At GWU: The best weapon is human

Professor Mary Kaldor last week at George Washington University/Patricia Leslie

In the “Distinguished Women in International Affairs” series at George Washington University's Elliott School of International Affairs, Professor Mary Kaldor from the London School of Economics and Political Science talked last week about her newest book, The Ultimate Weapon is No Weapon: Human Security and the New Rules of War and Peace, which she co-authored with Lt. Col. Shannon Beebe, a former adjunct professor at GW.

The Ultimate Weapon is No Weapon by Mary Kaldor and Shannon Beebe

The book is about the futility of using conventional weaponry when conflict outcomes now are determined by efforts to restore and protect citizens' basic needs.  Those who make people feel safe and secure become the victors.

At the beginning of her presentation, Dr. Kaldor, director of LSE's Centre for the Study of Global Governance, spent several minutes describing Beebe's talents and skills, and she talked about the evolution of her friendship with him, who was the senior Africa analyst for the U.S. Army Deputy Chief of Staff, Intelligence.

Last August Beebe died in a private plane crash with his girlfriend in Fauquier County, Virginia.  Members of their families joined the mostly student audience.

The best tools a nation has to defeat an enemy, Professor Kaldor said, is to safeguard citizens' rights and provide people with security and basic necessities, such as protection from violence, poverty, environmental degradation, and bomb attacks.  For citizens to obey laws, they must be able to trust their government, and they must believe in a legitimate authority. 

Without trust that government can protect them and provide a general feeling of security, doors open to let in terrorists who have an interest in violence to create fear and hate, Professor Kaldor said.
Many citizens are seized by fear. 

Professor Mary Kaldor last week at George Washington University/Patricia Leslie

“I think people nowadays do feel very insecure” Professor Kaldor said.  If citizens cease believing that their government can keep them safe, the situation becomes “very, very dangerous.” 

Syria is an example of one nation with “massive violation of human rights.”  People must be free from attacks by their own government.

“No one really knows how to address” the “persistent conflicts” in Somalia, Kenya, Yemen, Syria, and Libya.  In Iraq and Afghanistan “we've used conventional weapons [and] have made the situations much worse.” 

Events in Afghanistan illustrate "more than ever" the importance of civilian command and leadership, necessary to gain citizens' respect for authority. 

Professor Kaldor criticized drone attacks and asked the audience if a terrorist were known to be hiding in Washington, would drones be released to take the person out?  No.

She said she used to think state security and human security could co-exist, but she has changed her mind.  “Of course, the state must be protected” at the expense, sometimes, of international security.  (Think border protection.) 

Her quiet and friendly manner suggested her classes must be popular among LSE students.  At GW they listened intently to her remarks.

The Elliott series, sponsored by Jack and Pam Cumming, bring "renowned women leaders" to GW to talk with students about international issues. 

The occasion was also the fifth annual Banville Forum, presented in memory of GW alumnus, Robert Banville.  Receptions preceded and followed the event.

patricialesliexam@gmail.com

Ambassador Dennis Ross is zzz at GWU

Ambassador Dennis Ross speaking at the Elliott School of International Affairs, George Washington University/Patricia Leslie

He may be diplomat extraordinaire, but speaker extraordinaire, he ain't. I guess we can't have it all.

Ambassador Dennis Ross, formerly of this and that, is terribly smart and refined, evident in his address to a packed 150 person (more or less) SRO crowd Tuesday night at the Elliott School of International Affairs at George Washington University, one of my very favorite places to visit in this town (after the National Gallery of Art, natch).

He is knowledgeable, to be sure, confident and cocky, justifiably so.

His talk was entitled: "Challenges Ahead: America and the Middle East," but his monotone and lack of inflexion is on par with a row of humming refrigerators at the Home Depot.

That I'd had only five hours sleep for each of the two preceding nights contributed no doubt to my short naps while he talked, and thank goodness I was not so fast asleep that my body leaning over in the chair did not fail to jolt me from slumber when Ambassador Ross's tone crept higher than usual.

(On several occasions during the talk I was just glad I had not grabbed the leg of the young man sitting oh-so-close-next-to-me, to regain my balance before I fell upon the floor.)

What did the good ambassador say? Most of my words in my notes are scrunched together which is what happens when I sleep and write at the same time. They look like this: xzvxwpymnvxw but all squeezed together.

