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2015 Halifax International Security Forum

2015 Halifax International Security Forum

Date
November 20-22, 2015
Location
Halifax, Nova Scotia
Participants
300

Agenda & Speakers

Friday, November 20
Saturday, November 21
Sunday, November 22

6:00-8:30

Breakfast

LOCATION: Elements Dining Room at the Westin Nova Scotian

8:30-9:45

Plenary 2: Breaking Rules: Discipline or Disorder in the Global Playground On the record

Speakers

Managing Editor, Foreign Affairs
Moderator
Mr. Jonathan Tepperman

Mr. Jonathan Tepperman

Jonathan Tepperman has been the Managing Editor of Foreign Affairs magazine since February 2011. Tepperman first joined Foreign Affairs as a junior editor in 1998 and spent several years there before moving on to Newsweek International. There he served as Deputy Editor and ran (at various times) the Asia, Europe, Africa, Middle East, and Latin America sections, oversaw special projects, and wrote cover stories, opinion pieces, and a regular style column. Tepperman writes frequently about international politics for a range of publications, including The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Wall Street Journal, The New Republic, and others. In 2013, he served as a guest columnist for the International Herald Tribune. He is the co-editor of a number of books and is the author of the forthcoming Survival of Nations: How Countries Thrive in an Age of Decline (Crown 2016). He is a member of the Board of Directors and the Agenda Working Group for the Halifax International Security Forum.

Senator (D-VA), United States
The Hon. Tim Kaine

The Hon. Tim Kaine

The Honorable Tim Kaine attended the Forum in 2013 and 2014 as US Senator from the Commonwealth of Virginia. Kaine, a member of the Armed Services Committee and Chairman of the Foreign Relations Subcommittee on Near Eastern and South and Central Asian Affairs, has actively shaped US national security policy since joining the Senate. Kaine has also emerged as a leader on the issue of war powers, launching a bipartisan effort with Senator John McCain to reform the 1973 War Powers Resolution that clearly defines Congress’s role in decisions of war. Kaine began his public service career by taking a year off from law school to work with Jesuit missionaries in Honduras. Kaine entered political life in 1994, serving as a Councilman and then Mayor of Richmond, Virginia until 2001. Kaine was elected Lieutenant Governor of Virginia in 2001 and Virginia’s 70th Governor in 2005. Kaine has helped lead the US Congressional delegation at both the 2013 and 2014 Halifax International Security Forum.

Associate Editor, Le Figaro
Ms. Isabelle Lasserre

Ms. Isabelle Lasserre

Ms. Isabelle Lasserre is the associate editor of Le Figaro. For over 20 years Ms. Lasserre has focused her journalistic interests on defense issues, strategy, and international policy. She has covered conflicts in Bosnia, Croatia, Kosovo, Chechnya, Iraq, Afghanistan, and Gaza. She joined the BBC in 1993, having previously spent time with Courrier International. Foreign postings have included: Bosnia (1992-1998) and Moscow (1994-1998). From 2004-2007 she was worked at the foreign service desk of Le Figaro. She is a frequent commentator in the French press as well as academic journals where she focus on international politics.

Chairman of the Military Committee, North Atlantic Treaty Organization
General Petr Pavel

General Petr Pavel

General Pavel was appointed Chairman of the NATO Military Committee on June 26, 2015. From July 2012 to May 2015, General Petr Pavel served as Chief of the General Staff of the Czech Armed Forces, the highest-ranking officer in the Army and the Principal Military Adviser to the Czech government. General Pavel graduated from the Army College in Vyškov (CZE) in 1983. Throughout his career, General Pavel has held a wide range of positions, the most prominent being Deputy Military and Air Attaché of the Czech Republic in Belgium, Commander of the Czech Special Forces, Deputy Director Operations Division at the Czech Ministry of Defense, National Military Representative to the US Central Command, and National Military Representative to SHAPE in Belgium. Furthering his education, General Pavel has studied at the Camberley Staff College, the Royal College of Defense Studies, and obtained an M.A. in international relations from King’s College.

Secretary General, Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe
The Hon. Lamberto Zannier

The Hon. Lamberto Zannier

Ambassador Lamberto Zannier took up the post of OSCE Secretary General on July 1, 2011. Zannier is an Italian career diplomat. From June 2008 to June 2011, he was UN Special Representative for Kosovo and Head of the United Nations Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK). From 2002 to 2006, he was the Director of the Conflict Prevention Centre of the OSCE. Previous senior positions include Permanent Representative of Italy to the Executive Council of the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons in The Hague (2000-2002), Chairperson of the negotiations on the adaptation of the Treaty on Conventional Armed Forces in Europe (1998-1999), and Head of Disarmament, Arms Control and Cooperative Security at NATO (1991-1997).

The first discussion of Day Two focused on the critical problem of our adversaries refusing to play by the rules, and the advantage they gain while democratic societies and Western militaries are tied to traditional methods of engagement. The debate examined the evolving role of the multilateral organizations that have historically overseen global response to crises and conflict, as well as how the self-imposed principles Western nations often set upon ourselves can be a detriment to finding creative diplomatic solutions. Panelists agreed that despite evolving challenges and imperfect governing structures at home, Western nations and democracies around the world should not abandon their collective principles in the interest of a “quick win”, but rather focus on improving the tools and strategies available to confront rule-breakers.

