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  • Tuesday, August 14, 2018 8:39 AM | Anonymous

    August 13, 2018

    WACA Weekly

    This Week: Announcing a New Council Benefit from Stratfor; Election-year Programming; Cover to Cover on Cuba; Qatar Tour; and Council Highlights


    Stratfor Worldview:

    Special subscription discount

    for WACA Members!

    Dear Council Leaders and Supporters:

    It's a pleasure to share an exciting opportunity with you. As part of WACA's evolving partnership with Stratfor, the Austin, Texas-based company renowned for its geopolitical intelligence platform, we are pleased to offer a significantly discounted annual subscription to Stratfor Worldview for members of WACA and local Councils.

    Your premium digital subscription includes:

    ·     Unlimited access to all Analyses, Articles, Guidances, and Snapshots

    ·     Custom Email Notifications

    ·     My Collections - your library of Stratfor Insights

    ·     Members-only Discussion Forums

    ·     Members-only Newsletters

    ·     Quarterly, Annual, and Decade Forecasts

    ·     Access to Mobile App for iOS and Android

    ·     Text-to-Voice feature to listen to Stratfor WorldView content when on the move

    With Stratfor's special WACA discount, you will save 72% off the price of a one-year subscription. Enjoy the wealth of analytical and predictive insights for only $99 - the equivalent of just $1.90 per week!

    To redeem this offer, visit Stratfor's World Affairs Councils of America Partnership Page.

    And for members of WACA's 1918 Society, you will receive the subscription automatically, for free, as a benefit of your participation! (Hint: join the 1918 Society today!)

    With best wishes,

    Bill Clifford

    WACA President and CEO

    Council of the Month WAC Dallas/Forth Worth:

    Striking Programming Balance in an Election Year

    The World Affairs Council of Dallas/Fort Worth is distinguishing itself by offering programs that feature key politicians while assiduously upholding one of the Council's core values: nonpartisanship.

    With less than 100 days until midterm elections, two big Texas races are taking center stage. The 32nd Congressional District is one of the most-watched House races in the country, featuring longtime Republican incumbent Pete Sessions, who chairs the powerful House Rules Committee, and Obama-endorsed first-time candidate Colin Allred. Inside Elections now rates this race a toss-up. The Senate race has also intensified, as recent polls show Senator Ted Cruz with just a slight lead ahead of Texas 16th Congressional District Representative and Democratic candidate, Beto O’Rourke.

    Recently, Allred joined the Council for a discussion; Sessions, Beto, and Cruz have been confirmed for engagements pending availability in their calendars. WACDFW also plans to invite all 2020 Presidential candidates to speak. According to its most recent survey, this open forum approach to programming has served the Council well as members see the organization as politically neutral and unbiased. Read more about WACDFW's programming here.

    Wednesday, August 22, at 2:00-2:30 PM ET

    Cover to Cover with Vicki Huddleston on Cuba

    Peeling back the "Sugar Curtain" to examine several decades of stormy relations between the U.S. and Cuba, Vicki Huddleston, the top diplomat in Havana under Presidents Bill Clinton and George W. Bush, provides an essential memoir. Huddleston also peers into the future, when for the first time in more than six decades no one named Castro will be Cuba's leader.

    Register for the conference call Wednesday, Aug 22, at 2-2:30 pm ET.

    Coming up in September...

    Cover to Cover will feature a conversation with C.J. Chivers, two-time Pulitzer Prize-winning correspondent for the New York Times, on his new book, The Fighters: Americans in Combat in Afghanistan and Iraq.

    Sign up!

    WACA 2018 National Conference: Braving the New World Order

    November 7-9

    The Mayflower Hotel

    Washington, DC

    Register now!

    Our Table of Eight promotion has been extended - be sure to check it out!

    Think Tank six-pack

    Brookings Institution

    Thomas Wright is director of the Center on the United States and Europe and a senior fellow in the Project on International Order and Strategy at Brookings.

    Center for Strategic and International Studies

    The principals of The Trade Guys, CSIS’s recently launched podcast, will offer a special briefing for a live WACA audience at CSIS headquarters.

    PLUS:

    American Enterprise Institute 

    Center for American Progress New this year!

    Center for a New American Security

    The McCain Institute New this year!

    Additional National Conference speakers and program details will be made in the coming weeks!

    The WACA 2018 National Conference will be held November 7-9 at the beautifully renovated

    Mayflower Hotel in Washington, DC. 

    Book your rooms under WACA's special group rate of 

    $259 / night (Single/Double Occupancy) plus tax.

    Click here to reserve your room!

    See more information

  • Thursday, August 09, 2018 8:09 AM | Anonymous

    August 8, 2018

    Weekly World News Update

    Sanctioning Iran...Again; Canada-Saudi Arabia Row; Israel's Nation-State Law Controversy; Crackdown in Zimbabwe; Human Rights Travesty in Myanmar; Bangladesh Spars With Its People; Assassination Attempt on Maduro; Cuba Crawls Through Reform

    Quote of the Week

    "If somebody puts a knife in its opponent or enemy's arm and says we want to negotiate, the answer is that they must first pull out the knife and then come to the negotiation table."

    -- Iranian President Rouhani, quoted in an Iranian state television interview on Monday.

