This Week

What’s up this week? 

The unprovoked Russian invasion of Ukraine slogs into a third week and the war criminal in the Kremlin is backed into a corner. Vladimir Putin’s likely hoped for lightning strike into Kyiv to decapitate the Zelensky government and subjugate the country has bogged down amid Russian military incompetence and Ukrainian resolve and heroism. Yet despite the failure of Moscow’s army to snatch its grand prize in short order it is resorting to brute force to move forward, violating the laws regulating conduct of warring parties, jus in bello. Over two million Ukrainians have fled to safety across their western border and civilians are being targeted raising comparisons to Russian brutality in Chechnya and Syria.

The West has shown unity and commitment to Ukraine that would not have been forecast a year ago. The post-Cold War institutions are proving resilient and Putin’s desire to divide the democratic Allies has paradoxically proven to have bolstered NATO and EU and the international community resolve. Sanctions upon sanctions have surpassed anything seen by any other country as the global economy severs ties to the country. The Russian economy is in a nose-dive. NATO has rejected calls for a “no-fly zone” as tantamount to a direct NATO-Russia war, but piles of sophisticated Western munitions and fighters from around the world are ready to flow into the battle. Ukrainian resolve is steeled daily by a modern-day Churchill in a Kyiv bunker who said to Putin, “I am not afraid,” Zelensky added in a TV appearance from his office, “Come and get me.”

So, how does this end? There does not appear to be an off-ramp for Putin, who was characterized by one pundit as having ten forward gears and no reverse gear. Indeed, CIA Director Bill Burns told Congress, “Putin is angry and frustrated right now.” He added, “The challenge he faces … he has no sustainable political endgame in the face of what is going to continue to be fierce resistance from the Ukrainians … He’s likely to double down and try to grind down the Ukrainian military with no regard for civilian casualties.”

To aid our understanding of this war that has reached Europe and is transforming the international system and the fate of nations, the American Council on Germany and the Tennessee World Affairs Council have been fortunate to enlist the authority of Ambassador John C. Kornblum for several programs: conversations about the looming war, the reaction of Germany, and the opening days of the unfolding conflict. He is an eminent American diplomat and businessman, having served the United States: as Ambassador to Germany and to the OSCE, as Assistant Secretary of State for European Affairs, and numerous other posts in NATO and Europe.

Join ACG and TNWAC on March 16th for our next conversation with Ambassador Kornblum for hard to come by deep insights into war in Europe and U.S., EU and NATO actions in response to Russian aggression.

The Russian invasion of Ukraine has heightened the realization that knowing the world — all of us — is important. We have chronicled in these pages and at our podiums the critical issues on the world stage: rising China, existential climate threats, nuclear Iran, belligerent North Korea, America’s role in the world, and much more.

The revitalization of global affairs awareness importance demands we use this public service to bring insightful speakers and informative education programs. We invite you to share this challenge through your membership and contribution to TNWAC.

Lastly, let me share with you the sad news that the World Affairs Council has lost one of its founders, the mother in the “mom and pop” organization started 15 years ago. Connie Trisdale, my wife, was a driving force in bringing world affairs programs to a region that previously had no such organization. She led our program initiatives, especially with young people; hosted Ambassadors, generals, corporate leaders, teachers, students, and anyone who walked in the door to learn about the world. Connie’s service to the World Affairs Council community and other efforts earned her the lifetime achievement Presidential Volunteer Service Award from President Obama in 2015. She was the magic that kept TNWAC going. Connie passed away this week after a long battle with cancer. For those who have asked, let me share that she would have appreciated a contribution in her name to TNWAC [Link] or the American Cancer Society. Thanks to everyone who has sent their condolences.

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• All Times US Central Time Zone

Link to these programs in Council Highlights below.