“We will always defend ourselves unilaterally, but if we’re going to try and promote values, we’ve got to do it multilaterally.”

— Tim Kaine, Senator (D-VA), United States

“Since Charlie Hebdo, political speech is stronger. For the first time in France, there is now a debate on things that would have been unbelievable one year ago.”

— Ms. Isabelle Lasserre, Associate Editor, Le Figaro

“If we want a quick win we will probably break the rules. We should stick to the rules because in the long run this is the right way to go.”

— General Petr Pavel, Chairman of the Military Committee, North Atlantic Treaty Organization

9:45-10:15

Coffee Break

10:15-11:30

Plenary 3
: Breaking Tradition:  Modern Muslims Advance On the record

Speakers

Presenter, Impact, and Correspondent, BBC World News
Moderator
Ms. Yalda Hakim

Ms. Yalda Hakim

Yalda Hakim is an award winning foreign correspondent and currently anchors the flagship program, Impact on BBC World News. She joined BBC World News in December 2012 as a presenter and correspondent and made her on-screen debut in March 2013 presenting a special three part series of Our World entitled, Iraq: Ten Years On. For the past twelve months Yalda has reported extensively from Iraq on the rise of ISIS, and from Nigeria on the country’s fight against Boko Haram. Her other investigations include the United States’ use of drones in Yemen, people-trafficking and torture of Ethiopian migrants in Yemen, and following the Bangladesh garment factory collapse, uncovered workers still being put at risk in unsafe premises. Yalda was born in Afghanistan and moved to Australia in the late 1980s. She began her career at SBS’s World News Australia and filmed her first story for Dateline in 2008 called ‘Yalda’s Kabul’. Before joining BBC, Yalda was the presenter of SBS Dateline in Austra- lia. Yalda was a finalist for the Australian Young Journalist of the Year Award and won the United Nations Media Peace Prize for Best Australian Television News coverage in 2009.

Head, Justice and Building Party, Yemen
Mr. Mohammed Abulahoum

Mr. Mohammed Abulahoum

Mohammed Abulahoum is Head of the Justice and Building Party of Yemen, which he helped found in April 2011. He is also a member of the National Dialogue and its Technical Committee, Committee of Sixteen, and Southern Committee. This June, Abulahoum was a member of the negotiating team to the Yemeni conference in Geneva. After graduating with a B.A. and M.A. from George Washington University in 1983, Mohammad Abulahoum became the Director of Bilateral Relations at the Ministry of Development and was then elected as a Member of Parliament in 1988, where he was Chairman of the Development Committee. In 1990, he was elected member of the First Parliament in the United Yemen and served as Chairman of the Economic Committee. Abulahoum founded the Republican Party in 1991 and joined the ruling party, the General People’s Congress, in 2004. Whilst with the GPC, he was a Member of the Executive Committee for one year, the Head of Foreign Relations for three years, and the Head of Economic Relations for another three years until he resigned in 2011 to join the youth revolution. Mohammed Abulahoum is married with five children.

Senior Advisor, Macro Advisory Partners
Mr. Yusuf Müftüoğlu

Mr. Yusuf Müftüoğlu

Yusuf S. Müftüoğlu is a Senior Advisor at Macro Advisory Partners in London and Advisor to the CEO at Turkcell in Istanbul. Formerly, he was a member of the cabinet of Abdullah Gül, the 11th President of Turkey. Müftüoğlu currently advises a global executive client portfolio on issues ranging from politics to markets, security to communications, especially concerning Turkey and its realm. As the Communications and Public Diplomacy Advisor to President Abdullah Gül, he advised the President on matters concerning his personal communications, as well as the official communications and public diplomacy of the Presidency. Müftüoğlu’s career background is in the consultancy sector, with a focus on strategic communications. Before the Presidential Office, he worked in Turkey’s leading communications agencies, where he served companies from different industries. A graduate of the London School of Economics and Istanbul University, Müftüoğlu has an academic background incorporating management, politics, finance, media, and communications.

Founding President, Voice of Libyan Women
Dr. Alaa Murabit

Dr. Alaa Murabit

At age 15, Alaa Murabit completed high school in Canada and moved to Libya where she enrolled in medical school and, driven by her desire to create inclusive processes and institutions, founded the Voice of Libyan Women (VLW) in 2011 at the age of 21. With a strong focus on combatting extremism and challenging societal and cultural norms, Murabit champions women’s participation in peace processes and conflict mediation. Her programs, such as the groundbreaking “Noor Campaign” are replicated internationally. The first Ashoka Fellow elected from Libya, Murabit was awarded the Marisa Bellisario International Humanitarian Award, and has been recognized as “One of 25 women under 25 to watch” by Newsweek and as a “100 Top Woman” by the BBC. She is an advisor to the UN Security Council Resolution 1325 Global Study, UN Women, and Harvard University’s “Everywoman, Everywhere”. Murabit’s TED Talk “What my religions really says about women” has been viewed over a million times since its release in July 2015 and was selected as the TED Talk of the Day and “A moving TED Talk you should watch right now” by The New York Times.