    Sanctioning Iran...Again

    The Return of U.S. Sanctions on Iran: What to Know” CFR Editors -- Council of Foreign Relations, August 6, 2018

    "American Sanctions Bring More Agony to Iran’s Dysfunctional Economy" Editorial Board -- The Economist, August 8, 2018

    Iran’s Economy Is Struggling Even Without U.S. Sanctions” Krishnadev Calamur -- The Atlantic, August 8, 2018

    "China Rejects U.S. Request to Cut Iran Oil ImportsRachel Adams-Heard and Nick Wadhams -- Bloomberg, August 3, 2018

    The Preeminent Challenge” Reuel Marc Gerecht and Ray Takeyh -- The Weekly Standard, August 3, 2018

    Canada-Saudi Arabia Row

    "Saudi Arabia Freezes New Trade, Investment with Canada" Canadian Press -- CBC, August 5, 2018

    "Saudi Arabia-Canada Spat: What We Know" Wire Services and Globe Staff -- The Globe and Mail, August 7, 2018

    "Canada Won't Look Away on Saudi Arabia, and Neither Should U.S." Editorial Board -- The Washington Post, August 7, 2018

    Israel's Nation-State Law Controversy

    "The Biggest Issue in Israel's Nation-State Law" Ronald Tiersky -- RealClearWorld, August 6, 2018

    "Basic Law or Basically a Disaster? Israel’s Nation-State Law Controversy Explained" Allison Kaplan Sommer -- Haaretz, August 6, 2018

    "Why Are Israel's Druze Protesting?" Seth Frantzman -- Jerusalem Post, August 5, 2018

    Crackdown in Zimbabwe

    "Zimbabwe Enters a New Era, but Struggles to Escape Its Past" -- BBC News, August 4, 2018

    "Zimbabwe Activists Go Into Hiding as Security Crackdown Intensifies" Jason Burke -- The Guardian, August 8, 2018

    "What’s Next for Zimbabwe?" Alexander Noyes -- Center for Strategic and International Studies, August 7, 2018

    Human Rights Travesty in Myanmar

    "UNHCR Head Asks Asia-Pacific Leaders to Show ‘Solidarity’ with Rohingyas" PTI -- The Indian Express, August 8, 2018

    "Rohingya Muslims Who Remain in Myanmar Struggle to Survive" Jon Emont and Myo Myo -- The Wall Street Journal, August 8, 2018

    "Special Report: Dangerous News - How Two Young Reporters Shook Myanmar" -- Channel News Asia, August 8, 2018

    Bangladesh Spars With Its People

    Bangladesh Protests: How a Traffic Accident Stopped a City of 18 Million” Editorial Board -- BBC News, August 6, 2018

    Looking Deeper Into Bangladesh’s Teen Revolution” Shafquat Rabbee -- Asia Times, August 6, 2018

    Bangladesh Spars With U.S. Embassy Over Students’ Road Safety Protests” Azad Majumder and Vidhi Doshi -- The Washington Post, August 7, 2018

    Global Rights Group Slams Bangladesh Government for Attacks Julhas Alam -- ABC News, August 7, 2018

    Assassination Attempt on Maduro

    Venezuela Is in Crisis But Its President Might be Stronger for It” Nicholas Casey -- The New York Times, August 6, 2018

    After Failed Assassination Attempt, Expect Maduro to Lash Out in Venezuela” Ashish Kumar Sen -- Atlantic Council, August 5, 2018

    "Assassination Attempt By Drone? Just the Latest Chaos in Venezuela" Jon Lee Anderson -- New Yorker, August 6, 2018

    "A State of Deep Suffering in Venezuela's Hospitals" Jens Glüsing -- Der Spiegel, August 8, 2018

    Cuba Crawls Through Reform

    Cuba’s Faithful Seek More Rights in an Era of Slow Reform” Kevin Douglas Grant -- The Groundtruth Project, July 31, 2018

     “A Revolution Within the Revolution: Cuba Opens to Same-Sex Marriages” Ruben Gallo -- New York Times, August 3, 2018

    Cuba Sweetens Land Grant Program for Farmers” Marc Frank -- Yahoo News, August 7, 2018

  • Tuesday, August 07, 2018 10:00 AM | Anonymous

    August 6, 2018

    WACA Weekly

    This Week: WAC Dallas Survey; Cover to Cover Wednesday; Qatar Tour; New Conference Speakers & Council Highlights

    Council of the Month Calls for Survey Participation

    The World Affairs Council of Dallas/Fort Worth is working on an initiative to bring together education programs from World Affairs Councils across our network to collect global competence data based on a survey for the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA).

    They would appreciate participation from those World Affairs Councils that run education programs. If your Council is interested in participating in the survey, please contact Amy Miller at amiller@dfwworld.org.


    Wednesday, August 8, at 2:00-2:30 PM ET

    Cover to Cover with Jeffrey Lilley on Kyrgyzstan

    Jeffrey Lilley, in his new book, Have the Mountains Fallen?: Two Journeys of Loss and Redemption in the Cold War, traces the lives of two Kyrgyz intellectuals who confronted the full threat and legacy of the Soviet empire. Through penetrating narratives of a homeland forever changed, a clearer picture emerges of the struggle for freedom inside Kyrgyzstan during the Cold War.

    Register for the conference call Wednesday, Aug 8, at 2-2:30 pm ET.

