Trade & Globalization: Media Appearances and Press Releases

Lisa Margonelli on Climate Legislation | New America/Politico Live Chat

Cecille Isidro — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 16:13:00 -0400

Lisa Margonelli, author of Oil on the Brain and director of New America's Energy Policy Initiative, takes questions on the current state of the energy and climate debate in this week's New America/Politico Live Chat ...

The G20 Through Beer Goggles | Public Radio International

Cecille Isidro — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 13:56:00 -0400

"Trade is the, if not the elephant in the room, certainly some animal as yet to be defined that's in the room," said Douglas Rediker. ...

Financial Regulation | BusinessWeek

Erin Drankoski — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 09:21:00 -0400

"Had the world economy collapsed, and there was a reason to believe it could have, the leaders of this country and others may have been forced to take hugely dramatic steps," says Douglas Rediker, a former investment banker now running the New America Foundation's Global Strategic Finance Initiative. ... Original Article

Lessons from Lehman's Failure | BusinessWeek

Erin Drankoski — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 12:06:00 -0400

"Any argument that Lehman's collapse served the positive purpose of letting the world financial system participants know there was a risk to be had, that message lasted 24 hours," said Doug Rediker, Director of New America Foundation's Global Strategic Finance Initiative and former Lehman Brothers investment banker. "We may now have the inverse message: There are banks that are too big to fail."... Original Article

Corruption Hampers Mexico's Battle Against Drugs | Worldfocus

Cecille Isidro — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 15:01:00 -0400

Andres Martinez, a senior fellow at the New America Foundation, joins Martin Savidge to discuss the Americas summit, the drug war and the U.S. commitment to ... and more »

North American Neighbors Meet to Discuss Cross-Border Issues | NewsHour

Cecille Isidro — Tue, 11 Aug 2009 16:45:00 -0400

Andres Martinez of the New America Foundation discussed the necessity of a close relationship between the "intertwined countries" with the NewsHour. ... and more »

Saudi Central Banker-No Change in Dollar Global Role | The Guardian

Cecille Isidro — Mon, 27 Apr 2009 12:13:00 -0400

"People say that Europe is probably behind the (United States) in getting into recession but will take a lot longer also to get out of it," Jasser told a conference on US-Saudi relations co-hosted by the New America Foundation. "So in relative terms, ...

Setting the iPhone Free from AT&T | BusinessWeek

Cecille Isidro — Wed, 04 Mar 2009 01:16:00 -0500

"It is unthinkable that you could only use a Macintosh on an AT&T connection," says Michael Calabrese, vice-president at the New America Foundation, which is chaired by Google Chief Executive Officer Eric Schmidt. Google (GOOG) has helped develop phone ...

Big Canadian Websites Want Neutral Wireless Networks Too | Ars Technica

Cecille Isidro — Thu, 26 Feb 2009 08:17:00 -0500

Both Skype and professor Tim Wu, who have pushed hard for wireless net neutrality in the US, would be pleased with the request, though regulators have so far generally allowed wireless networks more leeway when it comes to network management.

Tech Policy People to Watch 2009 | Ars Technica

Cecille Isidro — Thu, 05 Feb 2009 00:40:00 -0500

These are people like Sascha Meinrath of the New America Foundation, a creative advocate of open networks who has done work on white spaces and the new ...

U.S. Arms Sales | World Politics Review

Communications — Mon, 15 Dec 2008 14:07:00 -0500

... Yemen and Colombia -- that routinely violate human rights, the nonpartisan think-tank, New America Foundation, said in a report released last week. ...

Study: US Arms Sales Undermine Global Human Rights | The Associated Press

Communications — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 13:50:00 -0500

William D. Hartung, the lead author of the report, said, "The United States cannot demand respect for human rights and arm human rights abusers at the same ...

Guns Kill People | Tapped/American Prospect

Communications — Tue, 09 Dec 2008 14:57:00 -0500

The New America Foundation looks at the Bush administration's weapons trade legacy in a new report that recommends President-elect Obama undertake a new ...

Big Ideas for a New America: Time for a U.S.-Iranian Grand Bargain

Communications — Thu, 02 Oct 2008 12:35:00 -0400

Washington, DC -- The next U.S. president, whether it is John McCain or Barack Obama, should reorient American policy toward the Islamic Republic of Iran as fundamentally as President Nixon transformed American policy toward the People's Republic of China in the early 1970s.

This is the argument put forth by Flynt Leverett and Hillary Mann Leverett in "Time for a U.S.-Iranian Grand Bargain," the third proposal in New America's Big Ideas series. The paper will be discussed and released Tuesday, October 7th, at a New America Foundation event.

