Events

Crimea in Crisis with Ambassador Michael McFaul Friday, March 7, 2014 12:00 PM Eastern As the crisis in the Crimean Peninsula continues and America and Europe wrestle with the proper response to Russia’s invasion into Ukraine, the National Security Network is hosting a press call with former U.S. Ambassador to Russia Michael McFaul on Friday, March 7th at 12:00 PM. Please join us as we assess the situation in Ukraine and examine what the appropriate next steps are in diffusing the volatile situation. Speaker Ambassador Michael McFaul Ambassador McFaul was nominated by President Barack Obama on September 14, 2011, and confirmed by the Senate on December 17, 2011. He was sworn in as the United States Ambassador to the Russian Federation on January 10, 2012.… Read More ›

The Good, the Bad, the Ugly: Unpacking the FY15 Defense Budget National Security Network and the Pentagon Budget Campaign Rayburn House Office Building, Room 2212 Friday, March 14 3:00-4:00 PM This week the Pentagon released its FY 15 budget, totaling $495.6 billion, setting a $79.4 billion placeholder for the Overseas Contingency Operations fund, and providing a $26 billion wish list in an unfunded request. The essentials of the budget help to rebalance U.S. armed forces to meet future threats after a decade of costly stability operations and make progress towards finding efficiency savings. Yet, serious budget concerns remain, especially the use of war funding to skirt the caps imposed by the Budget Control Act (BCA) that have already been increased for this year by the… Read More ›

US ex-envoy says dialogue vital with North Korea February 27, 2014 | Yahoo! News   Washington (AFP) – The US diplomat who led the last substantive denuclearization negotiations with North Korea urged fresh dialogue Wednesday, warning that the long gap in talks only aggravated the risks. Christopher Hill represented the United States in six-nation talks in which Pyongyang agreed in 2005 and 2007 to give up its nuclear weapons in return for aid and security guarantees. Relations have since worsened significantly, with North Korea defiantly carrying out another nuclear test last year. Hill presented an independent report that urged more “robust diplomacy” with North Korea. The study, by the National Security Network and the National Committee on North Korea, called for the United States to… Read More ›

Seeking a New U.S. Approach to North Korea February 27, 2014 Alastair Gale | Wall Street Journal Has the U.S. outsourced its North Korea policy to China? On his recent swing through Northeast Asia, U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry emphasized the role that he wants Beijing to play in reining in Pyongyang’s nuclear program. China, he said after meeting its leaders, provided commitments for new action to steer North Korea toward denuclearization. No specifics were given.   For the original piece, click here.   Read More ›

Rep. Eliot L. Engel, the senior Democrat on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, released the following statement following today’s event on the challenges posed by a nuclear North Korea hosted by the National Committee on North Korea and the National Security Network. ” I would like to acknowledge John Bradshaw of the National Security Network (NSN), and Karin Lee of the National Committee on North Korea (NCNK), for their work on the joint report that seeks to tackle the difficult issues in dealing with North Korea. I also want to thank Ambassador Chris Hill, our former lead negotiator to the Six-Party Talks, who knows first-hand the challenge of negotiating with the North Koreans. To read comments in their entirety, please click here. Read More ›

Experts Call for Steps to Jump-Start North Korea Nuclear Engagement February 26, 2014   Rachel Oswald | Global Security Newswire   A new expert report recommends changing U.S. policy on North Korea denuclearization to focus more on interim steps and crisis-stability measures. A paper by the National Security Network and the National Committee on North Korea argues a change of approach is needed as the current policy of refusing to engage until Pyongyang first takes serious disarmament steps “risks de facto recognition of North Korea as a nuclear power.” …   For the original piece, click here. The article was also posted by the National Journal here, and by World News here. Read More ›

U.S. needs to do more in approach to North Korea talks: report   February 26, 2014 David Brunnstrom | Reuters   (Reuters) – U.S. foreign policy and North Korea experts said in a report released on Wednesday that the United States should engage more with North Korea as a way to revive talks aimed at ending Pyongyang’s nuclear-weapons program. The joint report from two think tanks, National Security Network and the National Committee on North Korea, said Washington needs to shift from an “all or nothing” approach requiring Pyongyang to meet conditions for the resumption of nuclear talks with major powers that were suspended in 2009. … John Bradshaw, executive director of the National Security Network, said the report would be circulated on Capitol Hill… Read More ›

Iran and Nuclear Negotiations, Human Rights and Other Emerging Regional Priorities Time: 5:45 PM until 8:30 PM Date: Tuesday, February 11, 2014 Location: Schiff Family Conference Center at Cintas, Xavier Contact: cummins@xavier.edu or call 513-745-3922 Description: Join us on February 11 for an instructive, engaging and broad-ranging discussion of Iran, human rights and other foreign policy matters with the Executive Director of the National Security Network-John Bradshaw. Registration/Cash Bar opens at 5:45pm, Dinner begins at 6:30pm, Lecture and Discussion 7:15-8:30pm. FPLC, Brueggeman Center, and World Affairs Council members -$25/Guests-$30.  RSVP to kstrunk@fbtlaw.com or call 513-651-6166.  Pay at event or send check (payable to F{LC) to Joe Dehner, 3300 Great American Tower, 301 E. 4th Street, Cincinnati, Ohio 45202. For further information, please see    /dialogue/documents/FPLCJohnBradshaw-TuesdayFebruary11invitation.doc For the original website posting, click here. Read More ›

State of Play on Iran Talks: Implementation Agreement/Senate Legislation   Thursday, January 16, 2014 10:00AM ET President Obama recently announced an agreement with Iran for implementing the Joint Plan of Action, marking the first time in a decade that Iran has agreed to halt progress on its nuclear program. This is a significant step toward advancing our goal of preventing Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon. At the same time, however, there is continued effort in the Senate toward passing Bill S.1881 – Nuclear Weapon Free Iran Act of 2013, which experienced negotiators and analysts say could derail the negotiations for a final comprehensive agreement. The National Security Network invites reporters to join us for a press call on Thursday, January 16 at 10:00 AM… Read More ›

Battlefield Earth Reassessing U.S. Responses to Terrorist Threats  New America Foundation in collaboration with Democracy: A Journal of Ideas. EVENT TIME AND LOCATION Monday, January 13, 2014 12:15 PM – 1:45PM New America Foundation 1899 L Street NW, Suite 400 Washington, DC 20036 In 2001, the U.S. Congress authorized the president to use “all necessary and appropriate force against those nations, organizations, or persons he determines planned, authorized, committed, or aided the terrorist attacks that occurred on September 11, 2001, or harbored such organizations or persons.” This Authorization for Use of Military Force (AUMF) set no limits on time, location, or target. In just the last 12 months, the AUMF was invoked in support of the war in Afghanistan, but also unconventional operations in Pakistan,… Read More ›