    Coming up on August 22...

    Cover to Cover brings you a double feature this month: Vicki Huddleston, the top U.S. diplomat in Cuba under Presidents Bill Clinton and George W. Bush will discuss her memoir, Our Women in Havana.

    Sign up!


    WACA 2018 Leadership Mission to Qatar

    October 12-19

    Doha, Qatar

    Apply now!


    The World Affairs Councils of America is delighted to announce that the Embassy of the State of Qatar in Washington, DC will sponsor a WACA Leadership Mission to Qatar, this October.

    Note: Flights will depart from United States airports on Friday, October 12, and arrive in Doha on Saturday, October 13. Return flights will depart Qatar on Friday, October 19.

    This WACA Leadership Mission will be comprised of a Qatar Embassy representative, WACA President and CEO Bill Clifford, and a minimum of 10 delegates from the Council network. Participants will have the opportunity to engage in dialogue with top government officials, business leaders, journalists, and other experts to gain a better understanding of the political, national security, economic, social, and cultural landscape of the host country. See more details.

    Eligibility

    This Leadership Mission is open to Council CEOs, Board directors and other key supporters of local Councils and the WACA network, and affiliate members based in DC. Applicants should be actively involved in Council operations and activities, and must be supported by their Councils.

    Expenses

    The generous sponsorship of the Embassy of Qatar will cover international airfare and in-country expenses for the delegation, including hotel accommodation, most meals, and local transportation. An administrative fee of $2000, made payable to the World Affairs Councils of America, is required from each selected participant. Delegates are responsible for making any travel insurance arrangements at their discretion. Delegates are also responsible for any souvenirs and incidentals.

    Selection Process

    Applicants should review this announcement, understand expectations, and submit the following to the WACA National Office by email to lbrailsford@worldaffairscouncils.org by the close of business on Monday, August 24, 2018:

    ·     Application Form (Download Here) and Release of Liability Form (Download Here

    ·     A color copy of the photo page of your passport

    ·     A letter of reference from your local Council CEO. If you are a Council CEO, please submit a letter of reference from the Chair of your Board of Directors

    Delegates will be selected based on their demonstrated involvement with their local Councils and WACA, as well as their commitment to public engagement following the WACA Leadership Mission. 

    WACA 2018 National Conference: Braving the New World Order

    November 7-9

    The Mayflower Hotel

    Washington, DC

    Register now!

    Our Table of Eight promotion has been extended - be sure to check it out!

    Think Tank six-pack

    Brookings Institution

    Thomas Wright is director of the Center on the United States and Europe and a senior fellow in the Project on International Order and Strategy at Brookings.

    Center for Strategic and International Studies

    The principals of The Trade Guys, CSIS’s recently launched podcast, will offer a special briefing for a live WACA audience at CSIS headquarters.

    PLUS:

    American Enterprise Institute 

    Center for American Progress New this year!

    Center for a New American Security

    The McCain Institute New this year!

    Additional National Conference speakers and program details will be made in the coming weeks!

    The WACA 2018 National Conference will be held November 7-9 at the beautifully renovated

    Mayflower Hotel in Washington, DC. 

    Book your rooms under WACA's special group rate of 

    $259 / night (Single/Double Occupancy) plus tax.

    Click here to reserve your room!

    See more information


    Global Careers for Women

    Global Careers is hosting an online career fair exclusively for women who have 7+ years of relevant job experience.

    The campaign will feature job opportunities, editorial, interviews, and webinars from diverse international organizations to engage with staff on October 4, 2018.


  • Monday, August 06, 2018 8:52 AM | Anonymous

    August 3, 2018

    Cover to Cover summer reads - and conversations - will transport you to Kyrgyzstan and Cuba...

    Wednesday, August 8, at 2:00-2:30 PM ET

    Cover to Cover with author Jeffrey Lilley

    Have the Mountains Fallen?

    After surviving the blitzkrieg of World War II and escaping from three Nazi prison camps, Soviet soldier Azamat Altay fled to the West and was charged as a traitor in his homeland of Kyrgyzstan in Soviet Central Asia.

    Meanwhile, Chingiz Aitmatov became a hero of Kyrgyzstan, propelled by family loss to write novels about the everyday lives of his fellow citizens.

    Altay became the voice of democracy on Radio Liberty, broadcasting back into his shuttered homeland, while Aitmatov rose through the ranks of Soviet society, a quiet rebel whose prose masked ugly truths about Soviet communism. Yet just as they seemed to be pulled apart by the divisions of the Cold War, they found their lives intersecting in compelling ways, joined by a common mission to save their people. 

    Jeffrey Lilley, in his new book, Have the Mountains Fallen?: Two Journeys of Loss and Redemption in the Cold War, traces the lives of these two men as they confronted the full threat and legacy of the Soviet empire. Through penetrating narratives of a homeland forever changed, a clearer picture emerges of the struggle for freedom inside the Soviet Union during the Cold War.

    Join our conference call Wednesday, August 8, at 2:00-2:30 pm ET.

    Register now!

    Wednesday, August 22, at 2:00-2:30 PM ET

    Cover to Cover with Ambassador Vicki Huddleston

    Our Woman in Havana

    Peeling back the "Sugar Curtain" to examine several decades of stormy relations between the U.S. and Cuba, Vicki Huddleston, the top diplomat in Havana under Presidents Bill Clinton and George W. Bush, provides an essential memoir.