In the paper, the Leveretts argue that nearly three decades of U.S. policy emphasizing diplomatic isolation, escalating economic pressure and thinly veiled support for regime change have damaged the interests of the United States and its allies in the Middle East. They contend that what's needed is a U.S.-Iranian "grand bargain," in which all of the principal bilateral differences between the United States and Iran would be resolved as a "package."

Flynt Leverett is former senior director for Middle East affairs at the National Security Council, and directs the Geopolitics of Energy Initiative in the New America Foundation's American Strategy Program. Hillary Mann Leverett is chief executive officer of Stratega, a political risk consulting firm. From 2001-2003, she served as director for Iran, Afghanistan and Persian Gulf Affairs at the National Security Council.

The Leveretts also explore the idea of a grand bargain in the latest issue of The Washington Monthly, as part of the special report, "The Stakes, 2008." Both the Big Ideas paper and the article will be available at the October 7th event in DC. For those who cannot attend in person, the event will be WEBCAST LIVE on the event web page, and the documents will be posted there as well.

Mr. Leverett and Mrs. Mann Leverett are available for interviews and media appearances; they are based in the Washington D.C. area. For an advance copy of the paper, or to arrange interviews with the Leveretts, please call Erin Drankoski at 202-997-8727 or e-mail drankoski@newamerica.net.

Highlights from the Paper Include:

"While every U.S. administration since 1979 has sought to isolate the Islamic Republic diplomatically and press it economically, issue-specific cooperation has also been pursued by each of those administrations: by the Reagan and George H. W. Bush administrations in Lebanon, the Clinton administration in Bosnia, and the current Bush administration in Afghanistan. In all of these cases, Iran delivered much-not all, but much-of what Washington asked."

"A grand bargain, in our view, is the only way in which the United States can develop and sustain a genuinely constructive relationship with the Islamic Republic. Unfortunately, the current policy debate about Iran in the United States is not conditioning the kind of fundamental shift in American policy that is needed. While there is greater 'space' today for consideration of some sort of diplomatic engagement with Tehran, much of the policy debate in the United States is still focused on how to contain various 'threats' emanating from the Islamic Republic."

"Pursuing a U.S.-Iranian grand bargain should start with the definition of a strategic framework for improving relations between the United States and the Islamic Republic. . . To meet both sides' strategic needs in a genuinely comprehensive manner, a framework structuring a U.S.-Iranian grand bargain would have to address at least three sets of issues:

U.S. security interests, including stopping what Washington sees as Iran's pursuit of weapons of mass destruction, its support for terrorism, its opposition to a negotiated settlement of the Arab-Israeli conflict, and its problematic role in Iraq and Afghanistan;
Iran's security interests, including extending U.S. security assurances to the Islamic Republic, lifting unilateral U.S. and multilateral sanctions against Iran, and acknowledging the Islamic Republic's place in the regional and international order; and
developing a cooperative approach to regional security."

"Affirmation of the Algiers Accord's validity by a new U.S. administration would send a powerful signal to Tehran about the potential for substantial improvement in U.S.-Iranian ties. We believe that, in an atmosphere of enhanced confidence, it would be possible for U.S. and Iranian representatives to explore and codify a strategic framework for the reordering of U.S.-Iranian relations."

Additional Information:
Event: A Grand Bargain With Iran: www.newamerica.net/events/2008/grand_bargain_iran
Mr. Flynt Leverett's bio: www.newamerica.net/people/flynt_leverett
Geopolitics of Energy Initiative Overview: www.newamerica.net/programs
Previous papers in New America's Big Ideas series: www.newamerica.net/bigideas

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The New America Foundation is a nonprofit, nonpartisan public policy institute that invests in new thinkers and new ideas to address the next generation of challenges facing the United States. Headquartered in Washington D.C., New America also has offices in California.

Lisa Margonelli on New Hampshire Public Radio | Word of Mouth: 'Next Green Thing - Termite Guts'

Communications — Tue, 26 Aug 2008 12:11:00 -0400

In the world of social insects, the lowly termite gets no respect. Sure, ants and bees have their champions and are lauded for their social cohesion and industriousness. Termites, on the other hand, are the bane of homeowners everywhere. They eat up about $11 billion in U.S. property each year. Some species also have the rather unsocial habit of snapping the heads off of invading ants.

But termites may have gotten a bad rap. With rising oil prices, their ability to turn wood waste into fuel has sparked the interest of researchers, who have struggled to turn wood and grasses into biofuels. As part of our “next green thing” series, we wanted to find out whether we could harness the termite’s efficiency, to run our economy on sawdust, lawn clippings and old magazines.

