Category: Recommendations

Welcome to Issue #10 of our brief newsletter with selected content from the many sources regarding world affairs. There are various formats in the below events; enjoy their messages which will contribute to understanding these issues. We wish you a happy and healthy month.

1) Council on Foreign Relations: “Migration at the U.S.-Mexican Border.” Watch here. 

2) Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft: “The Human Rights Impact of Broad-Based Economic Sanctions – Time to Rethink our Approach?” Register for webinar here. (Wednesday, April 28 at 1:00 PM EST)

3) The Carnegie Endowment for International Peace: “A New Order for the U.S. and Asia: What Kind of U.S.-India Relationship?” Watch here. 

4) The Center for Strategic and International Studies: “This is How They Tell Me the World Ends.” Watch here. 

5) Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft: “Taps for America’s Empire of Bases?” Watch here. 

6) NPS Guest Lecture April 27 – Security Implications of Climate Change: Mr. Joseph Bryan, Senior Advisor on Climate to the Secretary of Defense, will speak about The Security Implications of Climate Change beginning at noon on Tuesday, April 27.  For more information, including links to this online event, click here: https://wacmb.xyz/special-events/

Welcome to Issue #9 of our brief newsletter with selected content from the many sources regarding world affairs. There are various formats in the below events; enjoy their messages which will contribute to understanding these issues. We wish you a happy and healthy month.

1) World Affairs Councils of America: “WACA Climate Week 2021” features 5 days of virtual programming from April 19-23 convening high-caliber global and local experts on climate issues. Each day of programming must be registered for separately. Register here. 

2) Defense One: “Don’t Divide the World Between Democracies and Autocracies.” Read here. 

3) The Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft: “Is the Quad’s Rise Destabilizing Asia?” Register for webinar on March 30 at 1pm ET here. 

Welcome to Issue #8 of our brief newsletter with selected content from the many sources regarding world affairs. There are various formats in the below events; enjoy their messages which will contribute to understanding these issues. We wish you a happy and healthy end to your month.

1) Middlebury Institute of International Studies: “Live From DC: Growing Challenges in Cyber Security.” Watch here. 

2) The Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft: “Gen Z and U.S. Foreign Policy: Is this where the status quo meets its match?” Register for webinar on March 30 at 1pm ET here.  

3) The World Affairs Council of Dallas/Fort Worth: “Expeditionary Diplomats on the Front Lines” with Paul Richter. Watch here. 

4) PBS Frontline: “Yemen’s Covid Cover-up.” Watch here. 

5) The Wilson Center: “Bound by War: How the United States and the Philippines Built America’s First Pacific Century.” RSVP for event on March 29 at 4pm ET here.  

Welcome to Issue #7 of our brief newsletter with selected content from the many sources regarding world affairs. There are various formats in the below events; enjoy their messages which will contribute to understanding these issues. We wish you a happy and healthy end to your month.

1) UnHerd: “Twilight of the American Empire” by Aris Roussinos. Read here.

2) Middlebury Institute of International Studies: “Preventing Hackers from Taking a Digital Bite out of the Big Apple.” Watch here. 

3) The Wilson Center: “From Sea to See — How Satellites can Help Identify and Combat Plastic Marine Debris.” Watch here. 

4) Carnegie Endowment for International Peace: “Foreign Policy for the Middle Class: U.S. and U.K Perspectives.” Watch here. 

5) Surplus Energy Economics: “Interpreting the Post-Growth Economy” by Tim Morgan.  Read here.

Welcome to Issue #6 of our brief newsletter with selected content from the many sources regarding world affairs. There are various formats in the below events; enjoy their messages which will contribute to understanding these issues. We wish you a happy and healthy end to your month.

1) Real Clear World: “Our lack of Digital Defenses is an Emergency” by Bonnie Kristian. Read here.

2) Council on Foreign Relations: “Why a Cross-strait Crisis Will be Averted in 2021” by David Sacks. Read here. 

3) The Hoover Institution: “Israel: perspective on diplomacy, defense, and shared security.” Watch here. 

4) The Wilson Center” “U.S. Counter-drug policy in the Western Hemisphere. Is it working?” Watch here.

5) Council on Foreign Relations: “Transition 2021 Series: U.S. Strategy Shifts in Climate and Energy Policies” Watch here. 