    Huddleston recounts missed opportunities for detente and the myths and misconceptions that have long pervaded the U.S.-Cuban standoff. Her perspectives on the Obama administration's diplomatic opening of 2014, the mysterious "sonic" brain and hearing injuries suffered by American and Canadian diplomats who were serving in Havana, and the Trump administration's reversal of the Obama opening, are nuanced and well presented.

    Huddleston also peers into the future, when for the first time in more than six decades no one named Castro will be Cuba's leader.

    Join our conference call Wednesday, August 22, at 2:00-2:30 pm ET.

    Join our call!


    Coming up on September 11:

    Cover to Cover on 9/11 will feature a conversation with C.J. Chivers, two-time Pulitzer Prize-winning correspondent for the New York Times, on his new book, The Fighters: Americans in Combat in Afghanistan and Iraq.


  • Wednesday, August 01, 2018 3:15 PM | Anonymous

    August 1, 2018

    Weekly World News Update

    Pakistan’s Future with Imran Khan; Trump, Rouhani Go Round and Round; Zimbabwe’s First Post-Mugabe Election; NATO’s Struggles; Iraqi Crises; U.S.-Mexico Relations Under Strain

    Quote of the Week

    "I think Trump and Imran Khan would get along fine if they get the chance…Each country resents its ongoing dependence on the other, but ultimately, the U.S. and Pakistan need to find ways to cooperate despite deep mistrust.” 

    -- Vikram Singh, Senior Fellow at the Center for American Progress and former top State and Defense Department official in the Obama administration, quoted in a New York Times article Tuesday.

    Pakistan’s Future with Imran Khan

    After a Volatile Election Season, What Now for Pakistan?” Moeed Yusuf and Colin Cookman -- United States Institute of Peace, July 26, 2018

    What Does Imran Khan’s Victory Mean?” Michael Kugelman -- Wilson Center, July 27, 2018

    A Glimpse of Pakistan’s Foreign Policy Under Imran Khan?” Alyssa Ayres -- Asia Unbound, July 26, 2018

    Imran Khan Can’t Fix Pakistan’s Foreign Policy” Mehreen Zahra-Malik -- Foreign Policy, July 24, 2018

    Real Power Over Pakistan’s Regional Policies Will Continue to Rest With the Military” Farzana Shaikh -- Chatham House, July 27, 2018

    Trump, Rouhani Go Round and Round

    What Exactly Is the U.S. Policy Toward Iran?” Faysal Itani -- Atlantic Council, July 25, 2018

    Trump Says He Would Meet with Iranian Leader, but Iran Rules It Out” Michael Shear and Rick Gladstone -- New York Times, July 30, 2018

    Iranian Interior Minister Says Trump Is Not Trustworthy Enough for Talks” Bozorgmehr Sharafedin -- CNBC, July 31, 2018

    How Can We Stop Iran’s Space Program Threatening the West?” Michael Elleman -- International Institute for Strategic Studies, July 31, 2018

    Zimbabwe’s First Post-Mugabe Election

    The Zimbabwe Election Isn’t Just About Who Wins, But How It’s Won” Wilf Mbanga -- The Guardian, July 29, 2018

    Robert Mugabe Has Added Some Uncertainty to Zimbabwe’s First Election Without Him” Tawanda Karombo -- Quartz Media, July 30, 2018

    What Is at Stake in Zimbabwe’s Election?” J.M. Harare -- The Economist, July 30, 2018

    The Zimbabwe Election and Mnangagwa’s Charm Offensive” John Campbell -- Council on Foreign Relations, July 31, 2018

    NATO’s Struggles

    5 Things About NATO People Too Often Misunderstand” Stephen M. Walt -- Business Insider, July 28, 2018

    "How Trump Can Defend U.S., NATO, and Ukraine from Russian Aggression” Michael B. Mukasey -- Atlantic Council, July 30, 2018

    NATO’s Purpose Is to Ensure We Don’t Have to Defend Montenegro” Marc A. Thiessen -- Washington Post, July 31, 2018

    Iraqi Crises

    Iraq’s Paramilitary Groups: The Challenge of Rebuilding a Functioning State” Editorial Board -- International Crisis Group, July 30, 2018

    Shias in Southern Iraq Are Fed Up With the Government” Editorial Board -- The Economist, July 26, 2018

    After Protests, Iraq’s Leader Suspends Electricity Minister Over Blackouts” -- Associated Press and Reuters (NYT), July 29, 2018

    U.S.-Mexico Ties Under Pressure

    The Coming U.S.-Mexico Blow-Up” Shannon K. O’Neil -- Council on Foreign Relations, July 30, 2018

    The U.S. Should Work With Mexico to Stem Central American Migration” Dan Crenshaw -- National Review, July 30, 2018

  • Tuesday, July 31, 2018 8:56 AM | Anonymous

    July 30, 2018

    August Newsletter

    Council of the Month: WAC Dallas/FW; Qatar Leadership Mission; CSIS's Trade Guys at WACA Conference; Spotlights on Kyrgyzstan and Oman; Job Openings; Councils in the News; and more

    President's Letter

    Dear Council Leaders, Friends, and Supporters:

    WACA is pleased to present Council of the Month honors for August to the World Affairs Council of Dallas/Fort Worth. Council President and CEO Jim Falk, who also serves on the WACA Board of Directors, shared this very recent letter to the Council's members:


    Recently I researched a widely-used quote attributed to Thomas Jefferson that I planned to include in an upcoming speech. To my surprise, I found that doing so would have perpetuated an historical inaccuracy - about the founder of my university (UVA) no less! Jefferson is often said to have written: "An educated citizenry is a vital requisite for our survival as a free people.” According to the Thomas Jefferson Foundation - which maintains an exhaustive database on all things Jefferson - while the quote may have reflected his views, he neither said nor wrote it. That was a reminder to me about how careful one needs to be in checking sources. 