Journalist
Mr. Ahmed Rashid

Mr. Ahmed Rashid

Ahmed Rashid is a Pakistani journalist based in Lahore, who has covered Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Central Asia for a variety of publications since 1979. He is the author of five books – the best selling ‘Taliban‘ (2000). His other books include ‘Descent into Chaos: The US and the Disaster in Afghanistan, Pakistan and Central Asia,’ (2008) ‘Jihad’ (2002), and ‘The Resurgence of Central Asia’ (1994). His latest book is ‘Pakistan on the Brink, The Future of America, Pakistan and Afghanistan.’ Both ‘Taliban’ and ‘Descent into Chaos’ are on course lists at over 200 universities and defense colleges around the world. He writes for the Financial Times, the New York Times, the New York Review of Books, Spain’s El Mundo, BBC Online, and Pakistani publications. Foreign Policy magazine chose him as one of the world’s most important 100 Global Thinkers in 2009 and 2010. In 2008 he won Spain’s prestigious Casa Asia prize for contributing most about Asia to the Spanish people. In December 2009 he was appointed a member of the board of New York’s Committee to Protect Journalists. He has also served on the Board of Advisers for the International Committee of the Red Cross for five years. His books have won numerous prizes. He has lectured widely at universities, defense colleges, and conferences around the world.

“Breaking Tradition: Modern Muslims Advance” tackled the image problem placed on Muslims around the globe as a result of the troubling views of some, and the high-profile radical acts of a small few. Panelists also debated what makes ISIS a different kind of modern threat when compared to other radical Islamic organizations that have emerged, such as Al-Qaeda. The ideas generated by the panel included the scope of ISIS’s reach, its self-sustaining revenue mechanisms, its ability to shift tactics rapidly in the face of Western opposition, and the sheer strength of the dangerous ideology they promote. The conversation moved on to the question of how well-equipped Arab nations are to address the threat of radical Islam in the long term. Panelists discussed the need for modern Muslims who reject that ideology – including Muslim women and black Muslims – to have a leadership role in that strategy.

“Women have been talking about the growth of extremism in the region for years, in Afghanistan in Syria, in Libya, and people have very much ignored the voices of women.”

— Dr. Alaa Murabit, Founding President, Voice of Libyan Women

“I think we should bring in the Russians, the Chinese, the Iranians and whoever is interested in fighting this war. Bring them into the war and don’t let them sit outside and create problems for you.”

— Mr. Mohammed Abulahoum, Head, Justice and Building Party, Yemen

11:30-12:00

Coffee Break

12:00-13:15

Introduction to Asia-Pacific Security Challenges On the record

Admiral Harry Harris delivered a forward-looking speech on U.S. strategy for the Indo-Asia Pacific region. His remarks touched on the importance of the region for the global economy and security, as well as the complex nature of America’s relationship with China – a “nation in a hurry.”

“Let me be clear: we will not give China – or any nation – a free pass to fray the rules-based security architecture that has benefitted all of us, including China.”

— Admiral Harry Harris, Commander, United States Pacific Command

Plenary 4
: Broken China: Handle with Care On the record

Speakers

Chief International Correspondent, BBC
Moderator
Ms. Lyse Doucet

Ms. Lyse Doucet

Ms. Lyse Doucet is the BBC’s award winning Chief International Correspondent and a Presenter for BBC World News TV and BBC World Service radio who is often deployed to anchor special news coverage from the field and report across the BBC. She played a key role in the BBC’s coverage of the “Arab Uprisings “ across the Middle East and North Africa. She is a regular visitor to Afghanistan and Pakistan from where she has been reporting for the past two decades. Her work has also focused on major natural disasters including the Indian Ocean tsunami, and more recently Pakistan floods. Before joining the BBC’s team of presenters in 1999, Ms. Doucet spent 15 years as a BBC foreign correspondent with postings in Jerusalem, Tehran, Amman, Kabul, Islamabad, and Abidjan. Ms. Doucet was born in eastern Canada and has a master’s degree in international relations from the University of Toronto and a B.A. Honours from Queen’s University at Kingston.

Justice, Supreme Court of the Philippines
The Hon. Antonio Carpio

The Hon. Antonio Carpio

Justice Antonio Carpio studied law at the University of the Philippines College of Law where he graduated as valedictorian and cum laude. He placed sixth in the 1975 bar examinations. He immediately went into private practice, establishing Carpio Villaraza and Cruz LLP. In 1992, he was appointed Chief Presidential Legal Counsel in the Office of the President of the Philippines, and on October 26, 2001, he was sworn in as a member of the Supreme Court of the Philippines. He has received the Presidential Medal of Merit, the Outstanding Achievement in Law Award from the Ateneo de Manila Alumni Association, and an honorary Doctorate of Laws from the Ateneo de Davao University. Justice Carpio is a staunch advocate of a peaceful and rules-based resolution of the South China Sea Dispute. He has presented the Philippines’ legal and historical perspectives in 18 countries and 27 key cities to obtain international support.

