“Renewing American Strength Abroad”
On February 6, 2017, Senator Tom Cotton spoke at the American Enterprise Institute about U.S. defense and foreign policies. He criticized the Obama administration for half-hearted measures and empty promises for renewing American strength in the world. The world is a mess, he stated, not because of President Trump’s rhetoric, but rather because of the policies of the last eight years. Senator Cotton called for rebuilding the military, including upgrading our nuclear arsenal; strengthening our economy; reassuring our allies; and recognizing that our global adversaries are engaged in a serious geopolitical competition with the U.S.
Text: https://www.aei.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/170206-AEI-Renewing-American-Strength-Tom-Cotton.pdf
Video: https://www.aei.org/events/renewing-american-strength-abroad-a-conversation-with-senator-tom-cotton/
“Reinvigorating Economic Strategy in the Asia-Pacific”
On February 14, 2017, three policy experts spoke at the Center for Strategic and International Studies about U.S. economic strategy in the Asia-Pacific. John Huntsman, Charlene Barshefsky, and Evan Greenberg addressed America’s long-term economic interests in the region.
Video: https://www.csis.org/events/reinvigorating-us-economic-strategy-asia-pacific
“U.S.-China Relations in Transition”
Former Commerce Secretary Barbara Franklin spoke to the Brookings Institution on January 24, 2017, about U.S.-Chinese economic relations. Her speech was highly critical of President Trump’s campaign rhetoric about China, and criticized President Trump’s apparent willingness to fulfill his campaign pledges.
Video: https://www.brookings.edu/events/u-s-china-relations-transition-trump-administration-19th-party-congress/
“Humanitarian Responses to the Crisis in Syria”
On February 8, 2017, Neal Keny-Guyer, Chief Executive Officer of Mercy Corps, spoke to the Council on Foreign Relations about the nature and seriousness of the humanitarian crisis in Syria and possible solutions.
Text and audio: http://www.cfr.org/syria/humanitarian-response-crisis-syria/p38811
“Money and Muscle in Indian Politics”
Author Milan Vaishnav talked to the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace about the subject of his new book: corruption and criminality in Indian politics.
Video: http://carnegieendowment.org/2017/02/02/book-launch-money-and-muscle-in-indian-politics-event-5487
“U.S. Defense Strategy and the Rise of China”
On February 10, 2017, Dr. Thomas Mahnken, President of the Center for Strategic and budgetary Assessments, described a new report about the global and regional geopolitical competition with China.
Video: http://csbaonline.org/about/events/reinforcing-the-front-line-u.s.-defense-strategy-and-the-rise-of-china
“Iraq Ten Tears After the Surge”
On February 1, 2017, the Council on foreign Relations hosted a panel discussion on the situation in Iraq ten years after the surge. The panel consisted of Gen. Raymond Odierno (Ret), Meghan O’Sullivan (Harvard Professor and former Deputy National Security Adviser) and Christopher Kojm (former Chairman of the National Intelligence Council). One of the interesting matters discussed was the divergent views between military leaders in the field and security officials in Washington leading up to the surge.
Text and video: http://www.cfr.org/wars-and-warfare/iraq-reconsidered-ten-years-after-surge/p38725
“The ‘Special Relationship’ and U.S.-U.K. Free Trade Agreement”
On February 1, 2017, Dr. Nile Gardiner of the Heritage Foundation testified before a subcommittee of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs on the importance of a U.S.-U.K. Free Trade Agreement to the overall “special relationship” between the two countries.
Text: http://docs.house.gov/meetings/FA/FA18/20170201/105501/HMTG-115-FA18-Wstate-GardinerN-20170201.pdf
Video: http://www.heritage.org/europe/impact/heritage-expert-testifies-congress-us-uk-free-trade-agreement
“Addressing Military Readiness”
On March 2, 2017, U.S. Rep. Joe Wilson (R-SC), Chairman of the House Armed Services committee, discussed military readiness in a talk at the American Enterprise Institute. He called for a bi-partisan approach to military readiness. He criticized the defense cuts of the Obama administration and called on America to reclaim military superiority through improved readiness.
Video: https://www.aei.org/events/addressing-the-military-readiness-crisis-a-conversation-with-rep-joe-wilson-r-sc/
“Order from Chaos: Building Situations of Strength”
The Brookings Institution in February hosted an event featuring experts who contributed to a report on a future grand strategy for the United States. Panelists included Robert Kagan, Martin Indyk, Michele Flournoy, Stephen Hadley, and Kristen Silverberg.
Video: https://www.brookings.edu/events/order-from-chaos-building-situations-of-strength/
“Russia: Rival, Partner, or Both?”
The Council on Foreign Relations hosted an interesting debate/discussion between Russia experts Stephen Sestanovich, Angela Stent, and Charles Kupchan on the correct approach in dealing with Russia.
Text and video: http://www.cfr.org/russian-federation/russia-rival-partner-both/p38860
“The Turmoil in Europe”
In late February, Jeremy Black, professor of History at Exeter University, spoke to the Foreign Policy Research Institute about Brexit, Russia and Eastern Europe, the European Union, and other developments in Europe.
Audio: http://www.fpri.org/multimedia/2017/02/jeremy-black-turmoil-europe/
“Secretary Matis at Munich Security Conference”
Secretary of Defense James Matis spoke in February at the Munich Security Conference about the continuing relevance and importance of NATO and the transatlantic partnership.
Text: https://www.defense.gov/News/Speeches/Speech-View/Article/1087838/remarks-by-secretary-mattis-at-the-munich-security-conference-in-munich-germany
“The Imperatives of Airpower”
In February, Air Force Chief of Staff David Goldfein spoke at the Center for Strategic and International Studies about the key role played by air power in future conflicts. He stressed the need for the U.S. to achieve air superiority in every future conflict in any region of the world. He also discussed the need for the U.S. to emphasize cyberwar and spacewar capabilities and to improve and modernize its nuclear forces.
Video: https://www.csis.org/events/imperatives-airpower-challenges-next-fight
“America’s Will to Lead”
In a wide-ranging and fascinating discussion, former Prime Minister of Denmark and Secretary General of NATO Anders Fogh Rassmusen spoke to the Hoover Institution’s Peter Robinson in October 2016 about the importance of America’s world leadership.
Text and Video: http://www.hoover.org/research/americas-will-lead
“U.S.-Russia Relations”
On March 3, 2017, former U.S. Ambassador to Russia Michael McFaul spoke at George Washington University about current and future relations between the United States and Russia. He discussed developments in Ukraine, Syria, and strained relations between the two countries.
Video: https://www.c-span.org/video/?424811-1/former-ambassador-michael-mcfaul-discusses-state-usrussia-relations
“Conservative Search for a Foreign Policy”
On November 2, 1999, Dr. Henry Kissinger and Fareed Zakaria appeared on one of the last Firing Line episodes to discuss with host William F. Buckley, Jr., U.S. foreign policy for the 21st century. It, along with other Firing Line programs can be viewed on the Hoover Institution website.
Video: http://digitalcollections.hoover.org/objects/7439/the-conservative-search-for-a-foreign-policy?ctx=8114e881-ae3b-4e24-b1d7-6f39214d1ec9&idx=365