    World Affairs Council audiences frequently have the privilege to hear and question key policymakers, and other original sources, without external filters. This has certainly been true this summer, with appearances by current and former key players in our national security apparatus including James Clapper, Michael Hayden, Kay Bailey Hutchison and Ben Rhodes. Sometimes speaker appearances at our podium prompt emails and calls of pleasure and displeasure from our members. My response is this: The Council provides a safe - and I hope balanced - venue for different points of view, giving our members and the public the chance to listen to varying perspectives and, in many cases, to hear why a decision that in hindsight may seem flawed at the time was the best of several challenging options.

    Since the dawn of this century, partisanship has become increasingly bitter, with the margins moving farther apart. I think you will agree that today this rancor has spread more broadly, touching our neighborhoods, families, and yes, even our World Affairs Council. 

    Several members have mentioned to me that they are tired, if not weary, of the hyperbolic rhetoric and that they are “checking-out” and ignoring the news. While that is tempting, it is not why you and I support the World Affairs Council. It is interesting to refer to the Council’s original establishment statement from 1951: "In the belief that better community education in world affairs is necessary for sound democratic citizenship, and in order to present facts and realistic appraisals, and to foster free and informed discussions on world problems, including economic, political and social problems, the Dallas Council on World Affairs is established." 

    With the midterm elections just a few months away, we hope to include in our program a number of the candidates. In this vein, you will note that Beto O’Rourke will be speaking on August 15. Senator Ted Cruz has accepted our invitation although a date is yet to be confirmed. We will also welcome Colin Allred on August 8 and hope that Rep. Pete Sessions will accept our invitation. Soon we will begin inviting likely candidates in the 2020 presidential race (as we did before the 2016 election). The recent survey that many of you completed confirms once again that our members view the Council as politically neutral and unbiased. As you might imagine, this is a measurement that we monitor especially carefully.

    In just a few days, we join our friends at the Dallas Museum of Art to celebrate the 100th birthday of Nelson Mandela and so it seems appropriate to close with this quotation: "A good leader can engage in a debate frankly and thoroughly, knowing that in the end he and the other side must be closer, and thus emerge stronger."

    I look forward to continuing the conversation with you.

    Jim Falk, President and CEO

    World Affairs Council of Dallas/Fort Worth

    Grateful for your leadership, Jim, and wishing all of you a pleasant August!

    Bill Clifford, WACA President and CEO

    WACA 2018 National Conference: Braving the New World Order

    November 7-9

    The Mayflower Hotel

    Washington, DC

    Register now!

    More Think Tank Off-sites

    Center for Strategic and International Studies

    The principals of The Trade Guys, CSIS’s recently launched podcast, will offer a special briefing for a live WACA audience at CSIS headquarters.

    Center for American Progress New this year!

    Kelly Magsamen is Vice President for National Security and International Policy at CAP. Previously, she was the principal deputy assistant secretary of defense for Asian and Pacific Security Affairs.

    The McCain Institute New this year!

    Ambassador Kurt Volker is Executive Director of the McCain Institute for International Leadership at Arizona State University based in Washington, DC. In July, 2017, he was appointed U.S. Special Representative for Ukraine Negotiations.

    Center for a New American Security

    CNAS is an independent, bipartisan, nonprofit organization that develops strong, pragmatic, and principled national security and defense policies. 

    Speakers

    Dambisa Moyo

    Dambisa Moyo, international economist, author of Edge of Chaos: Why Democracy Is Failing to Deliver Economic Growth - and How to Fix It, and WACA's July Cover to Cover guest.

    Ray Rothrock

    Ray Rothrock, Chairman and CEO of RedSeal, a Sunnyvale, CA-based provider of network security solutions, and author of Digital Resilience.

    Nina Ansary

    Dr. Nina Ansary, Visiting Fellow at the London School of Economics (LSE) Centre for Women, Peace and Security, and one of six UN Women Champions for Innovation.

    The World Affairs Councils of America 2018 National Conference will be held November 7-9 at the Mayflower Hotel in Washington, DC. 

    We have secured a special group rate for 1 Deluxe Room$259 per night (Single/Double Occupancy) plus tax.

    Click here to reserve your room!

    See more information

    Additional National Conference speakers and program details will be made in the coming weeks!

    August Cover to Cover: Author Lilley Explores an Unusual Cold War Theater

    Join our Cover to Cover conference call with Jeffrey Lilley on Wednesday, August 8, at 2:00-2:30 pm ET.

