterson Institute for International Economics. Matthew Rojansky is the director of the Kennan Institute.
RSVP required.
Nuclear Security and Japan’s Plutonium Path
Date: March 14, 1:30-3:30pm
Location: The Brookings Institution, Falk Auditorium, 1775 Massachusetts Ave, NW Washington DC
At the third Nuclear Security Summit in The Hague, beginning March 24, world leaders will announce new initiatives to secure or eliminate stocks of plutonium and highly-enriched uranium, key building blocks of nuclear weapons that could be stolen by terrorists. But some nations are still producing these materials or plan to begin doing so on an industrial scale.
Japan’s government has just announced a Basic Energy Plan that renews the country’s commitment to plutonium as a fuel for nuclear reactors. The centerpiece of that effort, the Rokkasho Nuclear Fuel Reprocessing Facility, is set to open as early as October 2014 as one of the world’s largest plutonium production installations. The size and suitability of the facility have raised concerns, not only within Japan but in the region and in Washington. What is the status of the policy debate over Japan’s nuclear energy policy, including the Rokkasho plant? Why has Japan’s government chosen to proceed with the plant’s construction and operation? How does the Japanese government plan to deal with the plutonium produced in the plant? And how will Japan’s nuclear energy policy, and especially the operation of Rokkasho, impact efforts to secure and eliminate nuclear materials?
On March 14, the Brookings Institution, the Stanley Foundation and the Center for Public Integrity will host a panel to discuss these issues. Brookings Senior Fellow Robert Einhorn, former special advisor to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, will serve as moderator. Panelists include Douglas Birch, senior national security reporter for the Center for Public Integrity; R. Jeffrey Smith, managing editor for national security at the Center for Public Integrity; Matthew Bunn, a principal investigator at the Kennedy School’s Project on Managing the Atom, Harvard University; and Ambassador Nobuyasu Abe, director for the Center for the Promotion of Disarmament and Non-Proliferation and former U.N. undersecretary-general for disarmament affairs.
Following the discussion, panelists will take questions from the audience.
Registration required.
