Events

Getting the Facts on Benghazi Monday, October 19, 2015 3:00PM EST In anticipation of Secretary Clinton’s appearance before the House Benghazi Committee on October 22, the National Security Network is hosting a press call on Monday, October 19 at 3PM, with two former Obama Administration officials who are familiar with the events surrounding the 2012 Benghazi attack as well as the broader situation in Libya. The officials will provide background information and will answer questions on-the-record to assist reporters in understanding the timeline and consequences of the attack on the American Consulate in Benghazi. EXPERTS Matthew Olsen is a Former Director of the National Counterterrorism Center, and currently is a lecturer at Harvard and a National Security Analyst for ABC News. Prior to joining NCTC,… Read More ›

Unpacking the National Defense Authorization Act May 12, 2015   On May 6th, National Security Network and the Pentagon Budget Campaign co-hosted a lunch panel discussion, “Unpacking the NDAA” for over 30 Hill staffers. The panel included presentations from Todd Harrison, Center for Strategic and Budgetary Assessments, Mandy Smithberger, Project on Government Oversight, and Ben Friedman, Cato Institute, and was moderated by Wendy Jordan, Taxpayers for Common Sense. Harrison outlined budget caps levels under the Budget Control Act and discussed areas of efficiency reforms that were included and not included in the NDAA. Friedman discussed budgetary gimmicks in the Overseas Contingency Operations account and key areas where the Pentagon needed to make strategic choices. Smithberger highlighted particular weapons programs full of waste that were cut… Read More ›

Retired General Visits Cincinnati, Talks ISIS Huy Nguyen April 8, 2014 | The News Record As the global ISIS threat continues, Retired Maj. Gen. Paul Eaton arrived in Cincinnati April 1 to address how exactly ISIS began and what America can do to stop it. The Islamic State of Iraq and Syria, also known as ISIS, ISIL and Daesh, continues to rampage through the Middle East, dismantling families and government institutions. Within four months after its rise in June of 2014, ISIS had murdered over 5,500 people, according to Newsweek. Just this Tuesday, it was discovered that a mass grave in Tikrit exceeded 3,000 victims, Newsweek reported. Eaton attended a dinner in Xavier University’s Conaton Board Room led by the Foreign Policy Leadership Council in… Read More ›

Progress Report: Negotiations Toward a Final Deal with Iran National Security Network and National Iranian American Council April 2, 2015 NSN cohosted a House staffer briefing with NIAC entitled “Progress Report: Negotiations Toward a Final Deal with Iran” which featured presentations by Jamal Abdi (NIAC), Kelsey Davenport (ACA), and Liz Rosenberg (CNAS) and was moderated by John Bradshaw (NSN).  Jamal discussed the importance of reaching a final agreement with the P5+1 and Iran, noted how far the U.S. and Iran have come in redeveloping diplomatic channels, and the proper role for Congress in the deal’s implementation. Kelsey explained the key nuclear metrics that would judge a final deal as good and laid out the key sticking points in the negotiations on nuclear outputs. Liz explained the… Read More ›

Iran Showdown: Analysis of the Iran Framework Friday, April 3, 2015 11:30AM EST The National Security Network will be hosting a press call on Friday 4/3 at 11:30 AM Eastern time. The discussion will focus on analysis of the substantive aspects of the framework announced between the P5+1 nations and Iran in Lausanne, as well as its implications for the Middle East, Israel, and US politics. The call will be moderated by NSN Executive Director John Bradshaw. Our speakers will include Suzanne DiMaggio of the New American Foundation, Ilan Goldenberg of the Center for a New American Security, and Dr. Jim Walsh of MIT’s Security Studies program. You can find a short bio of each of the participants below. EXPERTS Suzanne DiMaggio is a Senior Fellow and the Director of the Iran Initiative… Read More ›

Statement by Bill French, NSN Policy Analyst Congressional Progressive Caucus Forum on ISIL and the President’s AUMF Proposal March 16, 2015 Distinguished members of Congress, I am honored to join you to discuss the president’s proposed authorization for use of military force (AUMF) against ISIL. Over the next few minutes, I would like to outline how a number of key national security issues relate to considering the president’s proposed resolution and what kind of provisions it should – and should not – ultimately include as a result. In particular, I will focus on select aspects of how the U.S. military strategy against ISIL should inform congressional action on a potential AUMF. As I think all of us know, ISIL poses a very real national security… Read More ›

Iran Showdown: Bibi’s Address to Congress Hosted by NSN and Rethink Media March 2, 2015 at 3:00 pm EST Controversy continues to swirl around Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin “Bibi” Netanyahu’s joint address before Congress. Accepting Speaker Boehner’s invitation without the consultation of the White House weeks before the Israeli elections breached protocol and aimed to politicize the special relationship between Israel and the U.S. As negotiations between the international community and Iran continue with the hopes of reaching a successful conclusion in the near future, Bibi’s address has the potential to scuttle progress and to convince members of Congress to reject any final deal reached between the P5+1 and Iran. The manner in which this invitation was extended without White House knowledge and the fallout since its announcement has… Read More ›

President Obama’s National Security Budget: Strategic and Sustainable? Hosted by NSN, Council for a Livable World, and the National Taxpayers Union February 5, 2015 National Security Network, the Council for a Livable World, and the National Taxpayers Union co-host two Pentagon budget briefings, one for the House and the other for the Senate. The President’s FY16 Budget Request is expected to bust the Pentagon budget caps set by the Budget Control Act–and that doesn’t even include the Overseas Contingency Operations account. The Air Force and Navy are also jockeying to create off-budget accounts for nuclear weapons modernization costs. Is this spending properly aligned with our national security priorities? Where can strategic cuts be made? Join the National Security Network, the Council for a Livable World, and the National Taxpayers Union for a briefing… Read More ›

Showdown with Iran Monday, January 26, 2015 10:00 AM EST ABOUT THE CALL In his 2015 State of the Union address, President Obama told Congress that he would veto any sanctions legislation against Iran, stressing that such action could possibly lead the United States down the path of war with the Islamic Republic and all but destroy the diplomatic efforts being made to ensure that Iran’s  nuclear program remains peaceful. As a showdown in Congress begins over whether to implement further sanctions against Iran, the National Security Network invites you to join us for a press call with Iran nuclear experts Ilan Goldenberg of the Center for New American Security, Dr. Edward Levine retired senior professional staff member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee (SFRC) and Alireza Nader… Read More ›

U.S. Foreign Policy & National Security Priorities – Implications of the Midterm Elections NSN recently co-sponsored an event at Florida State University featuring Ambassador Nancy Soderberg. Ambassador Soderberg spoke about the recent midterm elections and their implications for National Security and Foreign Policy. She began by discussing President Obama’s recent immigration action and the outlook for the new Congress on issues ranging from the Iran nuclear negotiations to the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade agreement. She went on to talk about the NATO response to Russian aggression, as well as prospects for U.S. cooperation on a range of issues with China. She also discussed the Obama administration’s current strategy for combating the Islamic State and expressed her belief that the Iraqi army will only be capable of… Read More ›