Think Tanked

Daybook: 8/31/10

There is No Alternative: Why Margaret Thatcher Matters (Heritage)  Great Britain in the 1970s appeared  to a nation be in terminal decline – ungovernable and rapidly headed for global economic irrelevance. Three decades later, it is one of the richest and most influential countries in Europe and Margaret Thatcher deserves all the credit. There Is No Alternative provides a valuable account of Margaret Thatcher’s visionary triumphs in the fight for free enterprise. As journalist and conservative pundit Claire Berlinski shows, Thatcher’s transformation of Britain was no simple task. Her jarring economic reforms often came at a high human cost as inefficient subsidies, welfare programs, and industries were abandoned entirely. While Thatcher’s legacy has been the subject of passionate debate, Berlinski argues that we should be on her side. Socialism is on the rise and only countries willing to abide by Thatcher’s philosophy will prevail. 

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Daybook: 8/27/10

Economic Outlook: A Corporate Briefing (Asia Society)  The Asia Society Hong Kong Center will host a "Corporate Briefing" with David Wyss, Chief Economist at Standard & Poor’s. Based in New York, Dr. Wyss is responsible for S&P’s economic forecasts and publications, and co-authors the monthly Equity Insight and the weekly Financial Notes. Prior to S&P’s, Dr. Wyss was a Senior Staff Economist with the President’s Council of Economic Advisers, Senior Economist at the Federal Reserve Board, and Economic Advisor to the Bank of England. He graduated with a B.S. from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and a Ph.D. in economics from Harvard University.

Homeland Security 2020: The Future of Defending the Homeland Day 5 – State and Local Efforts (Heritage) With the growing threat from homegrown terrorists, our state and local law enforcement entities will need to have the proper training, personnel, and tools to monitor, detect, and thwart potential attacks. Similarly, with the federalization of preparedness and disaster response over the last two decades, state and local governments face growing gaps in capabilities needed to handle events that occur within their jurisdictions. Join us as our panelists examine the reforms needed within counterterrorism, preparedness, and disaster response to ensure that states and localities are properly positioned for the future.

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Daybook: 8/26/10

Homeland Security 2020: The Future of Defending the Homeland – Cyber Security (Heritage) Our nation’s increasing utilization, reliance, and sheer dependence upon technology for our societal infrastructure is undeniable. The pervasiveness of technological advancements has significant implications for how individuals engage in their daily lives, the functioning of our economy, the conduct of business by the government as well as the private sector, and – ultimately – the protection of our national interests and provision of our common defense. As our dependence on the cyber domain grows, so does our vulnerability. Join us as our panelists seek to examine how the U.S. should react to these changed circumstances in cyber security.

Beyond Arab Poll Results (New America Foundation) Arab support for the two-state solution remains surprisingly high, according to the University of Maryland’s annual public opinion poll carried out by Zogby International in Egypt, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Morocco, Lebanon, and Jordan. At the same time, Arabs polled have been disappointed in President Obama largely due to dashed expectations on the Palestinian-Israeli issue. In a striking shift from last year, a majority of Arabs polled also believe that a nuclear-armed Iran could be good for the region. How will President Obama address these seemingly contradictory viewpoints in a Middle East that is ever-more discouraged by U.S. policy? Can the White House win the confidence of both Arabs and Israelis?

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Daybook: 8/25/10

Homeland Security 2020: The Future of Defending the Homeland – Working with the Private Sector (Heritage) The private sector has often been at the forefront of natural disasters, terrorist attacks, and industrial accidents. The 9/11 attacks, Hurricane Katrina, and most recently, the Gulf Oil Spill have all demonstrated the need to foster strong relationships with the private sector. The private sector even plays and important role in the realm of critical infrastructure protection, given that roughly 85% of critical infrastructure within the U.S. is privately owned. It is, thus, vital that critical infrastructure protection efforts move forward in a smart way that preserves both the economy and security. Join us as our panelists discuss these issues as well as the right policy framework that for keeping Americans free, safe, and prosperous. 

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Daybook: 8/24/10

Homeland Security 2020: The Future of Defending the Homeland  (Science and Technology) (Heritage) As threats evolve, our defense technologies must too. It is, thus, important to ask what industry as well state and local governments can do to incentivize fundamental science research. Moreover, since the U.S. continues to lead the world in biotechnology, how can the U.S. mitigate the growing threat of a bioterrorism attack? Leaders from DHS, the FBI, and the NIH discuss the importance of investing in science and technology today as a way to protect our nation against tomorrow's potential adversaries.

Progress in Afghanistan: Will the U.S. Strategy Succeed? (Brookings) Brookings will host a discussion assessing the state of the U.S. mission and the future of international involvement in the military and civilian effort in Afghanistan. Vali Nasr, senior advisor to the special representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan at the State Department and Steve Coll, president of the New America Foundation and author of the Pulitzer Prize-winning book, Ghost Wars (Penguin Press, 2004) will join Brookings Visiting Fellow General Jehangir Karamat (Ret.), former Chief of Army Staff of the Pakistani Army and Brookings Senior Fellow Michael O’Hanlon, co-author of Toughing it Out in Afghanistan (Brookings Press, 2010). O’Hanlon will discuss his new article, “Staying Power,” which appears in the current edition of Foreign Affairs.