    After surviving the blitzkrieg of World War II and escaping from three Nazi prison camps, Soviet soldier Azamat Altay fled to the West and was charged as a traitor in his homeland of Kyrgyzstan in Soviet Central Asia. Chingiz Aitmatov became a hero of Kyrgyzstan, propelled by family loss to write novels about the everyday lives of his fellow citizens. Altay became the voice of democracy on Radio Liberty, broadcasting back into his shuttered homeland, while Aitmatov rose through the ranks of Soviet society, a quiet rebel whose prose masked ugly truths about Soviet communism. Yet just as they seemed to be pulled apart by the divisions of the Cold War, they found their lives intersecting in compelling ways, joined by a common mission to save their people. 

    In his new book, Have the Mountains Fallen?: Two Journeys of Loss and Redemption in the Cold WarJeffrey Lilley traces the lives of these two men as they confronted the full threat and legacy of the Soviet empire. Through narratives of loss, love, and longing for a homeland forever changed, a clearer picture emerges of the struggle for freedom inside the Soviet Union during the Cold War.

    Did you miss WACA's July Cover to Cover with Dambisa Moyo on her new book, Edge of Chaos: Why Democracy is Failing to Deliver Economic Growth - and How to Fix It? Listen to the podcast here!

    Sign up here

  • Monday, July 30, 2018 9:35 AM | Anonymous

    July 18, 2018

    WACA 2018 Leadership Mission to Qatar

    October 12-19

    Applications Due by August 24

    The World Affairs Councils of America is delighted to announce that the Embassy of the State of Qatar in Washington, DC will sponsor a WACA Leadership Mission to Qatar, this October.

    Note: Flights will depart from United States airports on Friday, October 12, and arrive in Doha on Saturday, October 13. Return flights will depart Qatar on Friday, October 19.

    This WACA Leadership Mission will be comprised of a Qatar Embassy representative, WACA President and CEO Bill Clifford, and a minimum of 10 delegates from the Council network. With this announcement, we welcome applications including a statement of interest in participating in this unique travel opportunity. 

    WACA Leadership Mission Details

    For more than 20 years, the WACA National Office has arranged in-depth fact-finding trips as a benefit to Council leaders, stakeholders, and members, as well as WACA partners. Through Leadership Missions and Study Tours, WACA has given groups of professionals the opportunity to engage in dialogue with top government officials, business leaders, journalists, and other experts to gain a better understanding of the political, national security, economic, social, and cultural landscape of the host country.

    With a focus also on key issues shaping bilateral relations with the United States, this WACA Leadership Mission will allow participants to use their firsthand knowledge of Qatar to design and present Council programs, events, and activities that foster genuine grassroots understanding of and international engagement with Qatar in their local communities.

    Itineraries and professional meetings are organized by the Embassy of Qatar. Arrangements will be made for the WACA delegation to interact with senior leadership in the public, private, and nonprofit sectors to further enhance delegates' understanding of Qatar. 

    Eligibility

    This Leadership Mission is open to Council CEOs, Board directors and other key supporters of local Councils and the WACA network, and affiliate members based in DC. Applicants should be actively involved in Council operations and activities, and must be supported by their Councils.

    Leadership Missions involve multiple professional meetings, cultural activities, and extensive walking each day. It is a stimulating and demanding experience, even if one is immune to jet lag. For these reasons, delegates should be in excellent physical condition. 

    Expectations

    Delegates representing the World Affairs Councils of America are citizen diplomats in every sense of the phrase. Those selected will receive a welcome packet that includes local customs that should be observed. Participation in all aspects of the itinerary is essential, except in the case of unexpected illness.

    Before Departure

    Briefing materials will be provided to delegates in advance of the trip; however, participants should also be proactive in learning about Qatar’s history, social mores, and current issues in domestic politics and foreign relations.

    During the Trip

    Delegates should be prepared for a full schedule in Qatar from October 13-19. (Note: Qatar Airways flights will depart the U.S. on October 12 and arrive in Doha on October 13. Arriving later than October 13 and returning earlier than October 19 are not options. Delegates are required to attend all meetings and site visits. Delegates are not required to present gifts to their meeting interlocutors, but those who wish to may do so, as appropriate (the subject of gifts will be covered in more detail ahead of the trip). 

    Upon Return

    Participants are expected to contribute in two ways after this Leadership Mission:

    a)      Based on the assignments to report on specific meetings of interest to delegates, individual reports will be compiled and published as a WACA Leadership Mission Report. This will be distributed to all Councils in the WACA network, as well as to the trip hosts, and be uploaded to the WACA website.

    b)     Councils represented by delegates are required to host at least one program on Qatar or U.S.-Qatar relations within 3-6 months of the trip. The program should include a large public forum plus a roundtable, and the public event should strive for media coverage (op-ed and feature articles, broadcast interviews, etc.). Councils should report such program activities and outreach to the WACA National Office.

    Expenses

    The generous sponsorship of the Embassy of Qatar will cover international airfare and in-country expenses for the delegation, including hotel accommodation, most meals, and local transportation.

    An administrative fee of $2000, made payable to the World Affairs Councils of America, is required from each selected participant.

    Delegates are responsible for making any travel insurance arrangements at their discretion. Delegates are also responsible for any souvenirs and incidentals.

