Wednesday, August 16, 2017

The World and Charlottesville; Democratic Values; Unpredictable North Korea; NAFTA Agenda; Afghanistan Troubles; India vs. China; Brexit and Borders

Quote of the Week:

" No one is born hating another person because of the color of his skin or his background or his religion..." 

-- Barack Obama, quoting Nelson Mandela in response to the violence in Charlottesville, in what is now the most-liked tweet in Twitter's history.

Charlottesville: The World Is Watching

"How the Nazi Flags in Charlottesville Look to a German" Simon Shuster -- Time, August 14, 2017

"In Charlottesville Aftermath, Europe Sees a Widening Divide with U.S." Sara Miller Llana -- Christian Science Monitor, August 14, 2017

"President Trump Flunks a Moral Test" Lexington -- The Economist, August 13, 2017

Democratic Values? The U.S. Role in World Order

"It's Time to Found a New Republic" Daren Acemoglu and Simon Johnson -- Foreign Policy, August 15, 2017

"The Statue of Liberty and the New Birth of Freedom" Daniel Freid -- Atlantic Council, August 10, 2017

"The New World Order Is Leaving the U.S. Behind" James Gibney -- Bloomberg, August 11, 2017

"Is the World Slouching Toward a Grave Systematic Crisis?" Philip Zelikow -- The Atlantic, August 11, 2017

North Korea: An Unpredictable Adversary

"How Worried Should We Be About Nuclear War With North Korea?" Dr. Patricia Lewis -- Chatham House, August 9, 2017

"How to Resolve the North Korea Crisis" Henry Kissinger -- Wall Street Journal via RealClearPolitics, August 12, 2017

"North Korea: The Non-Nuclear, Non-Missile Crisis and the Shape of Things to Come" Anthony H. Cordesman -- CSIS, August 15, 2017

The NAFTA Agenda

"Five Big Questions About the NAFTA Talks" Doug Palmer -- Politico, August 16, 2017

"Canada United, America Divided on NAFTA as Negotiations Begin" Eric Grenier -- CBC News, August 16, 2017

"Mexico Outlines Goals for Upcoming NAFTA Trade Deal Negotiations" Carrie Kahn -- NPR, August 15, 2017 [Podcast]

Afghanistan: No Way Out?

"America Keeps on Failing in Afghanistan" Ronald E. Neumann -- The Washington Post, August 9, 2017

"Taliban Letter to Trump Urges U.S. to Leave Afghanistan" -- Al Jazeera, August 15, 2017

"Mattis Mulls Plan to Privatize War in Afghanistan" Brendan McGarry -- DoD Buzz, August 15, 2017

The India-China Divide

"What a Standoff on a Small Himalayan Plateau Says About the Rivalry Between the Two Most Populous Nations" Shashank Bengali -- Los Angeles Times, August 14, 2017

"Is India's Military Actually Ready for War with China?" K.S. Venkatachalam -- The Diplomat, August 10, 2017

"Squeezed by an India-China Standoff, Bhutan Holds Its Breath" Steven Lee Meyers -- The New York Times, August 15, 2017

Borderlines and Brexit

"No Return to Irish Border Posts, UK Insists in Brexit Plan" Heather Stewart and Henry McDonald -- The Guardian, August 15, 2017

"Theresa May; Ireland; the EU, and the Prospect of a Hard Irish Border" -- Independent, August 16, 2017

Fall Preview - Global Business Summit @ SNHU, Portsmouth Library Series, and more!

WACNH Advocates for Increasing International

 Diplomacy & Development in Washington

A New Hampshire delegation, including three World Affairs Council members, attended the USGLC Summit in June. 

The USGLC State Leaders Summit, held in June in Washington D.C., is a yearly gathering for foreign policy briefings and meetings with Members of Congress with the goal of shaping the future of American foreign policy to include America's civilian-led tools of diplomacy and development.This year, Council President Steve Solomon, Board Member George Bruno, and member Larry Welch were part of the state delegation at the Summit. 

Ambassador Bruno and Ambassador Thomas Hull, a Council member, were also two of the163 former U.S. ambassadors who sent a letter to the U.S. House urging them to support full funding for the U.S. State Department's Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs.The letter is significant both for the historic number of signatures and the broad bipartisan support for educational and cultural exchanges it displays.

“We are former United States Ambassadors to countries across the globe. While we may differ in political ideology, we write today united with one voice to ask that the Senate and House Appropriations Committees support full funding in fiscal year 2018 for the Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs. The unprecedented 55 percent cut called for in the Administration’s full budget would jeopardize our nation’s public diplomacy efforts,” wrote the ambassadors.

Now, more than ever, we need to stand up and speak out in support of the country's international diplomacy programs like the Council's own International Visitors Program! Thanks to everyone who took part in our most recent advocacy efforts!