President, Research Institute for Peace and Security
Dr. Masashi Nishihara

Dr. Masashi Nishihara

Masashi Nishihara is President of the Research Institute for Peace and Security. Previously he served as President of the National Defense Academy, where he was Professor of International Relations at the Academy. Nishihara is a member of the Trilateral Commission and a member of the Experts and Eminent Persons Group under the ASEAN Regional Forum, among others. He was a member of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s panels on the establishment of a national security council and on his planned Statement commemorating the 70th anniversary of the end of World War II. Nishihara has published extensively on Japanese foreign and security policy issues. He obtained M.A. and Ph.D. in political science from the University of Michigan.

Commander, United States Cyber Command, Director, National Security Agency/Chief, Central Security Service
Admiral Michael Rogers

Admiral Michael Rogers

Admiral Mike Rogers assumed his present duties as Commander, US Cyber Command and Director, National Security Agency/Chief, Central Security Service in April 2014. Since becoming a flag officer in 2007, Rogers served as the Director for Intelligence for both the Joint Chiefs of Staff and US Pacific Command, and most recently as Commander, US Fleet Cyber Command/US TENTH Fleet. His joint and naval service both afloat and ashore has been extensive to include service on a numbered fleet staff, carrier strike group, and various Naval Security Group elements. Rogers is a native of Chicago and attended Auburn University, graduating in 1981 and receiving his commission via the Navy ROTC. He is also a graduate of the National War College and the Naval War College, holding a Master of Science in National Security Strategy.

Professor International Relations and Director of the Griffith Asia Institute, Griffith University
Dr. Russell Trood

Dr. Russell Trood

Russell Trood is Professor of International Relations and Director of the Griffith Asia Institute at Griffith University. He is also President of the United Nations Association of Australia and a member of the board of the Australian American Fulbright Association. Previously, Professor Trood was a Liberal Senator for Queensland in the Australian Parliament, serving as Chair of the Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs, Defence, and Trade and as a member of the Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security and the Joint Committee of Foreign Affairs, Defence, and Trade, among other positions. In 2012, he completed an appointment as the Special Envoy of the Prime Minister of Australia for Eastern Europe. From 2011 to 2014, Professor Trood was Adjunct Professor in the Defence and Security Program in the US Studies Centre at the University of Sydney. He has been a member of the Councils of the Australian Strategic Policy Institute, the National Library of Australia, the Foreign Affairs Council, the Board of the Australian Indonesia Institute, and has been a Visiting Fellow at the Lowy Institute for International Policy. Professor Trood has a law degree from the University of Sydney, a master’s degree from the University of Wales and a Doctor of Philosophy from Dalhousie University in Canada.

From the high seas to cyberspace, China’s tendency to disrupt is creating tension around the globe. How do we deal with a China that is experiencing its own difficulties, including declining economic growth, a stormy shift into a maritime-based power, and continual territorial disputes with its neighbors? The panel discussed the issues that arise from a nation that is inextricably linked to every major economy but is itself starting to show serious cracks in its facade. Panelists closed with thoughtful advice for Chinese leadership as the nation settles into its role as an influence on the global order, and the responsibilities they bear towards its own citizens.

“The international community acknowledges and welcomes China’s rise to an active role in the international environment, but that it is alarmed by the way China is exercising its rising power.”

— Dr. Russell Trood, Professor, International Relations and Director of the Griffith Asia Institute, Griffith University.

“Read again what Deng Xiaoping said: That if China becomes a bully to smaller nations, the world should unite together with the people of China to throw out the leaders.”

— The Hon. Antonio Carpio, Justice Supreme Court of the Philippines

“Just as we as a nation are trying to work our way through this increasingly interconnected world, for my Chinese teammates, I would argue it will be no less a challenge for you, but it’s one you fundamentally have to come to grips with.”

— Admiral Michael Rogers, Commander, United States Cyber Command, Director, National Security Agency/Chief, Central Security Service

“Part of the title for this session is ‘Handle China with Care.’ I would say it’s not us that has to handle China with care. It should be the Chinese leaders handling China with care.”

— Dr. Masashi Nishihara, President, Research Institute for Peace and Security

13:15-14:30

Lunch

LOCATION: Atlantic Ballroom

14:30-15:00

Halifax Chat On the record

Speakers

Publisher, The Commentator
Moderator
Mr. Robin Shepherd

Mr. Robin Shepherd

Mr. Robin Shepherd is the owner/publisher of Britain’s fastest growing new media outlet, The Commentator. He is also a senior fellow of the Central European Policy Institute (CEPI), based in Bratislava, Slovakia. Mr. Shepherd has held senior fellowships with several top think tanks in the United States, Britain, and Europe. Before entering the think tank world a decade ago, he was a foreign correspondent, firstly for Reuters and subsequently The Times of London, where he was the Moscow Bureau Chief. He has been associated with Halifax International Security Forum since its inception and is a member of the Agenda Working Group.

Co-Director, Center for 21st Century Security and Intelligence, Brookings Institution
General John Allen (Ret.)