    Selection Process

    Applicants are asked to submit the following to the WACA National Office by email to lbrailsford@worldaffairscouncils.org by the close of business on Monday, August 24, 2018:

    ·     Application Form (Download Here) and Release of Liability Form (Download Here

    ·     A color copy of the photo page of your passport

    ·     A letter of reference from your local Council CEO. If you are a Council CEO, please submit a letter of reference from the Chair of your Board of Directors

    Delegates will be selected based on their demonstrated involvement with their local Councils and WACA, as well as their commitment to public engagement following the WACA Leadership Mission. 

  • Wednesday, July 25, 2018 3:13 PM | Anonymous

    July 25, 2018

    Weekly World News Update

    Iran Twitter War; NATO Summit Reverberates; Pakistan Goes to the Polls; Fixes Come to Ease Trade War Consequences; President Xi Jinping Tours Africa

    Quote of the Week

    "COLOR US UNIMPRESSED: The world heard even harsher bluster a few months ago. And Iranians have heard them —albeit more civilized ones—for 40 yrs. We’ve been around for millennia & seen fall of empires, incl our own, which lasted more than the life of some countries. BE CAUTIOUS!"

    -- Mohammad Javad Zarif, Iran's Foreign Ministerin a tweet on Monday.

    Iran Twitter War

    Trump’s Angry Iran Tweet” Ashish Kumar Sen -- Atlantic Council, July 23, 2018.

    Does the United States Have a Strategy to Contain Iran in the Middle East? Michael Young --Carnegie Middle East Center, July 19, 2018.

    On Trump’s Decision to Withdraw from the Iran Deal Nader Granmayeh -- Foreign Policy Association, July 24, 2018.

    Will Trump Pull a North Korea on Iran?” Nahal Toosi -- Politico, July 23, 2018

    NATO Summit Reverberates

    Why NATO Matters Matthew Continetti -- National Review, July 21, 2018

    "The NATO We Have and the NATO We Seek" Diana Ohlbaum -- Lobe Log, July 25, 2018

    What If NATO Really IS Obsolete? George Paik -- Foreign Policy Association, July 23, 2018.

    Pakistan Goes to the Polls

    Will Pakistan Elections Mark a Turnaround?” Farhan Bokhari -- Gulf News, July 24, 2018

    Charges of Rigging, Intimidation Mar Pakistan Campaign Kathy Gannon -- Chicago Tribune, July 24, 2018

    The Dirty Politics of Pakistan's Censored Democracy Xari Jalil -- The Wire, July 24, 2018

    Pakistan Election Raises Fears of 'Creeping Coup' M Ilyas Khan -- BBC, July 23, 2018

    "Is Imran Khan the Pakistani Military's 'Favorite Son'?" Michael Kugelman -- Al Jazeera, July 23, 2018

    Fixes Come to Ease Trade War Consequences

    To Ease Pain of Trump’s Trade War: $12 Billon in Aid for Farmers Julie Hirschfield Davis and Ana Swanson -- New York Times, July 24, 2018

    Trade in Services Agreement: A Way Out of the Trade War? Barbara C. Matthews and Earl Anthony Wayne -- Atlantic Council, July 23, 2018

    Xi Jinping, Trade War and the Curse of the Strong Leader Kerry Brown -- Chatham House,

    July 24, 2018

    Will Trump-Juncker Meeting Defuse a Trade War?” David Wemer -- Atlantic Council, July 24, 2018

    President Xi Jinping Tours Africa

    Xi Jinping Is Visiting Africa This Week. Here’s Why China Is Such a Popular Development Partner.” Deborah Bräutigam -- The Washington Post, July 24, 2018

    Rwanda Hosts Chinese President Xi Jinping and Indian PM Narendra Modi Bukola Adebayo and Stephanie Busari -- CNN, July 23, 2018

    China's Latest Trade Partner in Africa Could Help It Export to the US Justina Crabtree – CNBC, July 23, 2018


  • Tuesday, July 24, 2018 11:15 AM | Anonymous

                                                                  July 23, 2018

    WACA Weekly

    This Week: New Conference Think Tank; Early Bird Registration Special; Job Openings; and Council Highlights


    WACA 2018 National Conference: Braving the New World Order

    November 7-9

    The Mayflower Hotel

    Washington, DC

    Register now!

    July Promotion: Table of Eight

    We are pleased to offer Councils an even better deal than our Early Bird discounts on individual Conference tickets!

    For those WACs that purchase a Table of Eight for $4,000, WACA will provide a free registration for a 9th guest. In addition, you will receive preferred table seating at the keynote dinner, Ambassadors Luncheon, and closing keynote luncheon, as well as one complimentary 1918 Society Membership.

    New Think Tank Off-site

    We are excited to announce that The McCain Institute will offer an exclusive briefing to a WACA cohort for the first time at the National Conference. Executive Director Kurt Volker, former U.S. Ambassador to NATO and presently the U.S. Special Representative for Ukraine, will lead the briefing.

    Other think tank partners include:

    Center for American Progress (CAP), New this year!

    American Enterprise Institute (AEI)

    Center for a New American Security (CNAS)

    USIP: A Year in the Life of a Peace Teacher

    At a time when violent international conflict and the threat of extremism loom large, four high school teachers in Missouri, Montana, Oklahoma, and Florida have spent the last year taking part in a U.S. Institute of Peace program to help their students gain the knowledge, skills, and perspectives they need to work toward a more peaceful world.

