Proceedings from March 26 Conference on Emerging Security Issues
JINSA hosted a conference March 26 on Emerging Security Issues for the Obama Administration. The conference focused on issues concerning Turkey’s future role as an ally of the West, worrisome 
developments in Mexico and the continued utility of an independent Palestinian state. Two keynote addresses took on the future of the U.S.
JINSA hosted a conference March 26 on Emerging Security Issues for the Obama Administration. The conference focused on issues concerning Turkey’s future role as an ally of the West, worrisome developments in Mexico and the continued utility of an independent Palestinian state. Two keynote addresses took on the future of the U.S. military in a post-industrial world and Afghanistan’s role in Central Asian stability. Conference proceedings will be published in May.
JINSA Executive Director Tom Neumann opened the conference with remarks on the nature of emerging security threats facing the United States. He reminded the audience that many times over the past two decades the United States faced critical security challenges that were not analyzed or debated in any serious manner prior to their proximate appearance. These challenges, Neumann noted, “flew under the radar.” This conference, he said, would attempt to bring into the open three such issues that will challenge the Obama Administration.
The first panel of the day concerned Turkey’s Future as a Western Ally. Moderated by JINSA Vice President Joel Sprayregen, the panel featured Dr. Soner Cagaptay, director of the Turkish Research Program at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy; Amb. (ret.) W. Robert Pearson, former U.S. Ambassador to Turkey (2000-2003), and; Mr. Oded Joseph, minister-counselor for Middle Eastern Affairs at the Embassy of Israel.
JINSA Board Member Michael Sydow moderated the second panel, Mexico – Security Developments to the South.
Panelists were the Hon. Karen P. Tandy, former administrator of the Drug Enforcement Administration; Mr. Donald Charles Semesky, Jr., chief of the Office of Financial Operations (ret.) for the Drug Enforcement Administration, and; Mr. Ariel Moutsatsos, Adviser for International Affairs at the Office of the Attorney General of Mexico.
Dr. Daniel Goure, vice president at the Lexington Institute, delivered the luncheon keynote address on The Hidden Costs of Maintaining a Post-Industrial U.S. Military.
The third panel, titled Rethinking “Palestine,” was moderated by JINSA Board Member Harvey Sherzer. Panelists were Congressman Steve Rothman (D-NJ) of the U.S. House of Representatives; Mr. Jonathan Schanzer, policy director at the Jewish Policy Center and author of the book Hamas vs. Fatah: The Struggle for Palestine (Palgrave Macmillan, November 11, 2008), and; Mrs. Shoshana Bryen, senior director for security policy at JINSA.
Dr. Stephen J. Blank, research professor of National Security Affairs at the U.S. Army War College’s Strategic Studies Institute delivered the afternoon keynote address on Afghanistan: The Central Asian Dimension.
Check back at www.jinsa.org for a full write up of the conference proceedings.