SAVE THE DATE: Global Business Summit on

 International Trade @ SNHU

Wednesday, November 8

Wednesday, August 2, 2017

America First: Diplomacy Last; Deterring North Korea; Africa's Elections; Pakistan's Politics; Venezuela Crumbles; Russia Strikes Back

Quote of the Week:

"People are struggling with how to honor their oath. The basic question is: How do you serve this great institution [U.S. Department of State] in what is one of the most trying times for our Republic?" 

-- Ambassador Barbara Stephenson, President of the Foreign Service Association in a New York Times article Sunday.

America First: Diplomacy Last?

"Tillerson Spurns $80 Million to Counter ISIS, Russian Propaganda" Nahal Toosi -- Politico, August 2, 2017

"State Department Considers Scrubbing Democracy from its Mission" Josh Rogin -- The Washington Post, August 1, 2017

"Morale Takes a Nosedive at State Department" Sharon Weinberger -- Foreign Policy, August 1, 2017 [Podcast]

"Where to Go from Here: Rebooting American Foreign Policy" Richard N. Haas -- Foreign Affairs, July/August, 2017

Deterring North Korea

"North Korea's ICBM Test Jeopardizes the Regional Power Balance" Deniele Ermito -- Foreign Policy Association, August 2, 2017

"The Surprise Location of North Korea's Latest Missile Test Is Making the U.S. and China Nervous" Steve Mollman -- Quartz, August 2 2017

"Lindsey Graham Reveals the Dark Calculus of Striking North Korea" Uri Friedman -- The Atlantic, August 1, 2017

"The Political Effects of the Missile Tests: Extended Deterrence Redux and the Squeeze on Moon Jae-in" Stephen Haggard -- Peterson Institute for International Economics, July 31, 2017

Africa's 'Big Five' Elections

"Election Guide: What You Need to Know About the Rwandan Presidential Poll" Thomas Stubbs -- The Conversation, July 30, 2017

"Essential Guide to Kenya's High Stakes Election on 8 August" Murithi Mutiga -- International Crisis Group, August 1, 2017

"Senegal's Ruling Coalition Claims Landslide Victory" Aida Grovenstins -- Deutsche Welle, August 1, 2017

"Liberia's President Calls for Peace as Election Campaigns Begin" Jonathan Paye-Layleh-- Miami Herald, August 1, 2017

"Why Kabila's Bid to Remain in Power is Bad News for the Democratic Republic of the Congo" Nelson Alusala -- The Conversation, August 1, 2017

Pakistan's Political Turmoil

"Pakistan: The Combustible Democracy" Emanuel Safraz -- The Interpreter, August 1, 2017

"Sharif Dismissal Proves Unelected Pakistan Generals Still Calling Shots" Sadanand Dhume -- Wall Street Journal via Australian Business Review, August 1, 2017

"Pakistan Lawmakers Elect New Prime Minister -- Who's Likely to Step Aside in 45 Days" Aoun Sahi -- Los Angeles Times, August 1, 2017

Venezuela Continues to Crumble

"Venezuela Nears the Road's End Between Populism and Dictatorship" Jose Mauricio Gaona -- Washington Examiner, July 29, 2017

"How to Help Venezuela Out of Crisis - and How Not To" Jodi Hanson Bond -- U.S. Chamber of Commerce, July 31, 2017

"Venezuela's Postcrisis Recovery and Reform" Moises Rendon -- CSIS, July 31, 2017

Russia Fires Back

"Russian Military Drills Near NATO Border Stoke Fears of Aggression" Michael R. Gordon and Eric Schmitt -- The Toronto Star, August 1, 2017

"The View from Moscow on U.S.-Russia Diplomatic Tensions" Steve Inskeep -- NPR, August 1, 2017 [Podcast]

"President Trump Silent on Russia after Putin Announced Expulsion of U.S. Diplomats" Karen DeYoung -- The Washington Post, July 31, 2017

Wednesday, July 26, 2017

Presidency in Peril; Another Round of Russia Sanctions; Illiberal Poland; Turkey's Authoritarianism; Cholera in Yemen; China Versus the World

Quote of the Week:

"Let me be very clear: I did not collude with Russia, nor do I know of anyone else who did so." 

-- Jared Kushner, in remarks to press following his private meeting with members of the Senate Intelligence Committee on Monday, July 24.

Presidency in Peril

"I Beg My Pardon?" Gene Healy -- CATO Institute, July 24, 2017

"Trump and Congress Are Probably on a Collision Course over Russia" Nate Silver -- FiveThirtyEight, July 26, 2017

"Trump and Congressional Republicans: It's Complicated" Carle Hulse -- The New York Times, July 25, 2017

What to Do? Sanctions...Perhaps?