    USIP's President and CEO Nancy Lindborg mentioned her recent visit to the World Affairs Council of Charlotte in her opening remarks to the "Year in the Life of a Peace Teacher" symposium.

    Listen to the podcast here and join the conversation at #USIPPeaceTeachers.

    After 21 Years of Leadership, Carol Engebretson Byrne Will Step Down From Her Role as Global Minnesota President

    Under Byrne’s leadership, Global Minnesota has created groundbreaking programs on important international topics, engaging tens of thousands in Minnesota to know more about the world. The organization has financially grown by more than 300 percent and has experienced transformational change with Byrne at the helm. Byrne gives credit for the early growth of Global Minnesota under her leadership in the late 1990s to others in the WACA network who served as mentors. Byrne said she particularly appreciates former WACA head Jerry Leach's mentorship.

    “I am privileged to have served as a steward of the worthy mission of this amazing organization that makes such a positive difference in our community and world,” Byrne said.

    The Global Minnesota Board of Directors has engaged Ballinger|Leafblad, an executive search firm with extensive experience in the nonprofit sector, to conduct a national search. More details will be available soon on the Global Minnesota website.

    Read more

    SDWAC's Schlosser Speaks with San Diego Union-Tribune

    We are pleased to share the San Diego Union-Tribune’s July 14 “One-on-One” Q&A with San Diego World Affairs Council President John Schlosser. SDWAC's next event, this Thursday, will focus on U.S. trade policy,featuring Dr. Peter Cowhey, Dean of UCSD's School of Global Policy and Strategy.

    See below for more Council program highlights!

    Read more


    Listen here

  • Wednesday, July 18, 2018 12:08 PM | Anonymous

    July 18, 2018

    Weekly World News Update

    Presidents Trump and Putin Meet in Helsinki; The Messy Brexit; Trade War Sparks New Alliances; Pakistan Prepares to Vote; Crisis in Nicaragua Continues

    Quote of the Week

    “President Trump must clarify his statements in Helsinki on our intelligence system and Putin. It is the most serious mistake of his presidency and must be corrected - immediately.” 

    -- New Gingrich, former Republican Speaker of the House, in a tweet on Monday.

    Presidents Trump and Putin Meet in Helsinki

    "Standing Up for Democracy" Richard Fontaine and Daniel Twining -- Foreign Affairs, July 18, 2018

    Trump’s Helsinki Discord” Rich Lowry -- National Review, July 17, 2018

    "This Is the Moment of Truth for Republicans" James Fallows -- The Atlantic, July 16, 2018

    A Bad Summit” Daniel Fried -- Atlantic Council, July 16, 2018

    U.S.-Russia Relations Are Stuck on Repeat” Nikolas K. Gvosdev -- The National Interest, July 16, 2018

    The Oil Context of the Trump-Putin Meeting” Amy Myers Jaffe -- Council on Foreign Relations, July 16, 2018

    The Messy Brexit

    A New Brexit Plan Creates Fresh Depths of Chaos” Editorial Board -- The Economist, July 12, 2018

    How the BBC Lost the Plot on Brexit” Nick Cohen -- The New York Review of Books, July 12, 2018

    Theresa May Is Teetering. But Her Fall Will Not End the Crisis” Matthew d'Ancona -- The Guardian, July 15, 2018

    Why Theresa May Can’t Figure Out Brexit” Thomas Raines -- Fortune, July 13, 2018

    Theresa May’s Brexit Model: Many Questions, Not Least ‘Why Leave?'” Michael Emerson -- Center for European Policy Studies, July 16, 2018

    Trade War Sparks New Alliances

    "Trading Past America" Editorial Board -- The Wall Street Journal, July 18, 2018

    "Free Trade Sphere Grows, Leaving U.S. in the Cold" Editorial Board -- Nikkei Asian Review, July 18, 2018

    "Germany Gains Upper Hand in European Split Over Trump Trade Strategy" Hans Von Der Burchard and Jakob Hanke -- Politico Europe, July 18, 2018

    China’s Economy: Fake News and Good(?) News” Derek Scissors - American Enterprise Institute, July 16, 2018

    Trump’s Trade War Has Unified the World Against U.S. Exports” Jeffrey J. Schott and Euijin Jung -- Peterson Institute for International Economics, July 11, 2018

    Pakistan Prepares to Vote

    What Is Behind the Crackdown on Freedom of Speech in Pakistan?” Gul Bukhari -- Al Jazeera, July 16, 2018

    Violent Extremist or Political Candidate? In Pakistan Election, You Can Be Both” Maria Abi-Habib; Shah Meer Baloch; Zia ur-Rehman -- The New York Times, July 17, 2018

    Is China Influencing Pakistan’s Elections?” Muhammad Akbar Notezai -- The Diplomat, July 11, 2018

    Crisis in Nicaragua Continues

    "Nicaraguan Forces Violently Retake Symbolic City After Bloody Anti-Government Protests" Luis Manuel Galeano and Christopher Sherman -- Time, July 18, 2018

    "Ortega Is Becoming the Type of Autocrat He Once Despised" Charles Lane -- The Washington Post, July 16, 2018

    Since April, More than 300 People Have Died Protesting in Nicaragua. Here’s Why” Luiz Romero -- Quartz, July 16, 2018



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