Upcoming Brookings Events

Three events at Brookings are coming up in the near future that will be of interest to readers: 1. The Internationalization of Law Ninth Annual Raymond Aron Lecture Featuring Professor Mireille Delmas-Marty and Justice Stephen Breyer Tuesday, December 18, 2012, 5:30 — 7:00 pm. The Brookings Institution, Falk Auditorium, 1775 Massachusetts Ave, NW, Washington, DC.

On December 18, the Center on the United States and Europe at Brookings will host Professor Mireille Delmas-Marty to deliver the ninth annual Raymond Aron Lecture. A leading French legal scholar, Dr. Delmas-Marty is professor emeritus at the Collège de France and a member of France's Académie des Sciences Morales et Politiques. After a prestigious career in academia, including visiting professorships in major universities from the Americas to Asia, and advising the French government on constitutional and legal reform, Dr. Delmas-Marty has focused her work at the Collège de France on the internationalization of law. Dr. Delmas-Marty will deliver remarks on how national bodies of law are increasingly being reshaped by transnational forces, including universal human rights norms, economic integration, and global risks, and the challenges this presents in terms of accountability, legitimacy and predictability. She will discuss how direct dialogue among the world’s top jurisdictions, such as the U.S. Supreme Court and the European Court of Justice, has also changed conceptions of self-contained national legal systems; and suggest how cross-country comparisons and understanding the evolving nature of international law can help make sense of the rapidly changing legal landscape. Following Dr. Delmas-Marty's remarks, U.S. Supreme Court Associate Justice Stephen G. Breyer will offer a response. Justice Breyer was nominated to the Supreme Court by President Clinton and took his seat in 1994. A former law clerk to Justice Arthur Goldberg, he held many prominent offices in both the executive and the judicial branches of the federal government, and was also a professor of Law at Harvard University, a visiting professor in various universities, and the author of numerous books and articles. Brookings President Strobe Talbott will provide introductory remarks and Brookings Senior Fellow and CUSE Director Fiona Hill will moderate the discussion. After the program, panelists will take audience questions. The Raymond Aron lecture series, named after the renowned scholar of post-war France, annually features leading French and American scholars and statesmen speaking on critical issues affecting the transatlantic relationship.  To RSVP for this event, please call the Office of Communications at 202.797.6105 or click here.

2. Afghanistan: Endgame or Persisting Challenge with Continuing Stakes? Tuesday, December 11, 2012, 2:00 — 3:30 pm. The Brookings Institution, Saul/Zilkha Rooms, 1775 Massachusetts Ave, NW, Washington, DC.

After more than a decade of great effort and sacrifice by the United States and its allies, the Taliban still has not been defeated, and many Afghans believe that a civil war is coming. In 2014, foreign forces will complete the handover of security responsibility to their Afghan counterparts, international financial flows will radically decrease, and Afghanistan’s presidential elections will intensify political uncertainties. These challenges are mounting at a time when Afghanistan is dealing with rising insecurity, dysfunctional governance, rampant corruption and ethnic factionalization, while the regional environment is not easily conducive to stability in the country. With the U.S. and international publics tired of the war, fundamental questions about any remaining stakes in Afghanistan and the efficacy of any persisting stabilization efforts are increasing. On December 11, Foreign Policy at Brookings will host the launch of a new book, Aspiration and Ambivalence: Strategies and Realities of Counterinsurgency and State-Building in Afghanistan (Brookings, 2012), by Brookings Fellow Vanda Felbab-Brown. Aspiration and Ambivalence analyzes the past decade of U.S. and international efforts in Afghanistan and offers detailed recommendations for dealing with the precarious situation leading up to the 2014 transition and after. In her book, Felbab-Brown argues that allied efforts in Afghanistan have put far too little emphasis on good governance, concentrating too much on short-term military goals to the detriment of long-term peace and stability. Felbab-Brown will be joined by Ronald E. Neumann, president of the American Academy of Diplomacy and former U.S. Ambassador to Afghanistan (2005-07). Vice President Martin S. Indyk, director of Foreign Policy, will provide introductory remarks and moderate the discussion. After the program, panelists will take questions from the audience. To RSVP for this event, please call the Office of Communications at 202.797.6105 or click here.

3. Global Counterterrorism: A Progress Report Tuesday, December 18, 2012, 10:30 am — 12:00 pm. The Brookings Institution, Saul/Zilkha Rooms, 1775 Massachusetts Ave, NW, Washington, DC.

The United States is at a pivotal moment in its fight against terrorism and violent extremism. As a result of international cooperation with its partners and the application of a “smart power” approach that integrates diplomacy, development and defense, the al-Qaida core has been degraded and is finding it more difficult to raise money, train recruits, and plan attacks. Yet, while great strides have been made, significant challenges remain. Recent events in the Middle East and Africa—the Arab Awakening, Syrian civil war, and the upheaval in Mali, among others – add additional dimensions to America’s counterterrorism challenges. How serious are the current array of threats? What will it take to meet them? What’s next in the country’s fight against international terrorists? On December 18, the Saban Center for Middle East Policy at Brookings will host Ambassador Daniel Benjamin, who after one term as coordinator for counterterrorism at the State Department will present a progress report on American counterterrorism. Brookings Senior Fellow Bruce Riedel will offer his own thoughts on American counterterrorism efforts, and Senior Fellow Daniel L. Byman, research director of the Saban Center for Middle East Policy, will moderate discussion. After the program, panelists will take audience questions. To RSVP for this event, please call the Office of Communications at 202.797.6105 or click here.