Lisa Margonelli is a fellow at the New America Foundation, writes about global culture and the economy of energy, and is the author of Oil on the Brain: Petroleum's Long Strange Trip to your Tank. Her article "Gut Reactions" appears in the September issue of The Atlantic Monthly, and she agreed to lead Word of Mouth into the mysterious third gut of the termite. LINK to audio

China Fuels Repression in Darfur

Communications — Wed, 06 Aug 2008 12:11:00 -0400

New York, NY-China has been the most egregious violator of the global arms embargo on Darfur, supplying guns and ammunition to the Sudanese government that have been transferred into the region, according to a new issue brief released by the Arms and Security Initiative at the New America Foundation. Since 2004, the vast majority of Sudan's small arms and light weapons have come from China, and many of them have found their way into the hands of the notorious Janjaweed militias in Darfur.

The issue brief is online at NewAmerica.net: http://www.newamerica.net/publications/policy/deadly_traffic_chinas_arms_trade_sudan.

"China's domestic policies have come under much-deserved scrutiny in the run-up to the Olympics," notes William D. Hartung, director of the Arms and Security Initiative and the author of the new report. "But we shouldn't forget that the Chinese government's most egregious act has been its role as an enabler of mass murder in Darfur. Without Chinese support, the ability of the Sudanese government and its allies to kill, maim, and intimidate the people of Darfur would be greatly diminished."

The arming of Sudan is just the most damning example of a Chinese policy that has resulted in major weapons exports to repressive regimes in Zimbabwe and Myanmar, as well as sales of missile technology to Iran and Pakistan. While noting that China controls only 2% of the global arms market, Hartung asserts that "China's impact is measured less by the value of its sales than by the character of its clients. It is the supplier of last resort for dictators and human rights abusers."

In answering the question of why China engages in weapons trafficking to the Sudan, the report notes that China is essentially "bartering arms and political support for access to Sudan's oil resources." Hartung argues that any policy designed to stop Chinese weapons sales to Sudan must address Beijing's economic interests there. In the short-term this could mean imposing economic costs by conditioning increases in trade and investment on China's willingness to stop arming the Sudan. In the longer-term, Hartung suggests a policy of energy cooperation between Washington and Beijing that could help "disentangle both nations from dependence on oil-rich tyrannies."

To arrange an interview, or for more information, contact William D. Hartung at 212-431-5808, ext. 201, or e-mail hartung@newamerica.net; Mr. Hartung is based in New York City.

Additional resources:
1. William D. Hartung's bio
2. Arms and Security Initiative Overview

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The New America Foundation is a nonprofit public policy institute whose purpose is to bring exceptionally promising new voices and new ideas to the fore of American public discourse. Relying upon a venture capital approach, the Foundation invests in outstanding individuals and policy solutions that transcend the conventional political spectrum. Headquartered in Washington D.C., New America also has offices in California.

William Hartung in AP News | "Study says China top violator of Sudan embargo"

Communications — Wed, 06 Aug 2008 10:47:00 -0400

(The AP)--China has been the "most egregious violator" of a worldwide arms embargo, providing Sudan with the vast majority of its small arms and weapons used for mass murder in Darfur province. . .

The arms and also political support are being swapped for access to the African country's oil reserves, according to a report issued on the eve of the Summer Olympics in Beijing. . .

Recognizing fast-developing China's need for energy, William Hartung, a veteran foreign policy analyst and author of the report for the New America Foundation, said the United States might consider energy cooperation with Beijing so it does not rely for oil on Sudan and other repressive regimes. . .

Cuba, Latin America and U.S. Grand Strategy

Communications — Mon, 04 Aug 2008 12:45:00 -0400

The U.S.-Cuba Policy Initiative talks a lot about the need for a new policy towards Cuba. And we should. Fifty years of failure is a shameful, bi-partisan indictment of how policy is made in Washington.

As we will continue to show, more people, like Senator Arlen Specter, recognize that a change in Cuba policy is on the way. But change for change's sake is foolish, and could easily backfire on the United States.

Fortunately, the emerging consensus on changing our relationship with Cuba coincides with another consensus in Washington, that America needs a major overhaul of all our relations with Latin America. And these two trends are occurring concurrently with the rising influence of Hispanic voters.

But both movements lack strategic coherence.

In my latest post on The Havana Note, I outline a new strategic framework for approaching Latin America, strengthening the rationale for changing Cuba policy in a decisive fashion:

The single greatest challenge facing the U.S. in the coming decades is to shape an international order that can meet rising global demand for energy, resources, urban land, and transportation--limited significantly by climate change and ecosystem depletion.
Latin America is already focused on these problems, but the United States still clings to a 20th Century model of our national interest in the Western Hemisphere, dominated by oil, anti-communism, and neo-liberal trade policies.
The 5th OAS Summit, in April 2009, will present the next President with the opportunity to turn the page with the region, end the Cuban embargo, and redefine U.S. regional interests around sustainability and economic inclusion.

