TNWAC This Week August 31, 2021 Dear Members and Friends: “America exits Afghanistan,” proclaimed the Washington Post’s front page. Over at the New York Times it was, “U.S. Forces Leave Afghanistan; Evacuation Ends.” So, it’s over. The “forever war” on terrorism in Afghanistan and attempt to build a government and modernize a society lasted six...Read More

TNWAC This Week August 24, 2021 Dear Members and Friends: Let me open with a note of sadness and hope for our friends in the Waverly, Tennessee community. This week’s flash flood has taken many lives and caused catastrophic physical damage to the area. We appreciate all the “Volunteers” who have flocked to the area...Read More

TNWAC This Week August 17, 2021 Dear Members and Friends: “What is the situation right now?” That was the rhetorical question Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Annie Pforzheimer shared with our Dr. Breck Walker when describing America’s challenge in Afghanistan for our Election 2020 series last fall [here]. “There is rampant corruption. That weakens the...Read More

TNWAC This Week July 7, 2021 Dear Members and Friends: I hope you had an enjoyable Independence holiday and your ear drums are intact. In Nashville we had quite a celebration with 350,000 people visiting for music and a spectacular fireworks show. It seems there’s a lot of pent up desire to get back to...Read More

TNWAC This Week April 21, 2021 Dear Members and Friends: In a year where much of our activity has been driven online the annual Championship Match of the World Affairs Academic WorldQuest global affairs competition was no different. Instead of a room at the National Press Club in Washington teeming with students from around the...Read More

TNWAC This Week April 13, 2021 Dear Members and Friends: It’s Academic WorldQuest Team Week at the World Affairs Councils of America in Washington so there won’t be their usual superb compilation of the scores of programs you can visit in this week’s “This Week.” Instead WACA is presenting special programs for students around the...Read More

TNWAC This Week April 6, 2021 Dear Members and Friends: Two weeks ago your World Affairs Council hosted U.S. Foreign Service Officer Allen DuBose, Diplomat in Residence for this region, as part of our Spring 2021 International Careers Program. [Link] We thank him for the program in which he described the process to become an...Read More

TNWAC This Week February 8, 2021 Dear Members and Friends: What an inspiring group of high school students from across America there was on Sunday afternoon for our winter practice match of the Anne Smedinghoff Academic WorldQuest global affairs challenge. TNWAC, in collaboration with sister councils from New Hampshire, Maine, Vermont, Illinois and New York,...Read More

TNWAC This Week February 1, 2021 Dear Members and Friends: The strategic relationship between the United States and the Republic of Korea, South Korea, as well as the important commercial relationship with the ROK, was the focus of a special Global Town Hall Thursday as part of the two-part panel discussions organized by the Korea...Read More

TNWAC This Week January 26, 2021 Dear Members and Friends: “Team Spirit.” It was a joint military exercise between forces of the United States and the Republic of Korea (ROK), or South Korea. It was a regular fixture in America’s Western Pacific defense posture from the mid-70s through the 90s, especially focused on defending our...Read More