Center for a New American Security
By Center for a New American Security
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Podcast Description
The Center for a New American Security is an independent, nonpartisan, and nonprofit organization that develops strong, pragmatic, and principled national security and defense policies that promote and protect American interests and values.
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Tunisia Among First Arab States Taken By New Media | Shaky images taken on cell phones and posted to social networks and sites like YouTube helped propel the popular revolt that forced the president of Tunisia to flee the country. Host Liane Hansen speaks with writer and scholar Marc Lynch about the role both new and old media played in the Tunisian revolution, and how similar scenarios could play out in the rest of the Arab world.To read the full transcript, visit NPR.org. | 1/24/11 | Free | View In iTunes |
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U.S. Seeks to Revitalize Ties With China | CNAS Fellow Abraham Denmark gives the state of play of U.S.-China relations on NPR's Morning Edition: U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates wraps up his three-day visit to China Wednesday, a trip that was seen as a small step toward building and stabilizing relations between the two countries.The Obama administration considers that particularly important given China's growing dominance — politically, economically and militarily.There are many efforts under way — beyond Gates' visit — to help define the constantly shifting U.S.-China relationship. Next week, presidents Obama and Hu Jintao will meet in Washington, and U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is expected to unveil the administration's vision for relations in the 21st century. A 'Reset' In TiesDean Cheng, a China expert with the Heritage Foundation, said all of this activity is taking place because the U.S. and China are at a pivotal junction in their relationship."I think that what we're seeing is an administration that is trying to reset China policy along the lines of the previous reset regarding Russian policy," he said.Cynthia Watson, a professor of strategy at the National War College, said the Obama administration has made clear it wants a stable relationship with China."The president has said several times we want to have an ongoing relationship with China, we want to have a military-to-military relationship with China," she said.Watson said the U.S. wants to understand better what China is doing, and assumes China wants to understand better what the U.S. is doing.Influencing ChinaThe complex Sino-American relationship is especially dynamic now because of China's growing strength, said the Heritage Foundation's Cheng. He said the Obama administration is trying to articulate how it hopes China will use that newfound power."The hope here is to be able to influence China into following a path that is more transparent, that is one that takes into account the legitimate concerns of its neighbors and to reach some kind of modus vivendi between Washington and Beijing," he said.But Cheng said China's general lack of transparency, its tendency toward secrecy, especially in the security field, makes that hard to do.Part of the problem is that China itself may be uncertain of the direction in which it's heading.Abraham Denmark, a China specialist at the Center for A New American Security, said there are divisions within the ruling Communist Party and the powerful military over this issue."We see different elements of China's approach: Sometimes China acts very positively, very constructively, sometimes exclusionary, negative and aggressive," Denmark said. "So we're not sure what direction China is moving in."Unresolved IssuesOne thing that is certain: As China's power increases, so too does its expectation that the U.S. will make certain accommodations, said University of Virginia professor Harry Harding, a longtime China watcher."If the U.S. was going to ask things of China, China was now in a position to ask things of the United States — such things as agreeing to end arms sales to Taiwan, agreeing to stop having military exercises or reconnaissance missions close in to Chinese shoreline, near Chinese waters," Harding said.Harding said the U.S. hasn't agreed to do any of these things. Conversely, China hasn't addressed U.S. concerns over issues such as human rights, trade imbalance and the strength of its currency. Harding said he worries that those lingering, unresolved issues could fester. But he said that overall the U.S.-China relationship is resilient. He pointed to the economic turbulence of 2010, which many people speculated would lead to a breakdown in relations between the two countries."I think many people thought that was going to be the result of the global downturn, resulting in [a] pretty open trade war," he said. "That didn't happen, and I think that it shows that despite all the differences and all the tensions, the two countries are highly in | 1/18/11 | Free | View In iTunes |
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The Challenges Of Training Afghan Forces | NEAL CONAN, host:This is TALK OF THE NATION. I'm Neal Conan in Washington.In 2014, the U.S. and NATO hope to hand security control in Afghanistan over to Afghans. To prepare, NATO will train many thousands of Afghan soldiers and police, but skeptics note that many thousands have already been trained over the past nine years and, despite improvements, significant problems persist, including corruption, desertion and illiteracy.Independent Afghan forces will also need better leaders, better equipment, better logistics, and the mission also needs more trainers from various NATO countries.Later in the hour, the cyber-war over WikiLeaks and the rise of hacktivism, but first training Afghan forces. If you've been involved in NATO's training mission in Afghanistan, or if you've served with Afghan troops or police, what did you learn?Our phone number, 800-989-8255. Email us, talk@npr.org. You can also join the conversation on our website. That's at npr.org. Click on TALK OF THE NATION.And we begin with Lieutenant Colonel Brian Lamson, chief strategist for police development for NATO's training mission in Afghanistan. He's been kind enough to join us today here in Studio 3A. Thanks very much for coming in.Lieutenant Colonel BRIAN LAMSON (Chief Strategist for Police Development, NATO Training Mission in Afghanistan): Thanks for inviting me.CONAN: And Colonel Lamson, that sounds like a daunting set of challenges. Is there one in particular that keeps you up at night?Lt. Col. LAMSON: Not anything in particular. I would say collectively, that's what keeps me up at night. There's a lot of things that we have to deal with, an extremely complex problem set, probably the most challenging thing that we have to deal with in the 21st century with training police especially with the security forces in Afghanistan.CONAN: And why police especially?Lt. Col. LAMSON: Well, what I would say is that when you look at the security force in Afghanistan, you've got police that have not been trained over its history for a significant period of time.This is a challenge in that police, they have a history of corruption and not just in Afghanistan, but around the region there's a history of corruption. And we didn't focus on police for a long time. I would say we're focused on police now.CONAN: One of the big problems with corruption is that police tend to be underpaid and augment their incomes.Lt. Col. LAMSON: That's right. That's the history here, and that's the thing that we're challenged with is that even now that we are really putting an emphasis on police training, we still had problems with those police that were in place and had been in place even before we arrived.So the challenge was: How do we ensure the training that we're putting in place with police is staying with them, and they're not becoming corrupted themselves by the older generation that had operated this way and sustained themselves for decades that way.CONAN: So they could emerge from training and then be assigned to the Kabul police force or the Mazar-e-Sharif police force and meet with older cadre who are - operate the old way.Lt. Col. LAMSON: Right, and what we've done now, and this is just a very recent thing, and you would think that this wouldn't be a big deal, but what we've done is we've established the means for them to retire.You know, there was no formal way for them to retire in the past, and so you had a lot of graybeards that stuck around, and these people had no formal training. And now we have a way of moving them in a very civilized way, with dignity, to a place where they can, you know, continue to function within the society but not influence the younger generation that are here for all the right reasons: nationalism, to do the right thing for their country.CONAN: And whether you're talking about a police force or a military force, leadership tends to come from non-commissioned officers and junior officer ranks. T | 12/10/10 | Free | View In iTunes |
