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- Restructuring the Weapons Acquisition
System, Rudy deLeon
- A Comprehensive Peace, Shimon Peres
- Obama Can't Turn the Page on Torture, Ken
Gude
- The Pentagon's Papers, Lawrence Korb
- Ending Unneeded Weapons Systems, Sean
Duggan
- More Money and Counterinsurgency Training
Alone Aren't the Answer in Pakistan, Brian Katulis
- Trust America's Existing Institutions,
Ken Gude
- Afghanistan: What is At Stake?, Bruce
Riedel
- The Justice Imperative in Afghanistan, J.
Alexander Thier
- Obama on State Secrets, Ken Gude
- Pakistan's India Fixation Remains, Brian
Katulis
- U.S.-China Cooperation on Economic
Recovery, Winny Chen
- Implementing Policy Shifts in Pakistan,
Brian Katulis
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Rudy deLeon, "Restructuring the Weapons Acquisition
System," House Armed Services Committee testimony, April 30, 2009
A blue-ribbon group of former Pentagon acquisition officials
concluded in late 2007 that the military contracting process was
plagued with systematic problems and failures.
The investigators found that acquisition and contracting procedures
were inadequate to support U.S. military forward deployments in Iraq
and Afghanistan. As the blue-ribbon group concluded, “the most
notable
characteristic of the testimony is a nearly unanimous perception of the
current problems, their gravity, and the urgent need for reform.”
This
panel of experts report is the starting point for examining acquisition
and contracting needs.
Click here to
read the full testimony.
President Shimon Peres, "A Comprehensive Peace," Middle East Bulletin intervew, May
5, 2009
The challenge in my view is to establish
a reliable peace process that strengthens the inclination toward peace
on the Palestinian side and plants a sense of security in the hearts of
Israelis. There is need to create true hope: a political horizon and
meaningful improvement in daily life that will encourage most
Palestinians in abandoning the destructive alternative offered by
Hamas. ...The geopolitical reality in the Middle East is full of risks,
but it is not lacking in opportunities. ... In this context, the
advantage of a comprehensive regional approach to solving the
Arab-Israeli conflict gains even more merit. This approach is good for
everybody, including Israel, since the price we would pay on the
bilateral level would be remunerated by the whole Arab world. After
all, our basic objective is to live in true and stable peace with the
entire Arab world. ... I believe that through wise diplomatic
architecture it is indeed possible to promote peace with all of our
neighbors without pre-conditions and without conditioning one track on
another.
Click here to
read the full interview.
Ken Gude, "Obama
Can't Turn the Page on Torture," The
Guardian Comment is Free, May 4, 2009
If one thing is clear from the last two weeks, the torture issue is not
going to go away, and the Obama administration is partly being pushed,
and partly backing itself into an increasingly uncomfortable corner.
Whether
it's judge Jay Bybee doubling down on terrible legal advice,
Condoleezza Rice issuing Nixonian claims of executive authority, or
Barack Obama himself unequivocally calling waterboarding torture,
simply turning the page is no longer sustainable.
Click here to
read the full article.
Lawrence Korb, "The
Pentagon's Papers," National Interest Online, May 4, 2009
Last week, the Department of Defense announced it was preparing to
conduct its 2010 Quadrennial Defense Review (QDR) and released its
“terms of reference” that set the stage for the larger
report. In
theory, the QDR is meant to outline the Defense Department’s
strategy
and priorities. In the past, it has been an unrealistic exercise. This
is unlikely to change.
Click here to
read the full article.
Sean Duggan, "Ending
Unneeded Weapons Programs," Boston Globe, May 3, 2009
Congress is getting ready to mark up and
vote on the Obama administration's
supplemental bill to fund the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Lawmakers
are sure to attempt to use the supplemental to breathe new life into
some outmoded, overpriced, and unneeded weapons programs that Secretary
of Defense Robert Gates proposed either eliminating or completing in
the 2010 base defense budget, arguing that these programs should
continue on the basis that they are vital to US national security
interests.
Click here to
read the full article.
Brian Katulis, "More
Money and Counterinsurgency Training Alone Aren't the Answer in
Pakistan," Center for American Progress, May 1, 2009
I returned from Pakistan late last night to see the news that Secretary
of Defense Robert Gates and other Pentagon officials
made a pitch to Congress for an additional $400 million this year and
$700 million for next year to help create a new Pakistan
Counterinsurgency Capability Fund. Based on what I saw on my latest
trip to Pakistan,
the initial skeptical reactions among some members of Congress seems
warranted, and Congress should ask tough questions about this request.