General John Allen (Ret.)

General John R. Allen, US Marine Corps (Ret.) was named the Special Presidential Envoy for the Global Coalition to Counter ISIL by President Obama on September 12, 2014. He served in that position until November, 2015. From April 2013 to May 2014, he served as Senior Advisor to the Secretary of Defense on Middle Security leading the Security Dialogue of the Middle East Peace Process. General Allen commanded the NATO International Security Assistance Force and United States Forces in Afghanistan from July 2011 to February 2013. Prior to that tour, he served as Deputy Commander, of the US Central Command. From 2007-2008, as the Deputy Commander of Multi-National Force – West in the Al Anbar province of Iraq, he played a major role in the Sunni tribal “Awakening Movement” or Sahawa al Iraq. He is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations. General Allen holds a B.S. in operations analysis from the US Naval Academy, a M.A. in national security studies from Georgetown University, a M.S. in strategic intelligence from the Defense Intelligence College, and a M.S. in national security strategy from the National Defense University.

General John Allen (Ret.) joined Moderator Robin Shepherd to discuss the fight against ISIS and the new tactics needed to combat an organization that is unique among 21st century terror threats.

“Daesh will not be dead as an entity until we have killed it in the information sphere, until we have killed the idea.”

— General John Allen, Ret., Co-Director, Centre for 21st Century Security and Intelligence, Brookings Institution

15:00-16:15

Plenary 5: The American Fix: Best Dosage for Optimal Results On the record

Speakers

Publisher, The Commentator
Moderator
Mr. Robin Shepherd

Mr. Robin Shepherd

Mr. Robin Shepherd is the owner/publisher of Britain’s fastest growing new media outlet, The Commentator. He is also a senior fellow of the Central European Policy Institute (CEPI), based in Bratislava, Slovakia. Mr. Shepherd has held senior fellowships with several top think tanks in the United States, Britain, and Europe. Before entering the think tank world a decade ago, he was a foreign correspondent, firstly for Reuters and subsequently The Times of London, where he was the Moscow Bureau Chief. He has been associated with Halifax International Security Forum since its inception and is a member of the Agenda Working Group.

Director, President, and Chief Executive Officer, Woodrow Wilson Center for International Scholars
The Hon. Jane Harman

The Hon. Jane Harman

Jane Harman attended the Forum in 2013 and 2014 as the Director and Chief Executive Officer of the Woodrow Wilson Center. Harman resigned from Congress February 28, 2011 to join the Woodrow Wilson Center. Representing the aerospace center of California during nine terms in Congress, she served on all the major security committees: six years on Armed Services, eight years on Intelligence, and eight on Homeland Security. During her long public career, Harman has been recognized as a national expert at the nexus of security and public policy issues. She received the Defense Department Medal for Distinguished Service in 1998, the CIA Seal Medal in 2007, and the CIA Director’s Award and the Director of National Intelligence Distinguished Public Service Medal in 2011. She is a member of the Defense Policy Board, State Department Foreign Policy Board, the Director of National Intelligence’s Senior Advisory Group, the Homeland Security Advisory Committee. She was a member of the CIA External Advisory Board from 2011 to 2013. Harman is a Trustee of the Aspen Institute and the University of Southern California. A product of Los Angeles public schools, Harman is a magna cum laude graduate of Smith College, where she was elected to Phi Beta Kappa, and Harvard Law School. Prior to serving in Congress, she was a top aide in the United States Senate, Deputy Cabinet Secretary to President Jimmy Carter, Special Counsel to the Department of Defense, and in private law practice. She has four adult children and four grandchildren.

Chairman, United Civil Front
Mr. Garry Kasparov

Mr. Garry Kasparov

Garry Kasparov is the chairman of the New York-based Human Rights Foundation, where he succeeded Václav Havel. Born in Baku, Azerbaijan in the USSR, Kasparov was the world’s top chessplayer for 20 years. In 2005 he retired from professional chess to help lead the Russian democratic opposition to Vladimir Putin’s increasingly autocratic regime. He founded or co-founded several Russian opposition groups, including Solidarnost with Boris Nemtsov in 2008. He speaks frequently to business and political groups worldwide. Kasparov’s new book, Winter is Coming: Why Vladimir Putin and the Enemies of the Free World Must Be Stopped, documents the rise and fall of Russian democracy and analyzes the current crisis as the world confronts aggressive dictators and terror movements. He has resided in New York since 2013.

Senator (D-CT), United States
The Hon. Chris Murphy

The Hon. Chris Murphy

Senator Christopher S. Murphy is the junior United States Senator for Connecticut. Elected in 2012, Murphy serves on the Appropriations Committee, the Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee, the Foreign Relations Committee, and the Democratic Steering & Outreach Committee. Prior to his election to the US Senate, Murphy served Connecticut’s Fifth Congressional District for three terms in the US House of Representatives. The Fifth District includes the towns of Danbury, Meriden, New Britain, Torrington, and Waterbury. During his three terms, Murphy served on the Foreign Affairs Committee, the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, the Energy and Commerce Committee, and the Committee on Financial Services. Before his service in the US Congress, Murphy served for eight years in the Connecticut General Assembly. He spent four years representing Southington and the 81st district in the House, and then spent four years representing the 16th Senatorial District. Senator Murphy grew up in Wethersfield, Connecticut, and attended Williams College in Massachusetts. In 2002, he graduated from UConn Law School in Hartford, Connecticut. He practiced real estate and banking law from 2002-2006 with the firm of Ruben, Johnson & Morgan in Hartford. On August 18, 2007, Murphy married Cathy Holahan, an attorney. They have two sons named Owen and Rider.