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Cables Shed Light On Complex U.S.-Afghan Ties | Another series of diplomatic cables has been released by the whistle-blower website WikiLeaks, highlighting two pervasive challenges the U.S. faces in Afghanistan: corruption and dealing with President Hamid Karzai.Many of the hurdles have been documented over the past few years, but the leaked diplomatic cables give a sense of the scale of the problem. The cables clearly show how pervasive and corrosive the corruption is, and just how far up the political ladder it reaches.Patrick Cronin, a senior adviser at the Center for a New American Security, says much of the information was already known, but there's more to be gleaned from the cables."You can find new insights into our own conduct of this war, our own conduct of our diplomacy," he said. "Even though there's nothing new, there are new vivid details about corruption, about the challenge that we face, really, toward trying to achieve a political objective, and an outcome."Although much of this information has come out in congressional hearings or through the media, Cronin says it makes a difference to see the concerns and complaints written down on paper."To see something in print makes a difference," he said. "It does give it more impact. To see the actual cable arrests your mind, and says, 'My goodness, this is serious.' "Some of the diplomatic cables illustrate the scale of the graft: officials taking vast sums of money or paying huge bribes to secure lucrative positions of power.One cable talks about the brother of revered military commander Ahmed Shah Massoud, who was killed by suspected al-Qaida militants. The brother, Ahmed Zia Massoud, is a politician with a salary of a few hundred dollars a month. The diplomatic cable says last year he was caught carrying $50 million on arrival in Dubai. Massoud denies the allegation."How one person can carry $50 million — where is the proof of this $50 million? I am ready to answer anywhere I am required," he said. "This is completely wrong and incorrect."Other cables describe how efforts by U.S. anti-corruption officials who were trying to curb graft, along with their Afghan counterparts, were thwarted by senior government officials, including Karzai. Many of the secret messages to Washington paint Karzai as a deeply troubled and insecure man.Cables written by U.S. Ambassador Karl Eikenberry point to Karzai's mood swings and the president's tendency to blame the U.S. for all that is wrong in Afghanistan.C. Christine Fair, an assistant professor at Georgetown University's Peace and Security Studies Program, says none of these criticisms will be new to Karzai."It's easy to point the finger at Karzai because he is so deeply culpable of so many problems," she said. "But it really has to be remembered that this is a synergistic relationship, and the way in which we have dealt with Karzai — to serve the purposes of our counterinsurgency — is, quite frankly, hypocritical at best."For example, Fair says, look at the way the U.S. treats Karzai's brother, Ahmed Wali Karzai, who is head of the provincial council in Kandahar. Several cables focus on his alleged ties to Afghanistan's opium trade."It's one thing to be very clear that he is a part of an enormous drug-trafficking network that nets all sorts of proceeds that go into various pockets," she said. "But how about the reality that he's been on the CIA payroll?"But the diplomatic cables are not meant to analyze or offer solutions, says Thomas Johnson, an Afghanistan expert at the Naval Postgraduate School. The cables are just raw data and observations, but when they are leaked like this, they can send out the wrong signal, he says."The average Afghan looks at us and says, 'Why is it taking so long?' And they've completely lost confidence in us," he said. "So many of the average Afghans will look at this and say, 'Hey, you know, the perception is the United States just isn't doing enough.' There's some truth in that, bu | 12/3/10 | Free | View In iTunes |
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New To Old: Obama Travels Signal Foreign Policy Shift | After many months at home, President Obama is taking back-to-back foreign trips that represent a pivot from new foreign policy challenges to old ones.He is currently on a 10-day tour of developing democracies in Asia, where the same forward-looking words keep showing up in his speeches: growth, arrival and emergence. Next week, he attends a NATO summit in Lisbon, Portugal, where the challenge is reinvention and relevance for a 20th century institution trying to find its role in the 21st century.In Jakarta on Tuesday, the president described his childhood home of Indonesia as a nexus of 21st century challenges and opportunities — ranging from climate change to religious diversity to economic development."Indonesia is going to have a seat at the table and its leadership is going to be absolutely critical," he said.A day earlier, the president was at the heart of another quickly growing Asian democracy. In New Delhi, Obama said he believes India should have a seat on the United Nations Security Council."In just decades," he said, "you have achieved progress and development that took other nations centuries."Old Meets NewThose nations that took centuries to develop in old Europe will be the focus of Obama's next foreign trip — his visit to Portugal for the two-day NATO summit. Obama will shift from a booming continent of emerging democracies trying to find their place in the world to a decades-old alliance of established democracies trying to stay relevant."NATO has to continue to transform to remain effective," NATO Secretary-General Anders Fogh Rasmussen said in a speech last month about the future of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization.At next week's meeting in Lisbon, NATO member countries will agree to a new Strategic Concept for the first time since 1999. It's effectively a new mission statement.As Rasmussen said in his speech, a lot has changed. Armies are no longer threatening to invade Europe; terrorists and computer hackers are. "There are fewer military threats to our territory, but more challenges to our security from every direction, including cyberspace," he said. Steve Clemons of the New America Foundation describes these back-to-back presidential trips as "an old river of foreign policy problems meeting a new river." Clemons, who writes about foreign policy at The Washington Note blog, describes the convergence as "a bit chaotic."That merge is evident in an area like the conflict in Afghanistan and Pakistan. NATO has thousands of troops in Afghanistan, while India shares a border with Pakistan.Clemons believes the United States must keep a foot in each world for the good of America's national security and its economy."Working with these emerging powers and going to where the growth is, is a better way to reinvent America as the Google of countries rather than just being the General Motors of countries," he says.Building New Alliances, Strengthening Old"We used to look at issues in stovepipes: national security, economic, human rights," says Rudy deLeon, a former deputy defense secretary now at the Center for American Progress, a think tank. "What we now know is that all of these issues are interconnected, and you really can't solve one type of problem in any one location or with any one country." For example, NATO countries such as Great Britain are cutting their defense budgets because of the bad economy. Britain might bounce back by selling more goods and services to fast-growing Asian countries.So national security and economics, Europe and Asia, old world and new, are actually bound tightly together. Obama's travel this month reflects that."We've had a theory since we came to office that we need to broaden the circle of countries that we're partnering with," said White House spokesman Ben Rhodes, speaking aboard Air Force One as the president flew from Indonesia to South Korea."I think that they provide a bookend in many ways, this trip and th | 11/15/10 | Free | View In iTunes |
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CNAS Releases Blueprint for the Future of U.S.-India Relations | Audio | In advance of President Obama’s much-awaited trip to India , the Center for a New American Security (CNAS) released Natural Allies: A Blueprint for the Future of U.S.-India Relations, authored by former Deputy Secretary of State Richard L. Armitage, former Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs R. Nicholas Burns and CNAS Senior Fellow Richard Fontaine. The report, endorsed by a nonpartisan group of more than 20 American and Indian experts, recommends "a bold leap forward" in the U.S.-India relationship. The publication was released at an event in the Newseum's Knight Conference Center on Wednesday October 20th, 2010. | 10/21/10 | Free | View In iTunes |
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Christine Parthemore on a Petroleum-Free Military | CNAS Fellow Christine Parthemore discusses the Defense Department's unsustainable dependence on petroleum and the vision for an alternatively fueled DoD by the year 2040 set forth in her report, Fueling the Future Force: Preparing the Department of Defense for a Post-Petroleum Era. | 10/7/10 | Free | View In iTunes |
| 8 | VideoCNAS Hosts Discussion on the Future of the U.S.-Iraq Relationship | On Tuesday, August 17, 2010, the Center for a New American Security (CNAS) hosted a pertinent discussion on the future of the U.S. relationship with Iraq with CNAS CEO Nathaniel Fick and two leading Administration officials: Michael Corbin, Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Iraq, and Colin Kahl, Deputy Secretary of Defense for the Middle East. Video, audio and photos from the event are available here. | 8/23/10 | Free | View In iTunes |