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Daybook: 8/23/10

Homeland Security 2020: The Future of Defending the Homeland (Heritage) With ninety percent of the world’s trade transported by sea, a major terrorist attack focused on one or more U.S. ports would significantly impact the U.S. economy and our ability to project military power. While Congress has passed legislation to protect America’s ports, it’s important to evaluate its effectiveness, as well as that of intelligence measures taken since 9/11. Join us as our panelists examines what policies and capabilities the U.S. needs to develop in order to prevent or recover from possible attacks and better protect the homeland.

Women in Asia: Remembering Afghan Women (Asia Society) Following the overthrow of the misogynistic Taliban regime in Afghanistan, the situation for women seemed to enter a promising era. A Ministry of Women was established and a new constitution guaranteed women 25 percent representation. Further progress has halted. Over 80 percent of Afghan women are illiterate and many remain victims of violence. Ms. Katherine Brown will address the key challenges that hamper progress in both Afghanistan and South Asian and present possible solutions. She will argue that improving the situation of women is the most effective way to ensure sustainable development in the region.

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Daybook: 8/19/10

Imagining Asia (Asia Society) Imaging Asia 2010 is an international conference and series of cinema-related events organized to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Network for the Promotion of Asian Cinema (NETPAC). It will include symposia, screenings, workshops, and cultural programmes, during which 30 films will be screened across multiple venues in Delhi. The festival will be attended by some of the top luminaries of world cinema, such as Charles Musser, head of the film department at Yale University; Michel Reilhac, head of Arte Cinema in France; Shyam Benegal; Sharmila Tagore; and Konkona Sen Sharma.

The Core: Teaching Your Child the Foundations of Classical Education (Heritage) Most curricula today follow a haphazard sampling of topics with a focus on political correctness instead of teaching students how to study. Leigh Bortins, a leading figure in the homeschooling community, is having none of it. She believes that there are core areas of knowledge that are essential to master. Without mastering these essential building blocks of knowledge, students may remember information but they will never possess a broad and deep understanding of how the world works. In The Core, Bortins gives parents the tools and methodology to implement a rigorous, thorough, and broad curriculum based on the classical model, including: Rote memorization to cement knowledge; systematic learning of geography, historical facts, and timelines; reading the great books and seminal historical documents instead of adaptations and abridged editions; and rigorous training in math and the natural sciences.

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Daybook: 8/18/10

Whittaker Chambers: The Spirit of a Counterrevolutionary (Heritage Foundation)  Whittaker Chambers is rightly remembered for his pivotal role in the electrifying Alger Hiss spy case. But as Richard Reinsch reminds us in the latest volume in ISI Books’ acclaimed Library of Modern Thinkers, Chambers was more than just a government informant; he was a profoundly important thinker who grappled with the nature of modern man’s predicaments. 

Achieving Universal Education: A Live Web Chat with David Gartner (Brookings Institution)  While universal education is an important goal, increasing levels of educational attainment also helps developing countries make progress toward improving health, environmental protection, and gender disparity. David Gartner, co-director of the Center for Universal Education, argues that success in the areas of most of the UN's Millennium Development Goals is impossible without first achieving universal primary education. 

Mao's Last Dancer (Asia Society)  Based on Li Cunxin’s bestselling autobiography, Mao's Last Dancer  is the epic story of a young poverty-stricken boy from China and his inspirational journey to international stardom as a world-class dancer.

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Daybook: 8/17/10

Australia’s Role in the Asia Pacific Century (Asia Society)   Mr. Dennis Richardson commenced as Secretary of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade on January 13, 2010. Prior to this he was Ambassador of Australia to the United States, June 2005-December 2009. Previous positions have included as Director-General of the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation 1996-2005.; Deputy Secretary of the Department of Immigration and Multicultural Affairs 1993-1996; Head of the Review of the Intelligence Community post Cold War 1992 and Principal Adviser to the Prime Minister 1990-1991.

The Next Phase in America's Relationship with Iraq (Center for a New American Security) The Center for a New American Security will host a moderated discussion that will address questions on moving forward on Iraq with two leading Administration officials on Iraq: Michael Corbin, Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Iraq, and Colin Kahl, Deputy Secretary of Defense for the Middle East. CNAS Chief Executive Officer Nathaniel Fick, a national security expert and veteran of the Iraq war, will moderate the conversation.

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Daybook: 8/16/10

Members CEO Briefing: Professor Robert Sutter (Asia Society) Robert Sutter has been Visiting Professor of Asian Studies at the School of Foreign Service, Georgetown University, since 2001. Prior to taking this full-time position, Sutter specialized in Asian and Pacific Affairs and US foreign policy in a US government career of 33 years involving the Congressional Research Service of the Library of Congress, the Central Intelligence Agency, the Department of State, and the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

For more think tank events, see the calendar in the sidebar.