Welcome to Issue #4 of our brief newsletter with selected content from the many sources regarding world affairs. There are various formats in the below events; enjoy their messages which will contribute to understanding these issues. We wish you a happy and healthy end to your month.

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1) Middlebury Institute of International Studies Video: CTEC Speaker Series: Morten Hjørnholm on Countering Violent Extremism. Watch here. 

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2) The Lowy Institute article: “America’s troubles ahead in the Asia-Pacific” by Hadrien T. Saperstein. Read here. 

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3) The Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft article: “Toward an Inclusive & Balanced Regional Order: A New U.S. Strategy in East Asia.” Read here. 

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4) The Brookings Institution Video: Foresight Africa: Top priorities for the continent in 2021. Wednesday, January 27, 2021 9:00am-10:30am EST. Register for live event (free) or watch recording here. 

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5) The Center for Strategic and International Studies’ Video: “Transatlantic Approaches to Combatting Foreign Interference.” Friday, January 22, 2021 9:00am-9:45am EST. Register for live event (free) or watch recording here.

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Welcome to Issue #3 of our brief newsletter with selected content from the many sources regarding world affairs. There are various formats in the below events; enjoy their messages which will contribute to understanding these issues. We wish you a happy and healthy new year.

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Join the Center for Strategic and International Studies for an Online Event: A Conversation with FCC Chairman Ajit Pai on January 5th, from 3pm-4pm EST. Registration can be completed at the link provided, and a recording of the event will be available at the same web address:  https://www.csis.org/events/online-event-conversation-fcc-chairman-ajit-pai

Over the past four years, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has played an instrumental role in facilitating 5G deployment while shielding U.S. networks from bad actors. Please join CSIS for a conversation with FCC Chairman Ajit Pai on how the U.S. can outpace its competitors on 5G while protecting national security.

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Join the Center for Strategic and International Studies for an Online Event: Countering Unmanned Aerial Systems: the Path Forward on January 8, from 9am-10:15am EST. Registration for the live event and a recording of the event can be found at the following link: https://www.csis.org/events/online-event-countering-unmanned-aerial-systems-path-forward

The spectrum of air and missile threats has never been more complex. Join the CSIS Missile Defense Project on January 8 to discuss the path forward on Countering Unmanned Aerial Systems (C-UAS), with a discussion featuring MC Sean Gainey, Director, C-UAS Office and Director of Fire, G-3/5/7, and Nicole M. Thomas, Division Chief for Strategy and Policy, Joint-CsUAS Office.

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Watch Jennet Conant’s webinar on “The Classified WWII Disaster that Launched the War on Cancer” on the Middlebury Institute of International Studies’ website: https://nonproliferation.org/the-classified-wwii-disaster-that-launched-the-war-on-cancer/ The author discusses her new book, The Great Secret: The Classified World War II Disaster that Launched the War on Cancer (W. W. Norton & Company, 2020), including the story itself; how she conducted her research; and what new discoveries she made, in particular those related to chemical weapons during WWII and the direct link between the Bari attack and the war on cancer.

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Read the following article on The Economist’s website: “Britain Needs a Post-Brexit Foreign Policy.”

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Read the following article on Reuters’ website: “From Embargo to Embrace, Saudi Arabia Pushes Gulf Detente.”

Welcome to Issue #2 of our WACMB brief-newsletter with selected content from the many sources regarding world affairs.  There are various formats in the below events; enjoy their messages which will contribute to understanding these issues.  Best Wishes for a healthy and happy Holiday Season; next issue in January 2021.

