“US-ROK Strategic Forum 2017”
On September 5, 2017, the Center for Strategic and International Studies hosted the US-Republic of Korea (ROK) Strategic Forum 2017, to discuss and analyze the key issues facing the alliance. Speakers included Michael Green, Richard Armitage, Hyuon Cho, Victor Cha, and other scholars from the US and ROK. The North Korean nuclear threat was front and center at the forum.
Video, audio, transcript: https://www.csis.org/events/rok-us-strategic-forum-2017-now-and-future-rok-us-alliance
Geography Still Matters
In June 2017, Robert D. Kaplan delivered a keynote address at the US Naval War College’s Current Strategy Forum at Newport, RI. Kaplan delivered a geopolitical tour de force, showing that geography and geopolitics are more relevant to national security than ever before. Indeed, he argued that technology, instead of rendering geography less relevant, has enhanced geography.
 Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9X6ZQr2idIs&list=PLam-yp5uUR1ZUIyggfS_ xqbQ0wAUrGoSo&index=9
The End of the Asian Century
In June 2017, AEI scholar Michael Auslin spoke at the Naval War College’s Current Strategy Forum about Asia and its role in 21st century world politics. Auslin argued that the notion of the Asian Century has been overdone. He described the geopolitics of the Indo-Pacific region in terms of population, economics, and relevant military power.
Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BWbHDvjHQyY&list=PLam-yp5uUR1ZUIyggfS_xqbQ0wAUrGoSo&index=5
The Nuclear Ban Treaty
On August 22, 2017, Christopher Ford, special assistant to the President and NSC senior director for WMD and counterproliferation, spoke at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. He pointed out several flaws in the UN’s treaty to ban nuclear weapons.
Audio; transcript: http://carnegieendowment.org/2017/08/22/briefing-on-nuclear-ban-treaty-by-nsc-senior-director-christopher-ford-event-5675
The Iran Nuclear Deal
On September 5, 2017, UN Ambassador Nikki Haley spoke at the American Enterprise Institute about the Iran nuclear deal and its many flaws. She made the important point that the nuclear deal must be assessed in the context of the U.S.’s overall policy toward Iran and the region.
Video; transcript: https://www.aei.org/events/online-event-beyond-the-echo-chamber-considerations-on-us-policy-toward-iran/; https://www.aei.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/170905-AEI-Amb-Nikki-Haley-Beyond-the-Echo-Chamber.pdf
Is US-China Confrontation Inevitable?
On June 2, 2017, the Council on Foreign Relations hosted a discussion on US-China relations, including remarks by Graham Allison, Ely Ratner, and Ann Stevenson-Yang. The discussion focused on Allison’s concept of the “Thucydides Trap”: the notion that wars often start when a rising power challenges the existing world order.
Video: https://www.cfr.org/event/future-us-china-relations-confrontation-inevitable
NAFTA Renegotiation
On September 12, 2017, the Center for Security and International Studies hosted a discussion on NAFTA renegotiation, featuring a keynote address by Sen. Rob Portman.
Video; audio: https://www.csis.org/events/nafta-renegotiation-strengthening-north-american-prosperity-and-competitiveness
The US-Tunisia Strategic Partnership
In July 2017, Tunisia’s Chief of Government, Youssef Chahed, spoke at the Heritage Foundation about the importance of the US-Tunisia strategic relationship to the stability of North Africa and the Middle East.
Video; audio: http://www.heritage.org/middle-east/event/the-us-tunisia-strategic-partnership-and-its-importance-regional-stability
MacArthur at War
Author Walter Borneman spoke several months ago at the Army War College about Gen. Douglas MacArthur’s evolving strategy in the Pacific during World War II.
Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JhVg5ao3P14&t=148s
Israel Facing a New Middle East
In September 2017, Itia Brun, a former Israeli intelligence analyst, spoke to the Hoover Institution about Israel’s evolving national security policy and the need for an Israeli grand strategy as it faces a “new” Middle East.
Video: http://www.hoover.org/events/israel-facing-new-middle-east-search-national-security-strategy
The Crucial Connection Between China’s Economy and its Foreign Policy
In September 2017, Felix K. Chang, of the Foreign Policy Research Institute talked about the link between economics and foreign policy in the PRC.
Audio: https://www.fpri.org/multimedia/2017/06/crucial-connection-chinas-economy-foreign-policy/
Dealing with Dictators
The Center for the National Interest recently hosted an interesting discussion on the dilemma faced by US policymakers in dealing with dictatorial regimes when it serves US national interests. Speakers included Paul Saunders and Mark Lagon.
Video: https://cftni.org/videos/dealing-with-dictators/
The Fate of the West
Former Economist editor Bill Emmott spoke at The Carnegie Endowment for International Peace about the need to preserve the liberal democratic order in the face of a changing global political climate.
Video: http://carnegieendowment.org/2017/06/14/fate-of-west-event-5613