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NATO Secretary-General Rasmussen's Address at 'NATO: Delivering Real Security in an Age of Uncertainty ' - Audio | NATO Secretary-General Anders Fogh Rasmussen delivers remarks at an event co-hosted by CNAS and Georgetown University, 'NATO: Delivering Real Security in an Age of Uncertainty.' | 2/24/10 | Free | View In iTunes |
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Gen James Mattis' Keynote Address at the Launch of 'Keeping the Edge: Revitalizing America's Military Officer Corps' - Audio | U.S. Joint Forces Commander General James Mattis delivers the keynote address at the launch of the CNAS report “Keeping the Edge: Revitalizing America’s Military Officer Corps." | 2/24/10 | Free | View In iTunes |
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Hamid Karzai's 2nd Term and U.S. Strategy for Afghanistan | CNAS Senior Fellow Richard Fontaine discusses how the outcome of the Afghan election might affect the Obama administration's decision on troop levels on NPR's The Diane Rehm Show. Guests: Richard Fontaine, senior fellow for the Center for a New American Security. He previously served as foreign policy advisor to Senator John McCain. He has worked at the State Department, the National Security Council and on the staff of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.David Ignatius, columnist, The Washington Post, co-moderator of "PostGlobal" on Washingtonpost.com. Karin von Hippel, codirector of the CSIS Post-Conflict Reconstruction Project and senior fellow with the CSIS International Security Program. | 2/3/10 | Free | View In iTunes |
| 12 | VideoThe Contested Commons: The Future of American Power in a Multipolar World | On January 26, CNAS launched a major report on the contested commons - sea, air, space, and cyberspace - at an event featuring Chief of Naval Operations Admiral Gary Roughead; Vice Chief of Staff of the U.S. Air Force General Carrol Chandler; Center for Intelligence Research and Analysis Director Dr. James Mulvenon; renowned aerospace expert Norman R. Augustine; and CNAS Fellow Abraham Denmark. Watch the video here. | 2/1/10 | Free | View In iTunes |
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Conditions in Yemen Ripe for Terrorist Groups | CNAS Senior Fellow Richard Fontaine talks to NPR’s Linda Wertheimer about Yemen’s deteriorating security and U.S. counterterrorism efforts there. | 12/29/09 | Free | View In iTunes |
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Have Lessons of Iraq War Been Learned? | December 4, 2009 - CNAS Senior Fellow Tom Ricks discusses how the U.S. can apply the lessons of Iraq to forthcoming “surge” in Afghanistan on NPR’s All Things Considered. MELISSA BLOCK, host: When President Obama gave his speech on Afghanistan Tuesday night, he said the debate over the Iraq War was well-known and bore no repeating. President BARACK OBAMA: It's enough to say for the next six years the Iraq war drew the dominant share of our troops, our resources, our diplomacy and our national attention. And that the decision to go into Iraq caused substantial rifts between America and much of the world. BLOCK: Now as the U.S. prepares to escalate its involvement in Afghanistan, have the lessons of Iraq been learned? To explore that question, we turn to Thomas Ricks, who has written extensively about the Iraq war in two books: "Fiasco" and "The Gamble." He's now a senior fellow at the Center for a New American Security. Welcome to the program. Mr. THOMAS RICKS (Senior Fellow, Center for a New American Security): Thank you. BLOCK: As in Afghanistan, there was a surge of U.S. troops, of course, sent to Iraq in 2007, more than 20,000 troops, most of them sent to Baghdad. In your view, did that surge work? Mr. RICKS: I think the surge in Iraq worked tactically, that is, it improved security, but it didn't work strategically. That is, it didn't lead to a political breakthrough. All the basic problems you had in Iraq before the surge are still there. That said, the surge was good thing because it stopped a civil war that was going on in central Iraq and killing thousands of Iraqis every month. BLOCK: When more troops were sent into Iraq, as they're about to be sent to Afghanistan, there was also a re-thinking of how those troops would be used - what the mission was. Why don't you walk through what that was? Mr. RICKS: I think that's an important point because it was something I think was really missing and oddly missing in the president's speech the other night. You're not just sending in more troops to do the same thing, you're sending in more troops in order to do things differently. What I saw in Iraq was moving troops off of big bases and out into the population. When you're out among people, when you're living in that place, it becomes familiar. You know whether that truck comes through every day or whether there's an unusual truck you haven't seen before. People even might become familiar with you and start talking to you. I remember talking to one commander who was very skeptical about this whole counterinsurgency thing. He went in and he had a lot of casualties and a lot of shoot-ups, and he started talking to the locals and just started working with them. And he became a real convert and actually made a part of southern Baghdad that had been quite violent quite peaceful. BLOCK: Well, what are you hearing? Is the assumption that with this infusion of tens of thousands more troops in Afghanistan that will become part of the mission? There will be population security as the focus of what they're doing there. Mr. RICKS: Very much. That's the basic plan that McChrystal proposed and that the president - I think somewhat grudgingly - has accepted, is in the major cities, go out and try to protect the population. And in rural areas that are Taliban-held, you don't want to put a lot of troops out there. You want to basically contain those areas. And if there are clear indications of Taliban troop concentrations or al-Qaida convoys coming in, you go out and launch a counter terror strike. So, population, protection in a few key areas, counter terror in the rest of the country. BLOCK: Let's talk about another factor that's credited with tamping down violence in Iraq, and that's what was known, what's been called The Awakening - turning former Sunni insurgents around, getting them to integrate into Iraqi security forces. And the question has been: Can that model apply to Afghanistan? Or is the country fundamentally different | 12/7/09 | Free | View In iTunes |
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How to Build a Nation, Wreck an Economy, and Get on a Reality Show | December 3, 2009 – CNAS Research Associate Brian Burton discusses nation-building in Afghanistan on Minnesota Public Radio’s In the Loop. | 12/4/09 | Free | View In iTunes |
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Can Obama's Strategy Get the Job Done? | CNAS Senior Fellow Tom Ricks describes President Obama’s West Point speech on Afghanistan as an appeal to his ambivalent base on WTOP Radio. | 12/4/09 | Free | View In iTunes |
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Will Obama's Afghan Strategy Work? | CNAS President John Nagl provides an analysis of President Obama's strategy in Afghanistan and comments on the future of U.S. engagement in the region on NPR's Morning Edition. | 12/2/09 | Free | View In iTunes |
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U.S. Policy Toward Afghanistan | CNAS Senior Fellow Richard Fontaine discusses U.S. strategy in Afghanistan and the recent election with Jason Margolis of PRI's The World. | 10/21/09 | Free | View In iTunes |
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Can The U.S. Succeed In Afghanistan, Pakistan? | CNAS President John Nagl participated in an Intelligence Squared debate on the motion "America Cannot and Will Not Succeed in Afghanistan/Pakistan." | 10/16/09 | Free | View In iTunes |
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Afghanistan Strains Already-Strapped Army | October 12, 2009 - CNAS President John Nagl spoke with Steve Inskeep of NPR's Morning Edition about the strain on the U.S. military in Iraq and Afghanistan. "The requirement for increased troop strength is doable, but it is going to put additional strain on an army that is already feeling a lot of pain," said Nagl. "Whatever troop level we increase to in Afghanistan in 2010 we need to be prepated to hold that level for 2-3 three years." | 10/12/09 | Free | View In iTunes |
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Weighing U.S. Policy In Afghanistan | August 14, 2009 - CNAS PResident John Nagl discusses U.S. foreign policy in Afghanistan with Madeleine Brand of NPR. "We need to build a bigger Afghan National Army, bigger Afghan police forces in order to secure that country, keep pressure on al-Qaida and on the Taliban on both sides of the border and, ultimately, allow an American withdrawal with a secure, stable Afghanistan and Pakistan," said Nagl. | 8/17/09 | Free | View In iTunes |