Middle East Correspondent, BBC News
Ms. Lina Sinjab

Ms. Lina Sinjab

Lina Sinjab is a BBC Middle East Correspondent based in Beirut after working as Middle East Regional Editor in London and World Affairs Reporter over the past two years. Lina is a Syrian journalist and has covered the Syrian uprising for the BBC since the beginning in 2011 and continues to follow developments back home. She has reported for the BBC on the situation in Syria since 2007. She has also covered the revolution in Yemen since the start of it in 2011. Lina graduated from Damascus University, and then completed her master’s degree from SOAS University of London in 2009 in international politics. In May 2013, she won the Cutting Edge Award from the First Century Foundation for her coverage of Syria.

The panel discussed whether the U.S. has the will to continue its self-appointed role of the  international defender of freedom, and how much America the rest the world is ready to accept. The conversation also touched on the Obama administration’s perceived shift away from America’s interventionist tendency and the potential “pendulum swing” that could take place following the 2016 U.S. election. Panelists gave consideration to what a modern mix of military power and soft power diplomacy might look like for a new U.S. approach to foreign policy.

“I think if we’re waiting for the moment in which the world judges that there is the perfect amount of U.S. leadership and intervention, we’ll be waiting for a very long time. The porridge is likely never going to be just right.”

— Chris Murphy, Senator (D-CT), United States

“People in this part of the world believe Americans are part of the problem and part of the solution because there’s always this sense that it’s America to blame – whether for the good or for the bad.”

— Ms. Lina Sinjab, Middle East Correspondent, BBC News

“Since Bill Clinton, Russia has been treated as the crazy uncle at Thanksgiving Dinner. ‘Oh, just don’t mention democracy, don’t mention human rights’.”

— Mr. Garry Kasparov, Chairman, United Civil Front

16:45-17:45

Plenary 6: Responsibility to Welcome: Yours. Mine. Ours. On the record

Speakers

Author, Journalist, and Founder, LeadersLink
Moderator
Ms. Kathleen Koch

Ms. Kathleen Koch

Ms. Kathleen Koch has attended the Forum since 2011 as a Washington-based author, speaker, moderator, freelance journalist, and founder and executive director of LeadersLink, the first non-profit to harness and share elected officials’ disaster lessons learned to help communities better prevent, prepare for, and recover from similar crises. Koch developed her expertise while covering numerous disasters for CNN including Hurricane Katrina. She anchored two prize-winning documentaries on the recovery of her hometown, Bay St. Louis, Mississippi, and recorded its journey in a best-selling book, Rising from Katrina, which was named Best Non-fiction in the Southeast Region in the 2011 Independent Publisher Book Awards. For 18 years, Koch was a CNN Washington correspondent specializing in aviation reporting and covering the Pentagon, White House, and Capitol Hill where she received multiple awards including the Peabody. Koch currently writes op-eds for publications including CNN.com, USA Today, and U.S. News & World Report.

Parliamentary State Secretary, Federal Ministry of Defense, Germany
The Hon. Dr. Ralf Brauksiepe

The Hon. Dr. Ralf Brauksiepe

Dr. Ralf Brauksiepe was born in 1967 in Hattingen. He earned his university entrance qualification in 1986, and then studied Economic Sciences at Ruhr University in Bochum, supported by a scholarship from the Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung. In 1990 he received his Master’s Degree in Economics. Between 1990 and 1995 he worked as Research Assistant at the Institute of Development Research and Development Policy at Ruhr University, and in 1995 he earned his Doctorate (Dr. rer. Oec.). Between 1996 and 1998 he worked as Research Assistant at the Seminar for Economic and Financial Policy of the Faculty of Economics at Ruhr University. Since 1998, he has been a Member of the German Bundestag. From 2009 to 2013, he was Parliamentary State Secretary at the Federal Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs. Since December 2013, he has been Parliamentary State Secretary at the German Federal Ministry of Defense.

President and Chief Executive Officer, HIAS
Mr. Mark Hetfield

Mr. Mark Hetfield

Mark Hetfield is President and CEO of HIAS, where he has led the transformation of the organization from one focused on Jewish immigrants to a global agency that assists refugees of all faiths and ethnicities and is a major implementing partner of the United Nations Refugee Agency and the US Department of State. An expert in refugee and immigration law, policy, and programs, Mark’s 25-year career began at HIAS in Rome and has included five positions at HIAS, as well as a post with the Immigration and Naturalization Service in Washington, DC and Haiti. As the Senior Advisor on refugee issues at the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom, he directed the most comprehensive study on expedited removal to date. Mark’s dedication to protect all who flee ethnic cleansing, violence, and other forms of persecution has made HIAS the pre-eminent voice of the American Jewish community on refugee and immigration issues.