"Have Sanctions Become the Swiss Army Knife of U.S. Foreign Policy?" Robert Kahn -- CFR, July 24, 2017

"To Punish Putin, Economic Sanctions Are Unlikely to Do the Trick" Eduardo Porter -- The New York Times, July 25, 2017

"EU Ready to Retaliate Against U.S. Sanctions on Russia" Jim Brunsden -- Financial Times, July 23, 2017

Law and Justice in Poland

"Duda's Veto Presents Poland with an Opportunity" Ashish Kumar Sen -- The Atlantic Council, July 24, 2017

"Polish Leader Vetoes Justice Bills Amid EU and Public Outcry" Piotr Bujnicki; Dorota Bartyzel; Adrian Krajewski -- Bloomberg, July 24, 201

"What Just Happened in Poland?" Dalibor Rohac -- American Enterprise Institute, July 21, 2017

"How Poland's Government is Weakening Democracy" -- The Economist, July 25, 2017

Turkey's Democratic Death Throes

"Erdogan's Anti-Westernism Picks Up Speed" Henri J. Barkey -- The Atlantic, July 25, 2017

"What a Day to Celebrate Press Freedom in Turkey" Murat Yetkin -- Hurriyet Daily News, July 24, 2017

"Journalism Is Under Seige in Turkey as Trial Begins for 17 Defendants from Leading Newspaper" Umar Farooq -- The Los Angeles Times, July 24, 2017

Yemen in the Time of Cholera

"The Human Toll of Yemen's Unending War" Alexandre Faite -- Foreign Policy, July 20, 2017

"Cholera Is Slaughtering Yemen and We're Letting it Happen" Laurie Garrett -- Fortune, July 20, 2017

"Why Don't Internationalists Care About Yemen?" Juan Cole -- The Nation, July 25, 2017

"Pathways for Peace and Stability in Yemen" Shoqi Maktary and Katie Smith -- Search for Common Ground, July 2017

Pushing Boundaries: China Versus the World

"South China Sea's Untapped Oil and Natural Gas Are Back in Focus" Steve Mollman -- Quartz, July 25, 2017

"AP Explains: India and China Face Off in Border Standoff'" Ashok Sharma and Christopher Bodeen -- The Washington Post, July 24, 2017

"Countering Hegemony: The U.S.-China Balance" Monish Tourangbam -- The Diplomat, July 24, 2017

Accidental activist will tell her story of life in Saudi Arabia on June 15

MANAL AL-SHARIF: DARING TO DRIVE

Presented by The Music Hall in partnership with the World Affairs Council of NH & NH Women's Foundation 

Thursday, June 15 at 7 PM - The Music Hall Loft, Portsmouth

Providing a rare glimpse into the day-to-day life of the typical Saudi woman, Manal Al-Sharif tells the remarkable story of how she became the accidental leader of the Women2Drive movement; and brought global attention to her country’s tyrannical male guardianship system and its oppression of women. She is the author of the new book, Daring to Drive.

TICKETS/INFO

An important update on the national budget

Tim Horgan, WACNH Associate Director (back row, far left), joined other members of the Alliance for International Exchange for a visit to the office of Senator Jeanne Shaheen last month to advocate for congressional support of international exchange opportunities.

An important update from the Alliance for International Exchange: "The budget released last month by President Donald Trump proposes an unprecedented cut of 32 percent to the International Affairs budget, and a 55 percent cut to the State Department’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs specifically. 

'If adopted, these cuts would greatly harm our nation’s public diplomacy efforts,' said Ilir Zherka, Executive Director of the Alliance for International Exchange. 'As Defense Secretary James Mattis has suggested, the way to reduce the possibility of war is to increase people-to-people diplomacy – which is at the heart of cultural and educational exchanges.

'Fortunately, Congress has consistently demonstrated a strong, bipartisan commitment to exchange programs, even as recently as last month. Gutting exchange programs isn’t a win for the taxpayer, because the investment in America’s national security is immense. Over 90 percent of ECA funding is spent in the United States or on Americans implementing these programs. Because of that investment, 1 in 3 world leaders today have been on a U.S. exchange program.'

Exchange programs enhance U.S. national security and prosperity by building productive partnerships, mutual understanding, and personal connections that help us address critical global issues including strengthening the world economy and combating terrorism. They also create a welcoming environment for over a million international students to study in the U.S. In 2015, these students added more than $32 billion dollars to our economy and supported over 400,000 U.S. jobs."

Here at the World Affairs Council of NH, we host 300 international visitors (from 88 different countries), and 90 interpreters, annually, leveraging about $83,000 of grant funding into $500,000 in economic activity stregthening the state. More than 400 people volunteered their time to exchange ideas with the visitors. We hope you'll join us in speaking up in support of international exchange programs!