Click here to
read the full article.
Ken Gude, "Trust
America's Existing Institutions," TPMCafe Book Club, May 1, 2009
Advocates for using military commissions
or national security courts
for trials of al Qaeda terrorists are going to have a hard time
explaining [Ali] al-Marri's rapid plea agreement and 15-year sentence.
We
were told that it was necessary to remove him from the federal prison
where he was awaiting trial "to prevent him from aiding al Qaeda in its
efforts to attack the United States or its armed forces, other
government personnel, or citizens." I don't think he is going to be
doing any aiding of al Qaeda from the Supemax in Florence, Colorado--or
if he servers out his sentence in his native Qatar as has been rumored.
Furthermore, his 15-year term with so far no credit for time served is
three times the sentence Salim Hamdan received for the same material
support for terrorism conviction in his military commission.
Click here to
read the full article.
Bruce Riedel,
"Afghanistan: What is At Stake?", Middle East Bulletin, April 30, 2009
Twice
in the last quarter century the United States has squandered great
victories achieved in Afghanistan by failing to follow up battlefield
success with an enduring and resourced commitment to helping to build a
stable government in Afghanistan. Both times the cost of taking our eye
of the ball in Afghanistan had been high. It is imperative not to make
the same mistake a third time or the cost will again be painful, and we
probably won't get a fourth opportunity. ... The entire Muslim world
also has a stake in Afghanistan's future. Jihadist terrorists, from
Algeria to Indonesia and from Uzbekistan to Somalia, have been trained
in Afghanistan in the past and will be again if the Taliban and Al
Qaeda triumph. ... The United Arab Emirates has taken the bold decision
to send troops to fight as part of ISAF. Other Muslim states should do
the same or contribute to the fund for building the Afghan army and
police.
Click here to
read the full article.
J. Alexander Thier,
"The Justice Imperative in Afghanistan," Middle East Bulletin, April 30, 2009
The
failure of the Afghan government and their international partners to
provide law, order and justice to ordinary Afghans since 2001 is at the
heart of the current crisis in Afghanistan. The current climate of
insecurity owes less to the strength of the insurgency than to the
weakness of the government. Yet ultimately, the legitimacy and capacity
of the Afghan government will be the foundation of our success there.
As the new White House strategy on Afghanistan makes clear, the only
way out of Afghanistan is through a legitimate, stable and minimally
capable Afghan government. … There are three priority areas that
we need to focus on to begin to transform the situation.
Click here to
read the full article.
Columbia Journalism
Review - Ken Gude
analyzes President Obama's recent comments about the selective use of
the 'state secrets' provision in court cases: "He’s trying to
create a system that can be used discretely, and not against entire
cases... [but] that is not the position his Justice Department has been
taking."
Reuters -
Brian Katulis says trilateral talks with Afghanistan and Pakistan are
complicated by continuing differences in their threat perceptions:
"Pakistan still to a large extent is concerned about India, it's
eastern border, and it to a large extent sees Afghanistan as
facilitating some of India's actions... I think the best we can hope
for in these visit is a bit more meeting of the minds."
Ask
The Expert - Winny Chen says the U.S. and China have a number
opportunities for cooperation in their response to the global economic
crisis: "Any long-term, sustainable, meaningful recovery in China will
require more investment in health care, innovation, in automotive
technology, green technology, and also better enviromental and
anti-pollution practices. And luckily for the United States, the U.S.
is a leader in all these fields, and can be a good resource for goods,
services, technology and guidance for China as it helps itself recover."
Capital Talk - Brian Katulis discusses
challenges of implementing policy change in the United States'
relations with Pakistan: "There's a recognition [for the need to] focus
on governance, focus on economic development, focus on dignity... the
military means is the least effective means... it's a complicated
issue, we need a multi-faceted strategy, not just simple drone attacks
to address this."
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2009 Progressive Party May 6, 2009, 6:30pm - 9:00pm
American Progress is pleased to
present our annual Progressive Party,
an evening of celebration in support of our work and our mission and a
rededication to our goals and our work on behalf of all Americans.
American Progress hopes to surpass last year’s $1,000,000 goal in
this
critically important year of big challenges and big opportunities. The
Progressive Party is a chance to celebrate a year of enormous success,
to reaffirm our progressive vision for America, and to help build an
institution that will continue to shape the debate and advance a bold
and progressive policy agenda.
To purchase tickets for the event,
click here.
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