National Security Architecture: Recent and Upcoming Events

On July 24, Christopher Preble discussed his new book The Power Problem: How American Military Dominance Makes Us Less Safe, Less Prosperous, and Less Free. Dr. Preble was joined by New America's Michael Cohen, Senior Research Fellow and co-director of the Privatization of Foreign Policy Initiative, and Michael Lind, Senior Fellow and Policy Director of the Economic Growth Program, as well as Gordon Adams, a Distinguished Fellow at the Stimson Center, in discussing whether and how the U.S. should scale back its global military commitments.

Despite President Obama's recent pledge to seek a world free of nuclear weapons, the Department of Energy's National Nuclear Security Administration is planning to spend tens of billions of dollars to upgrade the nation's nuclear weapons complex. Why is this happening, and what can be done about it? Join a panel of experts to discuss this issue, including presentations on the future of U.S. nuclear policy and the security risks posed by the current weapons complex.

Blackwater is changing its name to "Xe". Halliburton has sold off its KBR division. President Obama is pledging to crack down on the use of contractors by the military. Where does the future for private military contractors lie? Join us March 10th as we discuss these issues with Pratap Chatterjee, the author of the new book Halliburton's Army: How a Well-Connected Texas Oil Company Revolutionized the Way America Makes War, joined by Janine Wedel and Michael… more

William Hartung opened the discussion by citing “$32 billion in foreign military sales in 2008,” by the United States, and that “there are many big deals in the works that may make 2009 as big or bigger.” The report looks at the biggest recipients of foreign military aid and analyzes their human rights record and the extent to which they embrace the tenets of democracy. All 25 of the largest benefactors are “undemocratic regimes or major human rights abusers,” Hartung remarked.

Please join us for a reception and discussion on the recently published Home Fronts: A Wartime America Reader, with editors Michael S. Foley and Brendan P. O'Malley.

"Home Fronts is a wide-ranging and long overdue collection. From the war with Spain to the war on terror, Foley and O'Malley reveal the intricate connections between overseas conflicts and American social, economic, political, and cultural history." -- Andrew J. Huebner, Professor of History, University of Alabama, and author of The… more

Is there an upside to the worst foreign policy disaster in U.S. history? Maybe. The current war in Iraq should definitively, permanently settle a handful of critical questions about American conduct in the world. Lessons from Iraq: Avoiding the Next War provides a list of those questions and even ventures some answers in the form of key lessons from Iraq.

Join us for a lively discussion of these lessons with noted contributors. The panel will be followed by… more

What have we learned? Panelists will discuss lessons for the next administration.

Please RSVP to Emily at rsvp.meet08@gmail.com

Sponsored by The Graduate Program in International Affairs, New School University, and The Security Policy Working Group (SPWG)*

*Security Policy Working Group: Arms & Security Initiative, New America Foundation; Economists for Peace and Security; Center for Strategic and Budgetary Assessments; enter for War, Peace, and the News Media, Boston University; David Gold, Graduate Program in International Affairs, New School; National Priorities Project;… more

Iran is still several years away from developing a nuclear weapons option, but the Western diplomatic strategy of threatening sanctions and offering multilateral negotiations to force Iran to suspend its enrichment program does not appear to be effective. Unless significantly greater sanctions are applied, Iran is likely to continue to work on overcoming technical problems and installing greater enrichment capacity under international inspections. If the current trajectory is not changed, we will eventually face a choice between… more