I don't think he said anything new really, delivering one of his stump speeches, but he likes sanctions and think they are effective although they take a long time to work.

Ambassador Dennis Ross speaking at the Elliott School of International Affairs, George Washington University/Patricia Leslie

Citizens of Middle East nations who have revolted have found solace in their mosques, Ross said, where they enjoy freedom of speech and assembly. In contrast to the regimes which have been and are being overthrown, the Muslim Brotherhood has identity, legitimacy, and lack of corruption, permitting the voices of the people to be heard. But the people have expectations and the  Brotherhood "must find a way to deliver" soon, i.e., build houses.

One thing is for certain: The pathway to the Middle East's future is a known unknown. Who would have guessed?

I recall being impressed by every single question posed by the students in the Q and A which followed, but, unfortunately, at this point my notes were nothing more than blobs of ink which I can't make out to list.

The event was sponsored by the Institute for Security and Conflict Studies which presented the Security Policy Forum.

A few minutes before the good ambassador began speaking, my colleague Rashid called and offered me free tickets (near the ice!) to the Caps game. The Caps are My No. 1 Favorite Team, but, no, I told Rashid, I was at the Elliott School for International Affairs at George Washington University to hear Ambassador Ross's important talk which I absolutely was not going to miss.

 

I missed it all right: I missed one of the best games of the season. In the last period, Troy Brouwer erased the Caps' two-goal deficit with just moments to spare and tied the game to take it into OT when the now hot and flashy Ovie came roaring back, shot the puck between the legs of the New York Islanders' goalie, Evgeni Nabokov, and bam! Just like that! Victory snatched from "the jaws of defeat." 

And that's the choice I made. 

Ambassador Dennis Ross speaking at the Elliott School of International Affairs, George Washington University/Patricia Leslie

  

Aznar's reign in Spain at GWU

Former Prime Minister of Spain, Jose Maria Aznar/Patricia Leslie


Maybe it was a long plane ride.

Or he had just landed at Dulles and had jet lag.

Or had eaten Italian and was drowsy from dinner.

Whatever it was or is, the former prime minister of Spain, Jose Maria Aznar who spoke at George Washington University last week, had little life in him when he addressed a group of mostly 150 students to talk about Iraq and terrorism at an event sponsored by the International Affairs Society and the Institute for European, Russian and Eurasian Studies at the Elliott School of International Affairs.

Maybe that’s the way he always is: lethargic. He would not make it as a candidate here.

But he is not a candidate here.

Okay, he was a candidate in Spain, a successful candidate, and perhaps flash is not important to Spanish voters. Whatever...

Former Prime Minister of Spain, Jose Maria Aznar/Patricia Leslie

“Politics is about making things happen…not sitting…,” Aznar said.

“The world is not a perfect place.” Leadership is exercising power with imperfect information. Making decisions, taking action.  “Leadership and popularity rarely go together.”

It’s “essential to know what you believe in.” 

Iraq is now “a working nation, self-sufficient with pluralistic institutions that perform well.” (?)

“Islam can be and should be made compatible with Democratic practices.”

America is not looking at Europe any more. Europe has good relations with the U.S., but Europe is no longer a U.S priority, he said.

 Former Prime Minister of Spain, Jose Maria Aznar/Patricia Leslie

Aznar served as prime minister of Spain from 1996-2004 and elected not to seek a third term. He strongly supported the Bush administration's 2003 invasion of Iraq against the will of the majority (92%, Wikipedia) of Spanish citizens and many Spanish politicians. Wikipedia says Aznar told the Spanish people in a television interview that he had evidence of "weapons of mass destruction," and they should trust him.   (Spain pulled all its troops from Iraq in 2004.  Eleven Spanish soldiers died in Iraq including seven on the same day, November 29, 2003.)

 Aznar was the subject of a car bomb attack in 1995.

The euro? (Aznar steered Spain to the EU's single currency in 1999.)

The financial crisis? (Spain has the highest unemployment rate, almost 23%, of any of the 17 euro zone countries.)

The downgrading of Spanish debt? (Announced five days before he spoke)

These subjects were not on the agenda. Nor asked by the polite audience in the Q and A which followed his talk.

Prime Minister Aznar seemed to be stuck in the last decade, but not to belittle the threat of terrorism which is very real to Spain and which cost the nation 191 citizens when terrorists bombed the railroad in Madrid in 2004.