Seacoast Speaker Series Wraps up TOMORROW!

There's just one speaker left in our spring World Affairs @ the Library series presented in partnership with the Portsmouth Public Library. The final program will take place on Wednesday, June 7 at 7 PM,featuring Mary Thompson-Jones speaking about international diplomacy. Thompson-Jones is a professor at Northeastern University and previously was a career diplomat and served in embassies and consulates in Madrid, Prague, Quebec, Guatemala, and Sarajevo. She is the author of To The Secretary: Leaked Embassy Cables and America's Foreign Policy Disconnect.

Mission Moments: Bringing the World to NH!

"The plight of journalists has never been more dangerous." - Diane Foley (right), President of the James Foley Legacy Foundation said at our screening of "Jim: the James Foley Story" on May 16 at Red River Theatres. The Concord Insider reported on the program here.

International visitors Martha Mwangonde (Malawi), Sylvester Bayowo (Ghana), Bassey Udo (Nigeria) and Andrew Karamagi (Uganda) listen to Todd Selig explain his work to promote transparency and openness as town administrator of Durham, NH. The group also volunteered for the NH Food Bank (below).

ARE YOU A MEMBER? JOIN WITH US TO STAND IN SUPPORT OF GLOBAL EDUCATION & UNDERSTANDING!

World Affairs Council of New Hampshire              
SNHU - 2500 North River Road -  Manchester - NH - 01306

www.wacnh.org - 603.314.7970 -  council@wacnh.org

Copyright © 2017 WORLD AFFAIRS COUNCIL OF NH.  All rights reserved.

3 weeks until our biggest event of the year!

GLOBAL FORUM: 

MONDAY, MAY 22 @ SNHU

FEATURING MASHA GESSEN ON RUSSIA

& HONORING AMBASSADOR RICHARD SWETT & DR. KATRINA LANTOS SWETT with the 2017 GLOBAL LEADERSHIP AWARD

THE FUTURE IS HISTORY: HOW TOTALITARIANISM RECLAIMED RUSSIA

Masha Gessen, a Russian and American journalist, is the author of the bestselling book, "The Man Without a Face: The Unlikely Rise of Vladimir Putin." An outspoken activist, Masha undergoes great risk to write truthfully about the current cultural and political climate in Russia. There is simply no one else brave enough to tell her astonishing story. This event will NOT be recorded so don't miss it!

REGISTER NOW!

Dining Center, Southern NH University, 2500 N. River Road, Manchester 03106

Reception: 5 PM- Cash bar & Hors d'oeuvres

Program: 6 PM

* Presentation of Global Leadership Award to Ambassador Richard Swett FAIA, Co-Founder and CEO of Climate Prosperity Enterprise Solutions and former U.S. Ambassador to Denmark & Dr. Katrina Lantos Swett, President of the Lantos Foundation for Human Rights and Justice

* Masha Gessen Keynote and Q&A

PURCHASE YOUR TICKETS NOW! PROCEEDS BENEFIT OUR MISSION!

$50/Member; $60/Not-yet-member; $150/Patron (includes private dinner)

THANK YOU, SPONSORS & PATRONS!

      St. Paul's School  

Charles Bickford; Irja & Frank Cilluffo; Sarah Demers; Carolyn & Philip Hollman; Jim & Elise Hood; Karen Erickson; Ruth Kleinfeld; Anne Milne; Kathryn & Jim Muirhead; Joan & Alan Reische; Jack & Carol Resch; Carolyn & Stewart Richmond; David & Missie Schroeder; Steve Solomon; Andrew Supplee; Virginia & Joe Szymanowski; Roberta & Rod Tenney

ABOUT MASHA GESSEN

Masha Gessen is a journalist and the author of many books, including Perfect Rigor, Blood Matters, Ester and Ruzya, Words Will Break Cement: The Passion of Pussy Riot, The Brothers: The Road to an American Tragedy, and most recently, Where the Jews Aren’t: The Sad and Absurd Story of Birobidzhan, Russia’s Jewish Autonomous Region. Her next book, The Future is History: How Totalitarianism Reclaimed Russia will be published this fall.

As a journalist living in Moscow, Gessen experienced the rise of Vladimir Putin firsthand. In her 2012 bestselling book The Man Without a Face: The Unlikely Rise of Vladimir Putin, she gave the chilling account of how a low-level, small-minded KGB operative ascended to the Russian presidency and, in an astonishingly short time, destroyed years of progress and made his country once more a threat to her own people and to the world.

Now, Gessen regularly contributes to The New York Times, The New Yorker, The Washington Post, Harper’s, The New York Review of Books, Vanity Fair, and Slate, among other publications. She lives in New York.