Minister of Defense, Albania
The Hon. Mimi Kodheli

The Hon. Mimi Kodheli

Mimi Kodheli has been the Minister of Defense of Albania since 2013 and is the first women to hold the position in Albania’s history. She began her political engagement in 2002, when she was appointed deputy mayor of the Tirana Municipality. Previously, she was a Member of the Parliament of Albania and held the office of the Prefect of Tirana Region. She has been a member of the Socialist Party Chairmanship since 2007. Ms. Kodheli holds a Ph.D. in economic sciences from the University of Verona, Italy, a master’s degree in business administration from Lincoln University, Nebraska, and a bachelor’s degree in finance from the University of Tirana. She has been trained in various fields, including international and securities markets, labor and investment markets, banking examination, and management. She participated in a US State Department Program entitled “Women in Politics” and attended the program for National Security Policies at Marshall European Centre for Security Studies.

Ambassador of Turkey to Canada
The Hon. Selcuk Unal

The Hon. Selcuk Unal

With more refugees and displaced persons worldwide than at any time since World War II, this panel’s conversation asked a stark question: Where do we go from here? A lively exchange between panelists and the audience examined the challenge of what is now a highly emotional issue. To some, refugees are a burden, and to others a responsibility. Migrants can represent security threats, or a critical part of the labour force. The panel debated whether fears of refugees as security threats was in fact a capitulation to the desires of terrorist organizations such as ISIS. Some suggested a Syria-based solution must be reached first to stem the flow of displaced peoples from that region. Panelists agreed that solidarity and a sharing of responsibilities among the international community is required to address this challenge in a sustainable way.

16:15-16:45

Coffee Break

“What we really need is a multilateral approach to this problem. We need to go beyond the Refugee Convention. The international community needs to step in and really offer substantial assistance to these countries.”

— Mr. Mark Hetfield, President and Chief Executive Officer, HIAS

“If we discuss the issue in such a way that we do not accept people from Syria coming to Europe, and if we start to distinguish whether they are Christians or Muslims, we would indeed fall into the trap of the ISIL propaganda and we should not succumb to this temptation.”

— The Hon. Dr. Ralf Brauksiepe, Parliamentary State Secretary, Federal Ministry of Defence, Germany

18:30

Pre-Dinner Reception

LOCATION: VIA Rail Station

19:30-21:30

Dinner Sessions

Arctic Rivalries
WITH:

  • Mr. Colin Robertson, Vice President, Canadian Global Affairs Institute
  • HOSTED BY: Mr. David J. Kramer, Senior Director for Human Rights and Democracy, The McCain Institute for International Leadership

 

From Athens to Brussels: Europe on the Line
WITH:

  • The Hon. Dr. Ralf Brauksiepe, Parliamentary State Secretary, Federal Ministry of Defense, Germany
  • The Hon. Zoran Jolevski, Minister of Defense, Macedonia
  • HOSTED BY: Mr. Francois Lafond, Executive Director, EuropaNova

 

Being Israel
WITH:

  • The Hon. Tzipi Livni, Co-Leader, Zionist Union Party and Former Minister of Foreign Affairs, State of Israel
  • Mr. Gerald Steinberg, Professor, Political Studies, Bar llan University, and President and Founder, NGO Monitor
  • HOSTED BY: Mr. Robin Shepherd, Publisher, The Commentator

 

Climate: Warming Up for Paris
WITH:

  • Dr. Gal Luft, Co-Director, Institute for the Analysis of Global Security
  • General Gerson Menandro Garcia De Freitas, Chief of Strategic Affairs of the Joint Staff, Ministry of Defense, Federative Republic of Brazil
  • HOSTED BY: Dr. Darrell Bricker, Chief Executive Officer, Ipsos Global Public Affairs

 

Come Together? The Case for a United Korea
WITH:

  • Dr. Matake Kamiya, Professor of International Relations, National Defense University
  • Dr. Sue Mi Terry, Managing Director, BowerGroupAsia
  • HOSTED BY: Mr. Randy Scheunemann, President, Orion Strategies

 

The Cuban Thaw and the Future of Latin American Democracy
WITH:

  • Mr. Antonio Rodiles, Director, State of SATS
  • Dr. Christopher Sabatini, Founder and Executive Director, Global Americans, and Adjunct Professor, School of International and Public Affairs, Columbia University
  • HOSTED BY: Dr. Luis Rubio, Chairman, Center of Research for Development

 

From India to Japan: The Importance of Democratic Asia
WITH:

  • The Hon. Toshiro Iijima, Ambassador in charge of Policy Planning and International Security Policy, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Japan
  • H.E. Dr. Lobsang Sangay, Sikyong, Central Tibetan Administration
  • HOSTED BY: Dr. Daniel Twining, Senior Fellow for Asia, German Marshall Fund of the United States

 

Making Peace: Lessons from Colombia
WITH:

  • Lieutenant General Joseph DiSalvo, Military Deputy Commander, United States Southern Command
  • The Hon. Luis Carlos Villegas Echeverri, Minister of National Defense, Colombia
  • HOSTED BY: Mr. Dixon Osburn, Executive Director, Center for Justice and Accountability

 

The Next Wave of Attack: Terror on the Trains
WITH:

  • Dr. Max Boot, Jeane J. Kirkpatrick Senior Fellow for National Security Studies, Council on Foreign Relations
  • Dr. Alexis Wichowski, Director of Research and Communication, Harmony Institute
  • HOSTED BY: Mr. Dean Fealk, Partner and Group Chair, DLA Piper

 

Post-American Stress Disorder: From Afghanistan to ISIS
WITH:

  • Dr. Constanze Stelzenmüller, Robert Bosch Senior Fellow, Brookings Institution
  • General Jonathan Vance, Chief of the Defence Staff, Canadian Armed Forces
  • HOSTED BY: Mr. James H. Baker, Director, Office of Net Assessment, United States Office of the Secretary of Defense

 

Qui est Charlie? Europe’s Integration Problem
WITH:

  • Dr. Camille Grand, Director, Foundation for Strategic Research
  • Dr. Jackson Janes, President, American Institute for Contemporary German Studies
  • Mr. Péter Siklósi, Deputy Secretary of Defense Policy and Planning, Ministry of Defense, Hungary
  • HOSTED BY: Dr. John Glenn, Policy Director, US Global Leadership Coalition

 

Ruling the Waves: China Whets its Dream
WITH:

  • Vice Admiral Mark Norman, Commander, Royal Canadian Navy
  • Mr. Hideshi Tokuchi, Former Vice Minister for International Affairs, Ministry of Defense, Japan
  • Admiral Nirmal Verma, Ret., Chief of Naval Operations Distinguished International Fellow, United States Naval War College
  • HOSTED BY: Dr. Eliot Cohen, Robert E. Osgood Professor of Strategic Studies, Paul H. Nitze School of Advanced International Studies

 

Stopping Traffic: Ending the Modern Slave Trade
WITH:

  • Ms. Yalda Hakim, Presenter, Impact, and Correspondent, BBC World News
  • Ms. Cindy McCain, Co-Chair of the Arizona Task Force on Human Trafficking, The McCain Institute for International Leadership
  • HOSTED BY: The Hon. Kurt Volker, Executive Director, The McCain Institute for International Leadership

 

Terror Plots, Meet Covert Ops
WITH:

  • Dr. Jean-François Ratelle, Assistant Professor, University of Ottawa
  • HOSTED BY: Mr. W. Bruce Weinrod, Senior Counsel, Global Impact

 

Turkey’s Tough Neighborhood
WITH:

  • Ms. Ellen Laipson, President and Chief Executive Officer, Stimson Center
  • HOSTED BY: Mr. Leslie Campbell, Senior Associate and Regional Director, Middle East and North Africa Programs, National Democratic Institute

 

Ukraine’s Tug of War
WITH:

  • The Hon. Ilya Ponomarev, Deputy, Novosibirsk, State Duma, Russian Federation
  • The Hon. Vadym Prystaiko, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and Chief of Staff, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ukraine
  • Mr. Andrei Sannikov, Chairman, European Belarus Foundation
  • HOSTED BY: The Hon. Paula Dobriansky, Senior Fellow, The Future of Diplomacy Project, Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs, Harvard University

 

Unhelpful Help: The Saudi Model
WITH:

  • Dr. Bessma Momani, Associate Professor, Department of Political Science, University of Waterloo
  • General Amos Yadlin, Ret., Director, Institute for National Security Studies
  • HOSTED BY: Dr. Jerrold Green, President and Chief Executive Officer, Pacific Council on International Policy

 

What’s New with Nukes
WITH:

  • Dr. Yoko Iwama, Professor of International Relations, National Graduate Institute for Policy
  • Mr. Nicolas Roche, Director for Strategy and Policy, Military Applications Division, French Atomic Energy Commission
  • Mr. Taylor Wilson, Nuclear Physicist, University of Nevada, Reno
  • HOSTED BY: Mr. Cesar Jaramillo, Executive Director, Project Ploughshares

Clippings

Abdullah Gül ISIL Must Not Succeed Anymore. We Must Break Their Narrative
Abdullah Gül

“On Oct. 10, 2015, two suicide bombers attacked civilians at the heart of Ankara that were gathered to rally for peace. This cowardly terrorist attack by the Islamic State (ISIL) claimed the lives of more than 100 innocent Turkish citizens, the worst terrorist attack in Turkish history…”

Sir Lawrence Freedman: Discouraging Foreign Policy Strategy Aside, One Should Not Underestimate the West
Sir Lawrence Freedman

“A common lament is that our leaders neglect strategy, leaving policy uncertain and inchoate…”

 

Janice Gross Stein: The order that held dysfunctional Middle East states together is over
Janice Gross Stein

“We live in disruptive times. Russia annexes Crimea and invades Ukraine. The Islamic State conquers a large swath of territory that crosses the old border between Iraq and Syria, and the rump government of Bashir Al-Assad bombs its own people…”

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