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Afghanistan: How to Measure the Mission's Success | Pakistani Taliban leader Baitullah Mehsud has been killed in a U.S. drone attack. While it's not the first time reports of his death have surfaced, the Taliban has confirmed his death. Mehsud is known as Pakistan's most wanted man and has been suspected in the killing of former Pakistani Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto. Does his death mean that the U.S. is closer to success in its mission to rout the Taliban out of Afghanistan and Pakistan? As the American military comes to full strength in the Afghan surge, the Obama administration’s national security team is struggling to come up with specific measurements of progress. David Sanger is the chief Washington correspondent for The New York Times, and he's writing about the administration attempt to set benchmarks for success in Afghanistan. Also joining the conversation is Andrew Exum, a fellow with the Center for a New American Security. He served two tours as an Infantry Officer in the U.S. Army in Afghanistan. He is just back from Afghanistan where he was part of a team of independent analysts whose report is expected to help define the U.S. mission in Afghanistan going forward. We also speak with retired Colonel Paul Hughes, who is senior program officer at the U.S. Institute of Peace. In 2003 he served as the director of the Strategic Policy Office for the Coalition Provisional Authority in Iraq. He believes that the fates of the missions in Afghanistan and Pakistan are completely intertwined and must be closely coordinated. | 8/10/09 | Free | View In iTunes |
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Abu Muqawama on Afghanistan: An Interview with Andrew Exum | July 29, 2009 - CNAS Fellow Andrew Exum is interviewed by World Politics Review about his recent participation in a 60-day review of strategy and operations in Afghanistan. "Our goal over the next 12 months is to palpably change momentum in Afghanistan. I think the American public and policymakers have to decide whether or not momentum has shifted enough come July or August of 2010, to justify our continued investment in the government of Afghanistan," said Exum. | 7/29/09 | Free | View In iTunes |
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Rapper Feud Mirrors World Politics | July 22, 2009 - CNAS Non-Resident Senior Fellow Marc Lynch speaks to NPR's Morning Edition about the similarities between the rap world and the dynamics of world politics. "The way that rappers compete with each other — this is soft power," said Lynch. "This is the way you try and make a reputation, try and get what you want, and you have to do it through this very intricate series of alliances." The full interview is available here. | 7/22/09 | Free | View In iTunes |
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Long, Hot Summer' Ahead For U.S. Troops In Iraq | CNAS Senior Fellow Tom Ricks discussed the withdrawl of U.S. troops and the future of U.S. military engagement in Iraq with NPR's David Greene. "I think this summer will be a long, hot summer in Iraq, but 2010 will be even more difficult," said Ricks. | 7/2/09 | Free | View In iTunes |
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Bacevich Award Presentation and Closing Remarks by CNAS COO Nate Fick - June 11 Audio | Dr. Andrew Bacevich, Sharon Burke and John Nagl present the 2009 Bacevich Fellowship award to Christine Parthemore in this audio recording from the third annual CNAS Conference on June 11, 2009. CNAS COO Nate Fick delivers closing remarks immediately following the fellowship award. 1LT ANDREW J. BACEVICH, JR., USA FELLOWSHIP AWARD Dr. Andrew Bacevich (PRESENTER)Author and Professor, Boston University CLOSING REMARKS Nathaniel C. FickChief Operating Officer, Center for a New American Security | 6/19/09 | Free | View In iTunes |
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Welcoming Remarks by Dr. Richard Danzig and Ambassador Nick Burns - June 11 Audio | CNAS Chairman of the Board The Honorable Dr. Richard Danzig delivered the welcoming remarks at the CNAS third annual conference "Striking a Balance: A New American Security," along with CNAS Board Member Ambassador R. Nicholas Burns. | 6/19/09 | Free | View In iTunes |
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No Illusions: Regaining the Strategic Initiative with North Korea - June 11 Audio | The full audio of the panel "No Illusions: Regaining the Strategic Initiative with North Korea" from the June 11, 2009, conference is available here. Ambassador Wendy R. Sherman Principal, The Albright Group LLCBoard of Advisors, CNAS Nirav Patel Bacevich Fellow, Center for a New American SecurityAbraham Denmark Fellow, Center for a New American SecurityAmbassador Thomas C. HubbardSenior Director for Asia, McLarty AssociatesDennis Wilder Visiting Fellow, The Brookings Institution | 6/17/09 | Free | View In iTunes |
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Natural Security - June 11 Audio | The full audio of the panel "Natural Security" from the June 11, 2009, conference is available here. Panelists include (reflects speaking order): The Honorable John Warner Former U.S. Senator, R-Virginia Sharon E. Burke Vice President for Natural Security Dr. Roderick G. Eggert Professor and Division Director, Colorado School of Mines Dr. Peter H. GleickPresident and Co-Founder, Pacific Institute Commander E.J. McClure, USNOffice of the Secretary of Defense | 6/17/09 | Free | View In iTunes |
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Under Secretary of State for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs Judith McHale - June 11 Audio | Under Secretary of State for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs Judith McHale delivered the luncheon keynote address at the Center for a New American Security's third annual conference, "Striking a Balance: A New American Security." The audio of her remarks is available here. Under Secretary McHale, who was introduced by CNAS Vice President and Director of Studies Kristin Lord, discussed the role of communication and public diplomacy in national security. | 6/17/09 | Free | View In iTunes |
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Triage: The Next 12 Months in Afghanistan and Pakistan - June 11 Audio | June 16, 2009 - The full audio of the panel "Triage: The Next 12 Months in Afghanistan and Pakistan" from the June 11, 2009, conference is available here. Panelists include (reflects speaking order): Lieutenant General David W. Barno, USADirector, Near East South Asia Center for Strategic Studies, National Defense UniversityAndrew ExumFellow, Center for a New American SecurityNathaniel C. FickChief Operating Officer, Center for a New American SecurityDr. Andrew J. BacevichProfessor of International Relations and History, Boston UniversityColonel Christopher G. Cavoli, USAMilitary Professor of Security Studies, George C. Marshall Center for Security Studies | 6/16/09 | Free | View In iTunes |
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After the Fire: Shaping the U.S. Relationship with Iraq - June 11 Audio | The full audio of the panel "After the Fire: Shaping the U.S. Relationship with Iraq" from the June 11, 2009, conference is available here. Panelists include (reflects speaking order): Thomas E. RicksSenior Fellow, Center for a New American SecurityDr. John A. NaglPresident, Center for a New American SecurityGeneral John (Jack) Keane, USA (Ret.)Senior Managing Director and Co-founder, Keane Advisors, LLCGeorge PackerStaff Writer, The New YorkerNazar JanabiNext Generation Fellow, The Washington Institute for Near East PolicyAmbassador Samir Sumaida'ieAmbassador of Iraq to the United States of America. | 6/16/09 | Free | View In iTunes |
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General Petraeus Keynote Address - June 11 Audio | General David H. Petraeus delivered the morning keynote address at the Center for a New American Security's third annual conference, "Striking a Balance: A New American Security." Gen. Petraeus, who was introduced by CNAS President Dr. John A. Nagle, discussed the security situation in Afghanistan, Pakistan and Iraq -- all of which are under his area of responsibility as the commander of U.S. Central Command. | 6/16/09 | Free | View In iTunes |
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Book Discussion: The Defense of Jisr al-Doreaa | April 24, 2009 - Authors Michael L. Burgoyne and Albert J. Marckwardt, both Majors in the United States Army, discussed their book on counterinsurgency in Iraq, The Defense of Jisr al-Doreaa, with press and national security experts at the Center for a New American Security. | 4/27/09 | Free | View In iTunes |
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The Revenge of Geography: Press Briefing with Journalist Robert Kaplan | April 15, 2009 - The Center for a New American Security (CNAS) hosted a press conference with Robert Kaplan to discuss his forthcoming article in Foreign Policy magazine entitled "The Revenge of Geography." True to Robert Kaplan's repertoire, "The Revenge of Geography" is a must-read for understanding the nature of today's current and potential conflicts in Eurasia. Kaplan argues that Eurasia has become, "an organic whole," one that "will eventually be as claustrophobic as Israel and the Palestinian territories, with geography controlling everything and no room to maneuver." He describes four shatter zones, or areas more prone to conflict, that threaten to "implode, explode, or maintain a fragile equilibrium." These shatter zones include the Indian subcontinent, the Arabian Peninsula, the Fertile Crescent, and the Persian core. Kaplan's eye opening analysis of these regions should be required reading for anyone in the national security arena. | 4/15/09 | Free | View In iTunes |