He talked about the unpopularity of making unpopular decision. (See Iraq.) And he spent several minutes on the widespread use of Spanish which is found in major American airports, he said.

He asked how many in the room spoke French. One "girl" raised her hand. And he may have said (his voice was soft spoken and the words, frequently hard to understand) that he had put Spanish vs. French on the table with the French president and, and, ?  I believe the point was Spanish is more prevalent worldwide than French.

Former Prime Minister of Spain, Jose Maria Aznar/Patricia Leslie

He is 58, looks 48, is drop-dead handsome, and although his gloomy mood, grey words, and lack of enthusiasm would not make nice on the political stage here, Hollywood may want to get him on contract.

Aznar serves on the board of directors for Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation.  Wikipedia says Aznar has expressed doubt that climate change is a global problem, calling it "scientifically questionable' theory.

patricialesli@gmail.com

Dave Brubeck on a Cultural Tour at GWU's Elliott School

A couple of weeks ago The Elliott School of International Affairs at George Washington University hosted a seminar on cultural diplomacy featuring Dave Brubeck in honor of the 50th anniversary of his State Department tour outside North America.

Back in the 1960s (or was it the 1970s?) I saw and heard the great Brubeck perform at
East Tennessee State University in Johnson City, and I was dumbfounded he was still living! Bravo, Mr. Brubeck (now, 87).

The seminar kicked off an almost week-long festival in Washington honoring the man, his music and his achievements (was there any press about it?) that was preceded by the other half of the festival in Stockton, CA, home of Mr. and Mrs. Brubeck's alma mater, the University of the Pacific which is home to the Brubeck Institute.

At the seminar four white males made up the panel and each presented a brief (10 minutes or so) current history of diplomacy including world events of the 50s and the direction another cultural musical tour could take today.

Mr. (and Mrs.? I was unsure) Brubeck sat in the middle of the front row in the audience, and Mr. Brubeck was recognized from the podium. He certainly appeared to be a lively fellow, but I did not see him at the reception afterwards..

After the panelists' presentations, questions were taken from the 150 or so members of the audience, composed mostly of Caucasian students, professors, alumni, and the curious who attended voluntarily, like me. Because so many responded to the seminar invitation, GW moved the locale to the Harry Harding Auditorium.

After a few moments of "questions" it became obvious that some audience members who spoke (all males) were actually more interest in making statements, and three of them came, appropriately enough, from the State Department, leading the moderator, Dr. David Grier, to twice applaud the "expansion" of the panel.

Anyway 50 years ago "State" sent Mr. Brubeck and his group to India, Europe, and the Middle East to be cultural ambassadors for the U.S.

Jazz was important to the cultural life of European people, said Professor Hugh Agnew who described the world in the late 1950s as "teetering on the brink of change". Not only was the world reeling from the psychological damage of World War II and the Korean War, but the rivalry between the U.S. and the Soviet Union contributed to a European fear of another war.

Ambassador Karl Inderfurth (who served during the Clinton Administration) called the Brubeck trips abroad "clearly one of the best decisions the State Department has made." Dr. Marc Lynch whose enthusiasm and presentation made me want to sign up for his class tomorrow, said Adam Clayton Powell (denied a visa in 1955 to travel abroad) vigorously urged "State" to send Brubeck overseas so that people could begin through music to understand what America was all about.

Who was not sent to represent the U.S. in the 1950s? He shook his hips and gyrated and came from Memphis and was also serving in the Army (but probably would not have been tapped anyway, Dr. Lynch said.) Until 1957 and Little Rock, the late great Louis Armstrong was a "cultural ambassador". "He did not want to part of a government which allowed (Little Rock)", Dr. Lynch said.

He compared jazz to "hip hop": Both are loved by blacks and youth; both are mysterious, unpredictable and unique. "Music can build bridges," Dr. Lynch said, and suggested State might consider sending hip hopsters abroad like it sent Dave Brubeck to weave magic and try to convince others we are not as bad as they think. Hip hop is quite popular in the Middle East, and it "gives voice to the voiceless".

A handsome 32-page souvenir booklet was distributed to all, and a gala reception at the City View Room on the seventh floor of the 1957 E Street building followed the seminar and featured the current Dave Brubeck Quartet (namesake not included).

It is truly marvelous that GWU opens its doors to curious people who have no connection to the university whatsoever, other than a fondness for knowledge, a desire to broaden one's perspective, learn a little, and open minds and doors to the unknown. I am grateful.