1. The Brookings Institution will host webinar on January 7th from 2-3:30pm EST/11am-12:30pm PT entitled “How artificial intelligence is transforming the United States and the world.” A panel of experts will discuss how AI is being deployed in areas such as finance, manufacturing, education, healthcare, and national defense, what risks are emerging, and how to mitigate those risks. Those who wish to attend can register on this webpage: https://www.brookings.edu/events/how-artificial-intelligence-is-transforming-the-united-states-and-the-world/
2. In this video by the Council on Foreign Relations, panelists discussed the history of emerging threats facing U.S. homeland security, particularly the rise of domestic terrorism and white supremacist extremism, and the framework that is necessary to address these issues. The video is available to watch here: https://www.cfr.org/event/homeland-security-emerging-threats-domestic-terrorism-and-white-supremacy
3. Here’s a video lecture by one of our newer Board Members who gave a talk specifically for WACMB on a different topic a few months back. MIIS professor and CTEC expert Philipp Bleek, alongside MIIS alum Cyrus Jabbari, recently gave a lecture on acid terrorism that covers the history, ideological composition, and risk analysis of such attacks. You can access this video here: https://www.middlebury.edu/institute/academics/centers-initiatives/ctec/news/watch-professor-philipp-bleek-and-alum-cyrus-jabbari-0
4. Recent WACA National Conference – “The United States Must Marshal the “Free World“” Alexander Vindman — Foreign Affairs, December 7, 2020. Lt. Col. (Ret.) Alexander Vindman recently spoke at WACA’s 2020 National Conference: New Frontiers in Diplomacy and National Security. You can watch his keynote discussion on our YouTube channel.
5. Neo-primacy and the pitfalls of US strategy towards China by Joshua Shifrinson, Non-Resident Fellow, Washington Quarterly, 12/11/20. Over the last half decade, a bipartisan consensus has emerged in US foreign policy circles calling for sustained competition with China. The ostensible goals of this competition are to protect the extant international order, block Chinese regional hegemony, and defend American allies–all of which notionally require major changes in US grand strategy. READ HERE

Issue 1 – November 30, 2020

Dear WACMB Members and Friends –

Please see the below several Global Affairs informative articles and events for your reading and listening interest. 

These are selected from numerous subjects on multiple sites and platforms; hope these add to your regular information sources.

-World Affairs Council of the Monterey Bay Board of Directors

The World Affairs Council of the Americas (WACA), the parent Organization for over 90 Nationwide Councils, conducts numerous events highlighting current global topics. They have recently completed the WACA 2020 National Conference in Washington D.C from November 16-20, titled New Frontiers in Diplomacy and National Security.

The following three Youtube videos are representative of the issues covered :

The Big Think / Reinventing America’s Role in the World

Great Decisions / The Global Economy in Turmoil; Outlook for 2021

Quincy Institute / Prospects for ending Americas Endless Wars;

The following additional events are selected for your review :

The Hoover Institution at Stanford has the following event: a 3-part “Great Decisions: America in the World” webinar through zoom. Two of the three webinars have already taken place, and the third will take place on Dec.10 at 10:00am Pacific Time. Folks can watch the two past sessions and register online for the 3rd one at https://www.hoover.org/events/great-decisions-america-world. Here is a description of the event:

“In a world still reeling from the COVID-19 pandemic, what are the critical foreign policy challenges facing the next U.S. president? Drawing from a joint election-year project with the Foreign Policy Association, three sessions with eminent Hoover experts on international affairs will explore the critical countries and geopolitical issues that will shape global affairs over the next decade.”

The Carnegie Endowment for International Peace will host a live event online on Dec. 1 at 9:00am-10:00am EST on “U.S.-China Relations Under Biden: a Lookahead” at the following website: https://carnegieendowment.org/2020/12/01/u.s.-china-relations-under-biden-lookahead-event-7491. There is no need to register. The panel will consist of American and Chinese experts who will discuss on how Biden’s administration will approach China and vice-versa. Here is a short description:

“While the recent election of Joe Biden likely signals a raft of domestic political changes, its impact on U.S.-China relations remains unclear. The Trump administration has remolded the relationship, which is now defined by confrontations over economic practices, emerging technologies, and security. There is also growing bipartisan support for pursuing a tougher approach to China, and the Justice, State, and Defense departments are increasingly prioritizing new initiatives to push back on Beijing. Will Biden maintain the confrontational tone and policies of his predecessor? Or will he devise an entirely different posture toward Beijing? The answers to these questions will not only have critical consequences for the two countries in question, but for the broader international community as well.”

To all recipients, please remember that the next WACMB ‘Quick Take’ Youtube video of issues during the age of Covid-19 is available from today, 30 November; please access this presentation by Professor Jonathan Lipman on ‘Muslims and Islam in China, Focus on the Uyghurs’, via our website : www.wacmb.xyz