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Audio: Securing Afghanistan in 2009: Challenges and Opportunities | In response to increased attacks from anti-government forces, President Barack Obama last week ordered the deployment of 17,000 more troops to Afghanistan by the summer. The administration, meanwhile, is reviewing U.S. strategy, seeking a sustainable and effective way to combat the insurgency and to provide space for economic and political development. Increasing the size and capacity of the Afghan National Army is crucial to future success. Gen. Abdul Rahim Wardak, Afghanistan’s Minister of Defense, will discuss his efforts to put an Afghan face on security operations and what the additional U.S. troops might mean for security and development in Afghanistan. Born in Wardak province in 1944, Abdul Rahim Wardak studied at the Cadet University and Ali Naser Academy in Egypt. He later served as a lecturer at the Cadet University and as the assistant of protocol at the Ministry of Defense. During the war with the Soviet Union, he was the military assistant of Muhaz-e-Milli; the military assistant of the Tri-Lateral Unity; a member of Itehad-e-Mujahiddin; and commander of the Jihadi fronts of Muhaz-e-Milli. After the fall of communist regime he served as a member of the Security Committee of Kabul City; Chief of Army Staff; Director of the Military Officers Society; Director of the Education Commission; Director of Reform of the National Army; and Deputy Defense Minister. Abdul Rahim Wardak was appointed Afghanistan’s defense minister by President Hamid Karzai in December 2004. | 2/26/09 | Free | View In iTunes |
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Robert Hefner Discusses His New Book, The GET | In his new book, The GET, Robert Hefner shows that civilization is experiencing the last stage of what history will record as a brief liquid energy transition between unsustainable, dirty, limited solid forms of energy to a future epoch of sustainable, clean, virtually limitless gaseous forms of energy. He believes this natural evolutionary energy transition reveals which energy sources and technologies are the most likely winners that will accelerate energy use toward a sustainable future. Hefner proposes policies that will level the economic playing field among competing energy sources and technologies, and work to accelerate the GET. He believes that by implementing policies that result in natural gas use for a major sector of our vehicle fleet as well as most non-wind and solar produced electric power by 2020, America can accomplish many of its near and mid-term energy and environmental goals. | 2/24/09 | Free | View In iTunes |
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Officership Discussion with LTC Paul Yingling | On December 5, as part of our ongoing discussion with veterans returning from the front line, the Center for a New American Security was pleased to feature Lieutenant Colonel Paul Yingling for the latest installment in our Voices from the Field Project. The discussion focused on the need to internalize valuable insight from our experienced junior officers and the importance of decentralized decision making throughout the ranks. LTC Yingling described the need for ‘adaptive leadership’ specifically from returning veterans and further outlined institutional changes to re-incentivize the military’s internal promotion structure. However, Yingling stressed junior officers should not wait for institutional adaptation. Instead veterans should better integrate first-hand combat experience into the central dialogue regarding the future of American forces. | 12/9/08 | Free | View In iTunes |
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CNAS Official Launch: Senator Hillary Clinton Keynote | CNAS held its official launch on June 27, 2007 at the Willard InterContinental Hotel in Washington, D.C. The day-long event, entitled “Toward a New American Security,” included three expert panels based on recently released CNAS reports as well as keynote addresses by Senators Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-NY) and Chuck Hagel (R-NE). Discussions and debates covered the future of U.S. ground forces, a new strategy for the war in Iraq, and the nature of the national security inheritance the next president will receive from the current administration. | 11/6/08 | Free | View In iTunes |
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CNAS Official Launch: Panel on Ground Forces | CNAS held its official launch on June 27, 2007 at the Willard InterContinental Hotel in Washington, D.C. The day-long event, entitled “Toward a New American Security,” included three expert panels based on recently released CNAS reports as well as keynote addresses by Senators Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-NY) and Chuck Hagel (R-NE). Discussions and debates covered the future of U.S. ground forces, a new strategy for the war in Iraq, and the nature of the national security inheritance the next president will receive from the current administration. | 11/6/08 | Free | View In iTunes |
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Bacevich Dedication and Senator Chuck Hagel Keynote at CNAS Official Launch | CNAS held its official launch on June 27, 2007 at the Willard InterContinental Hotel in Washington, D.C. The day-long event, entitled “Toward a New American Security,” included three expert panels based on recently released CNAS reports as well as keynote addresses by Senators Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-NY) and Chuck Hagel (R-NE). Discussions and debates covered the future of U.S. ground forces, a new strategy for the war in Iraq, and the nature of the national security inheritance the next president will receive from the current administration. | 11/6/08 | Free | View In iTunes |
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Reducing Nuclear Threats and Preventing Nuclear Terrorism Event | The Center for a New American Security (CNAS) hosted the National Security Advisory Group (NSAG) for a panel discussion on the recently published paper on a new comprehensive strategy for reducing nuclear threats and preventing nuclear terrorism. Panelists at the event included: Michèle A. Flournoy, President and Co-founder of Center for a New American Security Ambassador Wendy Sherman, Principal of The Albright Group LLC Franklin C. Miller, Vice President of The Cohen Group Dr. Ashton B. Carter, Ford Foundation Professor of Science and International Affairs, Harvard University The Honorable Robert Einhorn, Senior Adviser, International Security Program, CSIS | 11/6/08 | Free | View In iTunes |
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First Public Address by Admiral Mike Mullen, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff | Admiral Mullen was appointed on October 1, 2007, as the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. He takes over leadership of the most powerful and influential military in the world at a perilous moment in US history. With our men and women in uniform engaged in war in Iraq and Afghanistan and playing an increasingly vital role in critical humanitarian and natural disaster relief operations, Admiral Mullen’s leadership will prove invaluable in the months and years to come.Admiral Mullen’s first keynote address at the Center for a New American Security’s National Security Leadership Forum offered guidance and a path forward. Admiral Mullen identified three realities and priorities for his time as Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. His remarks provide a blueprint for how America’s military will respond to threats in the coming years. Admiral Mullen noted the military complications of a world where conflict will be persistent and will require persistent engagement. Improving the health of America’s military will be an imperative priority for Admiral Mullen and he is extremely concerned with the current stresses on wellbeing and family life. Finally, Admiral Mullen emphasized the importance of balancing traditional and non-traditional security operations. | 11/6/08 | Free | View In iTunes |
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The Age of Consequences: CSIS-CNAS Report Release Event | For the past year a diverse group of experts, under the direction and leadership of the Center for a New American Security (CNAS) and the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), met regularly to start a new conversation to consider the potential future foreign policy and national security implications of climate change. The group consisted of nationally recognized leaders in the fields of climate science, foreign policy, political science, oceanography, history, and national security, including Nobel Laureate Thomas Schelling, Pew Center Senior Scientist Jay Gulledge, National Academy of Sciences President Ralph Cicerone, American Meteorological Society Fellow Bob Correll, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute Senior Scientist Terrence Joyce and former Vice President Richard Pittenger, Climate Institute Chief Scientist Mike MacCracken, Georgetown University Professor John McNeill, former CIA Director James Woolsey, former Chief of Staff to the President John Podesta, and former National Security Advisor to the Vice President Leon Fuerth. The mandate of the exercise was, on its face, very straightforward: employ the best available evidence and climate models, and imagine three future worlds that fall within the range of scientific plausibility. | 11/6/08 | Free | View In iTunes |
