|
The six topics chosen have included: Energy, U.S. Economic
Competitiveness, China, Middle East, Afghanistan, Pakistan, and
Education Competition Globally. Countdown 2012 series launched
on Jan. 25, 2012 with guest-speaker Dr. Paula J.
Dobriansky, Senior Vice President and Global Head of
Government and Regulatory Affairs at Thomson Reuters.
She is an adjunct senior
fellow at Harvard University’s JFK Belfer Center for Science and
International Affairs, and holds the distinguished national
Security Chair at the U.S. Naval Academy.
Dobrainsky said the
economy and conditions will dominate 90 percent of the
Presidential debates and all eyes will be focused on domestic
concerns like taxes and tax reform.
Among foreign policy the
Middle East will continue to dominate, with a specific spotlight
on Egypt.
“I don’t believe democracy
and democratic changes are linear,” she said; countries make
progress and regress toward the notion before measurable change
is adopted. She recalled the elections in Venezuela that brought
Hugo Chávez to power saying initially for four years the
country saw progress.
“The Middle East is a
challenge, and also an opportunity,” she said, adding the U.S.
needs to be a constructive partner and affect change but not
impose its own brand of change.
China is the greatest
issue and area to watch closely as it strengthens its economic
muscle and increases partnerships in Africa, Latin American, and
other parts of the world by assisting in structural progress.
They bring their own resources, materials, and workers,” she
said. Dorainsky said China’s greatest inhibitor was its lack of
social interaction with other cultures as it improves quality in
other countries. “Whereas the U.S. brings a list of rules and
regulated stipulations to assistance, it leaves behind knowledge
countries can adopt.
Another inhibitor for the
rising nation, communism—“Political restraint is going to curb
its growth.”
Dorainsky said the U.S.
will remain number one because it still has the capacity and
ability to lead not only capacity and ability and willingness in
humanitarian efforts, “We are a unique mix of assets that no
other country has.”
She said the U.S. still
has an advantage with its universities and higher education
which draw foreign students, especially from India and China.
“Our secret weapon is our cultural exchange programs,” she said.
The enriching education
international students receive also provides them with cultural
understanding that is critical for emerging future leaders
abreast of policies and their impacts on societies.
She cautioned while the
U.S. may have a prime spot in higher education, the national
graduation rate and primary education is an area of concern.
U.S. Energy policy is
another key topic—“We should reduce our dependence on foreign
oil.” Dorainsky said tapping into local resources like natural
gas and innovative energy like solar will provide greater
leverage. She said new U.S. being built abroad are not utilizing
solar panels and natural gas to make them feasible. “This is
the kind of creativity that can make a difference,” she said.
While countries like Japan and France utilize nuclear power, the
U.S. is still involved with an intense debate over it.
Another hot topic button
in 2012 will be U.S. policy towards Afghanistan and Pakistan.
With the withdrawal of troops from Afghanistan the great
question of negotiating with its Taliban is coming to the
forefront. “The Taliban have placed a condition that all
prisoners in Guantánamo Bay, Cuba be released; I suspect nothing
will happen on that front,” she said.
Pakistan’s allegiance as a
strategic alliance continues to be in question by the U.S. and
the countries relationship is being closely monitored by
neighboring India.
She said developing events
in Russia also need to be monitored closely.
For more information and
dates of the upcoming lectures visit: http://ccwa.org/
On the Internet:
www.clevelandpeople.com
|