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• March 9: World Affairs Council of Maine will host Admiral (Ret.) Gregory Johnson, former Commander of U.S. Naval Forces Europe, and Amb. (Ret) John Koenig, career diplomat, for “NATO and the Crisis in Ukraine“
• March 11: Colorado Springs World Affairs Council hosts a panel of experts for “Ukraine in Crisis: Why and Now What?” (In person)
• March 14: International Relations Council (Kansas City) presents “Eastern Europe and Russia Roundtable“
• March 15: San Diego World Affairs Council hosts Amb. (Ret.) George Krol for “Thirty Years After the Fall of the USSR“
• March 15: WorldDenver hosts Fiona Hill, Senior Fellow at the Brookings Institution, for “The Russia Challenge“
• March 23: World Affairs Council of Houston hosts Amb. (Ret.) William Taylor, Vice President of Russia and Europe at the U.S. Institute of Peace, for “Ukraine, Russia, War, and the West“
• March 31: World Affairs Council of Harrisburg hosts Mehdi Noorbaksh, Professor at Harrisburg University, for “Great Decisions: Russia“
• TBD: Los Angeles World Affairs Council and Town Hall hosts Amb. Kristjan Prikk, Estonian Ambassador to the U.S., for “Roundtable Lunch: Estonian Ambassador on the Russia-Ukraine Conflict“

 

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• World Affairs Council of Orange County hosts Leon Panetta, former Secretary of Defense and former Director of the CIA, for “Challenges of Leadership in Our Democracy“
• World Affairs Council of Albuquerque hosts Brigadier General Stephen Cheney, President of the American Security Project, for “Global Implications of Climate Change“
• World Affairs Council of Hilton Head hosts Bill Patterson, former Foreign Service Officer at USAID, for “The Role of Foreign Assistance in U.S. Foreign Policy“
• World Affairs Council of Seattle hosts Amb. (Ret.) Nina Hachigian, Deputy Mayor of International Affairs for Los Angeles, and Maryum Saifee, career U.S. diplomat, for “From Local to Global: The Growing Role of Subnational Diplomacy“
• World Affairs Council of Houston hosts Laura Murphy, author of Freedomville, for “Freedomville: A 21st Century Slave Revolt and the Realities of Contemporary Forced Labor“
• World Affairs Council of Tacoma hosts Sam Kaplan, Director of the Center for Excellence for Global Trade and Supply Chain Management, for “The U.S.-China Battle for the Asian Century” (In person)
• International Relations Council Kansas City presents “International Film Club: Queen“

• World Affairs Council of Pittsburgh hosts the Pennsylvania U.S. Senate candidates for “U.S. Senate Candidate Forum” (In person)
• International Relations Council Kansas City hosts Amb. (Ret.) Christopher Hum, former British Ambassador to China, for “Will China Rule the World?“

• World Affairs Council of Houston hosts Amb. Carlos Vecchio, Ambassador of Venezuela to the U.S., for “Venezuela, the Opposition, Energy, and the Road Ahead” (In person)
• San Diego World Affairs Council hosts Aza Raskin, Co-Founder of the Center for Humane Technology, and Kate Harbath, Founder and CEO of Anchor Change, for “Social Media and the Future of Democracy“
• World Affairs Council of Dallas/Fort Worth hosts Kelly Weill, reporter at Daily Beast, for “Conspiracy Theories: Why Will People Believe Anything?“
• Savannah Council on World Affairs hosts Swati Kulkarni, Consul General of India, for “India’s Democracy and Its Economic Resurgence“
• World Affairs Council of Harrisburg hosts Donald Brown, Scholar in Residence at Widener’s Environmental Law and Sustainability Center, for “Great Decisions: Climate Change“
• Santa Fe Council on International Relations hosts Amb. (Ret.) Martin Indyk, former U.S. Ambassador to Israel, for “Master of the Game: Henry Kissinger and the Art of Middle East Diplomacy“
• Peoria Area World Affairs Council presents “PAWAC Documentary Series: American Factory” (In person)
• Foreign Policy Association presents “Financial Services Dinner” (In person)

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