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COIN Manual Discussion with LTC John Nagl and Sarah Sewall | The Center for a New American Security (CNAS) was honored to hold a panel discussion with Lieutenant Colonel John Nagl, United States Army, and Sarah Sewall, Harvard University, on the new U.S. Army/Marine Corps Counterinsurgency (COIN) Field Manual. The panel took place on November 13 at the Willard InterContinental Hotel in Washington, DC. Sarah Sewall who is currently director of the Carr Center for Human Rights Policy at Harvard University, worked for the Clinton Administration as Deputy Assistant Secretary for Peacekeeping and Humanitarian Assistance. Prior to that, she served as a senior policy advisor to Senate Majority Leader George Mitchell. Sarah did her undergraduate work at Harvard and her graduate work at Oxford as a Rhodes Scholar. Lieutenant Colonel John Nagl, who is currently commander of the 1st Battalion, 34th Armor at Fort Riley, Kansas, manages the training of combat advisors who train the Iraqi military. He also has experience in both Operation Desert Storm and Operation Iraqi Freedom. LTC Nagl is a graduate of West Point, and a Rhodes Scholar. Prior to his contributions to the COIN manual, he wrote "Learning to Eat Soup with a Knife," which encapsulates America’s experiences with counterinsurgency based on his study of cases from Vietnam through more recent experiences in Iraq and Afghanistan. Sarah Sewall eloquently addressed the audience first by framing the COIN manual in a larger strategic context. Ms. Sewall described the COIN manual as both “radical and essential” in thinking about the role of the United States military power in the 21st century and the struggle between the west and its enemies. She stated, on the other hand, that there is an uncertain future facing both the manual and the principles embodied in it because of political and institutional challenges. Some of these challenges include application of COIN manual elements, like reducing US Government/ US Military profile in foreign engagements, the importance of restraint and compromise and the need to moderate political rhetoric. Lastly, Ms. Sewall touched on challenges facing the US Army in the absence of political leadership and especially an overarching strategy. LTC John Nagl addressed the audience next with his unique analysis of the COIN manual as an Army Lieutenant Colonel, a co-author of the manual, and a self proclaimed “project mascot.” LTC Nagl highlighted the Army’s rejection of unconventional warfare after the Vietnam War and the residual organizational weaknesses that they are now trying to overcome. He also discussed the evolution of the security environment and how the COIN manual will help address modern threats. LTC Nagl emphasized that not only the military, but civilian agencies, are needed to fill a crucial role in our modern security environment. | 11/6/08 | Free | View In iTunes |
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Discussion with Fred Kaplan and his new book: “Daydream Believers – How a Few Grand Ideas Wrecked American Power" | The Center for a New American Security (CNAS) hosted a lunchtime speech with celebrated Slate columnist Fred Kaplan on February 29, 2008 at the Mayflower Hotel in Washington,DC. Mr. Kaplan led a discussion on his new book, “Daydream Believers: How a Few Grand Ideas Wrecked American Power.” Derek Chollet, a Senior Fellow at CNAS, addressed and analyzed Fred’s assessment of the next administration, Republican or Democrat, and what they are likely to inherit on January 20, 2009. Fred Kaplan writes the "War Stories" column in Slate. Prior to this, Kaplan was a correspondent at the Boston Globe, reporting from Washington, D.C., Moscow, and New York City. He was a member of a team that won a Pulitzer Prize for a special Sunday Boston Globe Magazine on the U.S.-Soviet nuclear arms race. He authored the classic book, The Wizards of Armageddon, which won The Washington Monthly Political Book of the Year award. Fred Kaplan has written for The New York Times, The New Yorker, The Washington Post, The Atlantic Monthly, and other publications. He earned a Ph.D. in political science from MIT and worked on Capitol Hill as a foreign and defense policy advisor to Congressman Les Aspin. He lives in Brooklyn with his wife, NPR journalist Brooke Gladstone. | 11/6/08 | Free | View In iTunes |
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American Grand Strategy Solarium Part 1 | The American Grand Strategy Solarium is a small conference hosted by the Center for a New American Security (CNAS) that aims to explore and debate what America's grand strategy should be. This conference was held on February 20, 2008. This conference is part of the Solarium II initiative at CNAS, which draws its inspiration from President Eisenhower's original Solarium exercise that brought together many of the country's top strategic thinkers in order to help formulate an American grand strategy for the Cold War. More than six years after the 9/11 attacks and in the midst of an intense election cycle, it is time to revisit the essential debate over America's vital interests and purpose in the world. CNAS has launched several "Solarium" initiatives, the first dealing with strategy for combating terrorism and another with energy security. For the effort on grand strategy, we have commissioned papers from several prominent thinkers to provide the basis for a robust and productive discussion. This podcast contains the audio presentations from Shawn Brimley (an introduction to the project), and Dr. Barry Posen. Barry R. Posen is Ford International Professor of Political Science at MIT, Director of the MIT Security Studies Program, and serves on the Executive Committee of Seminar XXI, an educational program for senior military officers, government officials and business executives in the national security policy community. He has written two books, Inadvertent Escalation: Conventional War and Nuclear Risks and The Sources of Military Doctrine, which won two awards: The American Political Science Association's Woodrow Wilson Foundation Book Award, and Ohio State University's Edward J. Furniss Jr. Book Award. He is also the author of numerous articles, including "The Case for Restraint," (The American Interest, November/December 2007) and “Command of the Commons: The Military Foundation of U.S. Hegemony,” (International Security, Summer, 2003.) He has been a Council on Foreign Relations International Affairs Fellow; Rockefeller Foundation International Affairs Fellow; Guest Scholar at the Center for Strategic and International Studies; Woodrow Wilson Center Fellow; and most recently, Transatlantic Fellow of the German Marshall Fund of the United States. Dr. Posen's current research interests include U.S. national security policy, the security policy of the European Union, the organization and employment of military force, great power intervention into civil conflicts, and innovation in the U.S. Army, 1970-1980. | 11/6/08 | Free | View In iTunes |
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American Grand Strategy Solarium Part 2 | The American Grand Strategy Solarium is a small conference hosted by the Center for a New American Security (CNAS) that aims to explore and debate what America's grand strategy should be. This conference was held on February 20, 2008. This conference is part of the Solarium II initiative at CNAS, which draws its inspiration from President Eisenhower's original Solarium exercise that brought together many of the country's top strategic thinkers in order to help formulate an American grand strategy for the Cold War. More than six years after the 9/11 attacks and in the midst of an intense election cycle, it is time to revisit the essential debate over America's vital interests and purpose in the world. CNAS has launched several "Solarium" initiatives, the first dealing with strategy for combating terrorism and another with energy security. For the effort on grand strategy, we have commissioned papers from several prominent thinkers to provide the basis for a robust and productive discussion. This podcast contains the audio presentations from Frederick Kagan. Frederick W. Kagan is a Resident Scholar with the American Enterprise Institute in Washington, DC. A military historian, Kagan taught courses on grand strategy, military art, and diplomatic history at the United States Military Academy at West Point for ten years. At AEI, Dr. Kagan specializes in defense issues and the American military. In particular he studies defense transformation, the defense budget, and defense strategy and warfare. He has also written about Russian and European military history, and received his PhD in Russian and Soviet military history from Yale University. His most recent book is entitled Finding the Target: The Transformation of American Military Policy. He is also the author of The End of the Old Order: Napoleon and Europe, 1801-1805 and was co-editor of Leaders in War: West Point Remembers the Gulf War. He is published in numerous defense and policy journals, including Foreign Affairs, Armed Forces Journal, Policy Review, and The Weekly Standard. | 11/6/08 | Free | View In iTunes |