I hope you find it provocative. For more, read the full post here.

Patrick Doherty
Director, U.S.-Cuba Policy Initiative
Blogging at: The Havana Note
Deputy Director, American Strategy Program
New America Foundation

For more details on the New America Foundation/U.S.-Cuba Policy Initiative, please contact Patrick Doherty at doherty@newamerica.net, 202-986-2700.

Parag Khanna on the Kojo Nnamdi Show | 'The Collapse WTO Negotiations'

Communications — Wed, 30 Jul 2008 16:17:00 -0400

(WAMU)--It was supposed to promote "pro-development" priorities at the World Trade Organization. But the so-called "Doha Round" of talks collapsed this week, as negotiators were unable to bridge bitter divides between developed and developing countries. We find out what happened, and what it means for workers and farmers in America and the developing world. LINK to Audio

Guest: Parag Khanna, Director, Global Governance Initiative in American Strategy Program, New America Foundation; author, "The Second World: Empires and Influence in the New Global Order" (Random House)

Innovations, challenges in savings and financial inclusion for the poor highlighted in new report from the Global Assets Project

Communications — Wed, 30 Jul 2008 14:10:00 -0400

Washington DC - Innovative partnerships and convergence in the fields of asset building, microfinance and financial inclusion are sparking increased interest in access to savings, assets, and financial inclusion for those living in poverty around the world, according to a report released today by the Global Assets Project and the Citi Foundation. The report, "Global Savings, Assets and Financial Inclusion: Lessons, Challenges & Directions" is based on the Global Symposium held in Singapore last year which brought leading practitioners, scholars, policymakers, corporate leaders, and funders in these fields together for the first time.

The report is available here and at www.GlobalAssetsProject.org.

"The microfinance, asset-building, and financial inclusion fields are evolving and converging rapidly, creating a sense of excitement among non-profits, policymakers, financial institutions, advocates, and the poor themselves," remarked Mr. Michael Sherraden, Director of the Center for Social Development (CSD) at Washington University in St. Louis and Mr. Ray Boshara, Vice President and Director of the Asset Building Program for the New America Foundation. The Global Assets Project, now beginning its third year, is a joint venture between CSD and the New America Foundation.

"This report is full of practical, fascinating examples of how access to the right kind of financial services can help families build assets and live better lives -- it should inspire a renewed focus on asset development by microfinance practitioners and supporters," lauded Ms. Kate McKee, Senior Advisor at the Consultative Group to Assist the Poor and contributor to the report.

"It was a great honor for Citi to host the Global Assets Symposium last year which highlighted the extensive range of current efforts to increase financial inclusion and opportunities for asset building globally. The goal of this report is to inspire actors to continue innovating in this space so that the agenda can move forward," said Ms. Leslie Meek-Wohl of the Citi Foundation.

This report provides a glimpse into the candid discussions and exchanges offered by the participants in the Global Symposium on Savings, Assets and Financial Inclusion. The purpose of this unique convening was to illuminate and inform strategies for universal inclusion in savings and asset-building products, programs, and policies around world. This report describes in details emerging trends, lessons, challenges and opportunities for thinking about how the poor, in developed and developing countries, can build their assets and wealth. Finally, the report includes possible next steps that may be taken within these fields to move this emerging body of work forward.

To arrange an interview with Mr. Ray Boshara, of the New America Foundation, please contact Erin Drankoski -- call 202-997-8727 or e-mail drankoski@newamerica.net. To contact Ms. Leslie Meek-Wohl, of the Citi Foundation, call 212-559-1532 or e-mail MeekL@citi.com.

About the Global Assets Project: The Global Assets Project -- created in 2006 as a joint venture between the Center for Social Development at Washington University in St Louis and the Asset Building Program of the New America Foundation -- aims to advance strategies and public policies that build savings and assets for low- and moderate-income people around the world.

About the Citi Foundation: The Citi Foundation is dedicated to enhancing economic opportunities for underserved individuals and families in the communities where we work throughout the world. Globally, the Citi Foundation is focusing its giving on Microfinance and Microentrepreneurship, which helps individuals become economically self-sufficient; Small and Growing Businesses, leading to economic expansion and job creation; Education, which prepares young people for personal and professional success; Financial Education, which helps individuals make informed financial decisions; and the Environment with a focus on sustainable enterprises that generate jobs and stimulate economic growth while preserving the environment.

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