2022 World Affairs Council of the Year
Network of Independent World Affairs Councils of America

Weekly News | July 11, 2016

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Welcome
Talk to the Author
Postcard from Kurdistan
Intl Affairs Grad School
Mideast Is A Mess
NATO Summit
Afghanistan: Finding a Way to Win
Travel The World
On the Map
Book of the Week



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WELCOME TO WEEKLY NEWS

To Know the World.

That’s the purpose of the Tennessee World Affairs Council.  We are one of 95 similarly organized nonpartisan councils around the country — all independent — that form the largest grassroots global awareness affairs effort in the world. We share the same goals of delivering public and school programs that help people, especially students, develop a better understanding of the important international issues that affect their lives and futures.

We welcome you as a member and as a contributor to our work.

We also welcome your feedback on this newsletter. [info@TNWAC.org]


TALK TO THE AUTHOR

HarrisOn Wednesday (1:00-1:30 pm CT) you can join a conversation with Jennifer Harris, author of “War by Other Means: Geoeconomics and Statecraft,” co-written with Dr. Henry A. Kissinger and Robert Blackwell. Ms. Harris will talk about the book and answer your questions in a teleconference hosted by the World Affairs Councils of America. Register for the call and get information at Details


Did you know you can keep up with current international affairs news by following @TNWAC #TNWACquiz


POSTCARD FROM KURDISTAN

160710-erbil2The World Affairs Council’s April visiting speaker, Bayan Sami Rahman, the Kurdistan Regional Government Representative to the US, is on a visit to Erbil, capital of Kurdistan in Iraq. She tweeted a link to a video providing aerial views of the city of Erbil — providing context to the conversation she had with our April town hall audience. Take a look at:  Details


INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS MASTER’S DEGREES – GRADUATE GUIDE

graduate-eduationMaster’s degree programs in international affairs prepare students for careers that demand not only expertise, but also flexibility, the ability to understand diverse perspectives, and the ability to perceive the links among different issues. In addition to having proficiency in areas such as economics, statistics, or languages, international affairs graduates are equipped to analyze a problem, write and speak effectively among groups from diverse cultures, and identify crucial connections. The Association of Professional Schools of International Affairs has a guide to choosing the right program in a ForeignPolicy.org guide.   Details



HOW DID THE MIDDLE EAST GET IN THIS MESS? 

thomas-lippman copyThe World Affairs Council in association with Lipscomb University presented Mr. Thomas W. Lippman, journalist, author, scholar and senior fellow at the Middle East Institute, in April at several events in Nashville to talk with the community about the current situation in the Mideast. ICYMI. Here for your consideration is the video recording from our town hall.  Details


NATO SUMMIT

natoThe web site for this past week’s NATO summit in Warsaw called the alliance essential in a more dangerous world. “The Warsaw Summit comes at a defining moment for the security of the North Atlantic Alliance. In recent years, the world has become more volatile and dangerous with Russia’s illegal annexation of Crimea and destabilisation of eastern Ukraine, as well as its military build-up from the Barents Sea to the Baltic, and from the Black Sea to the eastern Mediterranean; turmoil across the Middle East and North Africa, fuelling the biggest migrant and refugee crisis in Europe since World War Two; brutal attacks by ISIL and other terrorist groups, as well as cyber attacks, nuclear proliferation and ballistic missile threats. NATO is adapting to this changed security environment.” You can learn everything you wanted to know about NATO and then some at the “Summit Guide.” Details


AFGHANISTAN: FINDING A WAY TO WIN

afghanistan_political_map“The Obama Strategy in Afghanistan: Finding a Way to Win,” is the just released report that examines the important issues in detail according to Anthony H. Cordesman, Arleigh Burke Chair in Strategy at CSIS.  In the introduction he said, “When President Obama issued yet another statement on Afghanistan on July 6th, and once again delayed his plans to cut the number of U.S. troops in Afghanistan, he took actions that had already become almost inevitable. Even though he had announced his plan to cut U.S. troop levels to 5,500 by the end of 2016 less than a month earlier, a level of only 5,500 troops risked critically weakening Afghan forces and possibly losing the war. Keeping the level at 8,400, however, was at best a half measure in meeting Afghanistan’s real needs and probably not even that.” Full report here Details


TRAVEL THE WORLD

whytravel_bannerEngage with the world through the World Affairs Councils travel program. As part of the Councils network TNWAC members have special access to special travel opportunities. Unique destinations and access to political leaders and local experts who give behind the scenes views and briefings make the trips unforgettable. From India or Iran to Cuba and Croatia, the Council provides unique tours all around the world, as well as in-depth briefings and destinations in the U.S. Your Council in cooperation with the World Affairs Council of Philadelphia brings you these terrific travel offerings. Details


ON THE MAP

Jul 13 – Talk to the Author – Jennifer M. Harris – “War by Other Means: “GeoEconomics and Statecraft” – Teleconference [DETAILS] Aug 9 – Talk to the Author – Talmage Boston – “Cross-Examining History: A Lawyer Gets Answers from the Experts about our Presidents” – Teleconference [DETAILS] Sep 7 – Film Screening – “America’s Diplomats” with host Amb Dick Bowers – Belmont  [DETAILS] Sep 19 – Town Hall – “The Iran Nuclear Deal: Prospects for Cooperation, Competition and Confrontation – Amb Thomas R. Pickering – Belmont  [DETAILS] Oct 18 – Town Hall – China: Local Connections, National Reflections – National webcast and local panel – Dr. Henry A. Kissinger – Belmont [DETAILS] Nov 16-18 – National Conference – The World Affairs Councils of America National Conference in Washington DC.  Held annually for over two decades, the World Affairs Councils of America’s National Conference engages our regional leaders and members drawn from the business, civic, and education communities with leading policy-makers and experts. [DETAILS]


BOOK OF THE WEEK

Stacks-Up-Book

How America Stacks Up?: Economic Competitiveness and U.S. Policy

Authors: Edward Alden, Bernard L. Schwartz Senior Fellow, and Rebecca Strauss

In his recent State of the Union address, President Barack Obama said, “Anyone claiming that America’s economy is in decline is peddling fiction.” Some of Obama’s critics have countered that the United States’ standing in the world is slipping and that the country is losing out to rivals like China. So how does the United States actually measure up?

A new book from the Council on Foreign Relations (CFR), How America Stacks Up: Economic Competitiveness and U.S. Policy, examines how the United States has responded to global economic competition and benchmarks the United States against other advanced economies. The book is an invaluable resource in the 2016 presidential election cycle for assessing the Obama administration’s economic legacy and debating priorities for the next administration.  Details


The Tennessee World Affairs Council is a nonprofit (501c3), nonpartisan educational charity based in Nashville that works to build understanding of global issues in our communities. Learn more about the Council and find how you can join, donate and volunteer at: www.TNWAC.org  — Join / Donate / Volunteer

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