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American Grand Strategy Solarium Part 3 | The American Grand Strategy Solarium is a small conference hosted by the Center for a New American Security (CNAS) that aims to explore and debate what America's grand strategy should be. This conference was held on February 20, 2008. This conference is part of the Solarium II initiative at CNAS, which draws its inspiration from President Eisenhower's original Solarium exercise that brought together many of the country's top strategic thinkers in order to help formulate an American grand strategy for the Cold War. More than six years after the 9/11 attacks and in the midst of an intense election cycle, it is time to revisit the essential debate over America's vital interests and purpose in the world. CNAS has launched several "Solarium" initiatives, the first dealing with strategy for combating terrorism and another with energy security. For the effort on grand strategy, we have commissioned papers from several prominent thinkers to provide the basis for a robust and productive discussion. This podcast contains the audio presentations from Janine Davidson (on behalf of Sarah Sewall) and Robert Art. Sarah Sewall is the Director of the Carr Center for Human Rights Policy and a Lecturer in Public Policy at the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University, where her current research focuses on counterinsurgency and terrorism. She also runs the Carr Center's National Security and Human Rights Program, which facilitates dialogue between the humanitarian and military perspectives. During the Clinton Administration, Sewall served in the Department of Defense as the first Deputy Assistant Secretary for Peacekeeping and Humanitarian Assistance. From 1987-1993, she served as Senior Foreign Policy Advisor to Senate Majority Leader George J. Mitchell, delegate to the Senate Arms Control Observer Group, and on the Senate Democratic Policy Committee. Sewall has also worked at a variety of defense research organizations and as Associate Director of the Committee on International Security Studies at the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. She was lead editor of The United States and the International Criminal Court: National Security and International Law (2000) and has written widely on U.S. foreign policy, national security, and military intervention. She is a member of the Center for Naval Analyses Defense Advisory Committee, the National Academies Committee on Offensive Information Warfare, and founder of the White House Project’s National Security Boot Camp. She is writing a book about civilian harm in war. Sewall graduated from Harvard College and Oxford University as a Rhodes Scholar. Robert J. Art is Christian A. Herter Professor of International Relations at Brandeis University, where he teaches and studies international relations and specializes in national security affairs and American foreign policy. Dr. Art earned his PhD at Harvard University, holding a Woodrow Wilson Doctoral Dissertation Fellowship and completing a postdoctoral fellowship with the Center for International Affairs at Harvard. Art has authored, co-authored, and edited several works on grand strategy and military history in recent years, including A Grand Strategy for America, The Use of Force, and Democracy and Counterterrorism: Lessons from the Past. He was the recipient of the International Studies Association 2006 Distinguished Scholar Award and a finalist for the Council on Foreign Relations' Arthur B. Ross Award for A Grand Strategy for America. He has received numerous grants from the nation’s major foundations and research institutions, including the United States Institute of Peace, the Century Foundation, and the Ford Foundation. | 11/6/08 | Free | View In iTunes |
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American Grand Strategy Solarium: Part 4 | The American Grand Strategy Solarium is a small conference hosted by the Center for a New American Security (CNAS) that aims to explore and debate what America's grand strategy should be. This conference was held on February 20, 2008. This conference is part of the Solarium II initiative at CNAS, which draws its inspiration from President Eisenhower's original Solarium exercise that brought together many of the country's top strategic thinkers in order to help formulate an American grand strategy for the Cold War. More than six years after the 9/11 attacks and in the midst of an intense election cycle, it is time to revisit the essential debate over America's vital interests and purpose in the world. CNAS has launched several "Solarium" initiatives, the first dealing with strategy for combating terrorism and another with energy security. For the effort on grand strategy, we have commissioned papers from several prominent thinkers to provide the basis for a robust and productive discussion. This podcast contains the audio presentation from Alice Hunt, on behalf of G. John Ikenberry. G. John Ikenberry is the Albert G. Milbank Professor of Politics and International Affairs at Princeton University in the Department of Politics and the Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs. Dr. Ikenberry received his Ph.D. from the University of Chicago in 1985. He has also held posts at the State Department, the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, Georgetown University and the University of Pennsylvania. Ikenberry has held fellowships at a variety of institutions, including the Brookings Institution, the German Marshall Fund, the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars and the Council on Foreign Relations. He is the author and editor of many books, including After Victory: Institutions, Strategic Restraint, and the Rebuilding of Order after Major Wars, State Power and the World Economy, and America Unrivaled: The Future of the Balance of Power. He has published in all the major academic journals of international relations, written widely in policy journals, and is currently writing a book entitled: “Liberal Leviathan: The Origins, Crisis, and Transformation of the American System,” forthcoming from Princeton Press. A collection of his essays, entitled Liberal Order and Imperial Ambition: American Power and International Order, will be published next year by Polity Press. | 11/5/08 | Free | View In iTunes |
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Press Briefing by Michèle A. Flournoy: Consolidating Security Gains in Iraq | On March 12, 2008, Michèle A. Flournoy, President and Co-Founder of the Center for a New American Security (CNAS), held a press briefing to recap and analyze her recent trip to Iraq. Ms. Flournoy returned from a two week trip to Iraq on February 12, 2008, where she visited ten Iraqi provinces and ten U.S. Army and Marine Corps units. | 11/5/08 | Free | View In iTunes |
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Pivot Point: Asia | In session five of the conference, Dr. Campbell presented on CNAS’s new publication iAsia: the Power of Balance, followed by comments from the distinguished panelists: Robert D. Kaplan, CNAS Senior Fellow and writer for the Atlantic Dr. Victor Cha, D.S. Song-Korea Foundation Chair and Associate Professor at Georgetown University, Director for Asian Affairs at the National Security Council 2004-7 LTG Karl Eikenberry, Deputy Chairman of the NATO Military Committee, formerly the Commander of Combined Forces Command-Afghanistan (CFC-A) Moderator: David Sanger, Chief Washington Correspondent, the New York Times, CNAS Writer-in ResidenceMr. Campbell, as the presenter, began by laying out the four insights that form the basis of the report. Bob Kaplan followed, noting in particular that the report was right in calling for a shift of American strategic focus towards Asia, as both economic and military global power are moving east. Professor Cha elucidated what he sees as the three strategic imperatives for the next administration, imperatives he feels are “consonant” with the CNAS iAsia report. Lieutenant General Karl Eikenberry arrived fresh from Brussels to contribute both his deep expertise on China and his wealth of experience pertaining to America’s role in Asia. As the last panelist, LTG Eikenberry expressed his appreciation for the report and its emphasis on the U.S.’s enduring interests in the region. David Sanger closed the panel by positing an intriguing question for Asia going forward. We have seen recently that, often at the behest of American leadership, Asian powers can work fairly well on issues of common interest outside of Asia. What remains to be seen is whether the major players “can start to work as well ‘in-area’” in the Asian Century and what role the U.S. will play in this. | 11/5/08 | Free | View In iTunes |
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Pivot Point: Energy Security and Climate Change | 11/5/08 | Free | View In iTunes | |
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Pivot Point: Iran - U.S. Strategic Options | Dealing with Iran and its nuclear program will be an urgent priority for the next president. In order to evaluate U.S. policy options, the Center for a New American Security (CNAS) convened a bipartisan group of experts on foreign policy and national security, retired military personnel, former diplomats and other government officials, and specialists on Iran and the region. Ambassador Dennis Ross presented a paper on diplomatic strategies for dealing with Iran, and Dr. Suzanne Maloney wrote on potential Iranian responses. Dr. Ashton Carter evaluated various U.S. military options, and Dr. Vali Nasr described likely Iranian reactions and other potential impacts. Ambassador Richard Haass considered the challenges of living with a nuclear Iran. Each of these papers represents an important contribution to a much-needed national discussion on U.S. policy toward Iran. Based on these papers and expert group discussion, as well as additional research and analysis, three CNAS authors (Dr. James Miller, Christine Parthemore, and Dr. Kurt Campbell) proposed that the next administration pursue “game-changing diplomacy” with Iran. This proposal, which represents solely the views of the three CNAS authors, would involve de-emphasizing military threats, offering direct U.S.-Iranian discussions without preconditions on a wide range of issues, and inviting Iran to participate as a more responsible member of the international community. It would accept Iran’s right to enrich uranium despite its past transgressions, while insisting on immediate comprehensive verification, and encouraging Iran to give up its enrichment activities voluntarily. The plan gives high priority to gaining broad international support and building leverage; the United States would engage its friends and allies before engaging Iran, and would appeal to Iran’s people as well as its leadership. Iranian leaders would feel significant pressure both internally and internationally to accept such a reasonable diplomatic initiative. But if they rejected it, the United States and the international community would be much better positioned to put in place economic and political sanctions with real bite, or as a last resort, to build a strong international coalition for the possible use of military force. While both Iran and the international community would be better off if Iran plays ball, game-changing diplomacy is designed to improve prospects for the United States and the international community irrespective of how Iran responds. | 11/5/08 | Free | View In iTunes |
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Pivot Point: Inheriting Iraq | CNAS’s “Pivot Point” conference on June 11, 2008, featured a panel on Iraq chaired by Lt. Gen. Gregory Newbold, USMC (ret.) with CNAS fellow and Georgetown University professor Colin Kahl, GEN Jack Keane, USA (ret.), and Center for American Progress fellow Brian Katulis. Dr. Kahl presented the findings of CNAS’s new report, “Shaping the Iraq Inheritance.” He argued that the causes recent security progress in Iraq are complex and reversible. Accordingly, a new strategy of “conditional engagement” is necessary to preserve current gains and make the Iraqi government take further steps toward stability and self-reliance. Under a conditional engagement policy, the U.S. military would begin a phased withdrawal of combat forces to signal its intent to leave and use its remaining presence as bargaining leverage to compel the Iraqi government to take further steps toward political reconciliation. GEN Keane asserted that the United States is close to achieving victory in the Iraq war, thanks in large part to the strategy shift in 2007 and the Iraqi people’s rejection of al Qaeda and the Mahdi Army. Mr. Katulis argued that “conditional engagement” in practice may not be different from the Bush administration’s behind-the-scenes negotiations with the Iraqi government and called for a broader regional strategic reassessment of American Middle East policy. | 11/5/08 | Free | View In iTunes |
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Pivot Point: Afternoon Keynote Dr. Richard Danzig | The Center for a New American Security (CNAS) was honored to have Richard Danzig, former Secretary of the Navy and a national security advisor to Senator Obama (D-IL), provide a speech which complemented the annual event on national security strategy. Speaking from a non-partisan position, Mr. Danzig laid out a thesis offering a shift in perspective on how policy planners, senior advisors, and defense analysts approach their work. | 11/5/08 | Free | View In iTunes |
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Pivot Point: Afternoon Keynote Lindsey O. Graham | Senator Lindsey Graham gave the afternoon keynote speech at the Center for a New American Security’s Pivot Point event. Senator Graham’s remarks focused on the security challenges the next president will inherit and the opportunity that America will have to lead the world in the years ahead. The presidential election every four years offers America a new chance with the world, an opportunity we must seize. Senator Graham gave a positive assessment of the recent developments in Iraq, arguing that Iran and Al Qaeda have been the two biggest losers of the surge. The next president must follow through on recent success and convince the world that Iraq is not an American problem but the entire world’s problem. To succeed in the future, the next president must fight for the moral high ground and empower moderates around the world. Senator Graham suggested that global leadership must start at home with the recognition that we make mistakes but that America will succeed because it fights for the rule of law. Senator Graham concluded his remarks by noting that although America’s challenges are daunting, America has on its side the greatest force of all, our value system. | 11/5/08 | Free | View In iTunes |
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Climate Change Wargame: Diana Farrell of the McKinsey Global Institute | Diana Farrell, director of the McKinsey Global Institute, kicked off day two of the Clout and Climate Change War Game with a discussion on ways to move toward energy efficiency that could actually increase countries' returns on investment. However, while opportunities for decreasing energy demand are readily available, there are multiple barriers for countries attempting to move in this direction | 11/5/08 | Free | View In iTunes |
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Address by ADM Gary Roughead, U.S. Navy CNO | The Center for a New American Security (CNAS) held a private luncheon with ADM Gary Roughead, Chief of Naval Operations to discuss his vision for executing the new maritime strategy. The result of over a year’s work, this new enduring strategy will apply maritime power to the crucial responsibility of protecting U.S. vital interests in an increasingly interconnected and uncertain world. Admiral Roughead began the discussion with introductory remarks and then opened the floor to questions and answers from security experts. | 11/5/08 | Free | View In iTunes |
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Officership In A Time of War | The Center for a New American Security (CNAS) hosted a panel discussion Wednesday, October 1, 2008, with General Peter W. Chiarelli, Vice Chief of Staff of the United States Army; Lieutenant Colonel John Nagl (Ret.), Senior Fellow with CNAS and 1988 West Point graduate; Captain Jason Fritz, three tour Iraq veteran and 2002 West Point graduate; and Bill Murphy Jr., author of In a Time of War: The Proud and Perilous Journey of West Point’s Class of 2002. | 11/5/08 | Free | View In iTunes |
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CNAS Official Launch: Panel on Iraq | CNAS held its official launch on June 27, 2007 at the Willard InterContinental Hotel in Washington, D.C. The day-long event, entitled “Toward a New American Security,” included three expert panels based on recently released CNAS reports as well as keynote addresses by Senators Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-NY) and Chuck Hagel (R-NE). Discussions and debates covered the future of U.S. ground forces, a new strategy for the war in Iraq, and the nature of the national security inheritance the next president will receive from the current administration. | 11/5/08 | Free | View In iTunes |
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Audio of Press Briefing by Michèle A. Flournoy: Consolidating Security Gains in Iraq | On March 12, 2008, Michèle A. Flournoy, President and Co-Founder of the Center for a New American Security (CNAS), held a press briefing to recap and analyze her recent trip to Iraq. Ms. Flournoy returned from a two week trip to Iraq on February 12, 2008, where she visited ten Iraqi provinces and ten U.S. Army and Marine Corps units. Ms. Flournoy's briefing focused on how to consolidate security gains in Iraq. She also offered recommendations for a new American political strategy toward Iraq. | 10/24/08 | Free | View In iTunes |
| Total: 62 Episodes |
Customer Reviews
Why Video?
This is a fantastic podcast, with great ideas, and important topics. We will see the influence of CNAS grow during this administration as their rhetoric proves correct. But why must it be a video podcast? Megabytes are precious real estate folks! Please consider releasing dual versions, with one stripped of the superfluous images.
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