Month: September 2005

I am impressed with Washington. I met some really nice people, had a very enjoyable stay, and will definately return. After the conference finished yesterday evening I hooked up with some nice people from the New America Foundation and others, and went to Steve Clemon’s house for some beers and conversation. Steve was pretty shattered from organising the conference but still managed to be an excellent host and a gent.

I also had a good chat with fellow blogger Juan Cole who invited me to guestblog with him over at Informed Comment, I will definately take him up on his offer. I had another good conversation with Dr Peter Neumann about the consequences and reasons for Irish Nice Treaty rejections, and how a new European constitution will be formed in the future.

And afterwards it was to the Fox and Hound for some more beers!

I did try and hook up with Richard Waghorne, who happens to be in town the same time as me, but due to technical difficulties we couldn’t quite get it together.

And of course there was Jonathan Smith, a fellow blogger and long time reader of my blog. He has posted photos over at his blog and detailed the night out.

Right now I am using the free Wifi in DuPoint circle, avoiding using the pay-for Wifi that Starbucks appear to offer here.

Good times in DC.

I am most looking forward to seeing Francis Fukuyama today. Later on another interesting guy, Charles Kupchan, will be around too.

All of the videos from yesterday (scroll down) have been archived, the best ones from yesterday were

Joseph Biden
Wesley Clarke
Ann-Marie Slaughter
General James Cullen (retired)

Here is a photo of Chuck Hagel

And Tom Clancy:

Robert Pape is making a fascinating presentation. Watch it.

Stephen Heintz had some interesting points, I am scribbling down notes.

His points:

We now feel vulnerable not invincible
It has altered our relationships with other nations and with international institutions
The WOT has become America’s purpose by default
How much must we change going forward?
We will fail to weaken the attractive power of terrorists and we will not attract global support for our policies
We are capable of doing better and we must.

Jane Harman:

“Franchise terrorismâ€? (homegrown)
The Internet – slick recruiting tool
Need better intelligence
The most important question remains, are we beating the Madras’s?
Pentagon believes the most successful counter-terroroist act – relief for the tsunami.

George Soros

The metaphor of the War on Terror is incorrect
We need to reconsider our approach

Mitchell Reiss

3 categories in WOT

Offence (killing or capturing terrorists)
Defence
Struggle to win hearts and minds

Rita Hauser:

Why do we always think “only Americaâ€??
We behave as if only we have the answers
Solipsism

We can’t act alone, in the global threats were facing we have to have the support and assistance
Terror is one of the crises we face
Did we call upon the UN for all the expertise it had? Zero
The belief that we have the answers prevents us from seeing the larger picture here

Other countries build massive dykes, levees, we do we not learn from them?

Roger Cressey

We have an idea of the intent, but not the capability of Al-Qaeda
The globalisation of martyrdom
Many of the Saudis going to Iraq, are well educated

How do identify homegrown terrorists?

How will Iraq play out?
The war of unintended consequences
Zarqawi has morphed into an international form
Trade craft in IEDs, counter surveillance, Iraq is a training ground

Containing Iraq again?

Iran
Was the number 1 sponsor of terrorism, how are we going to deal with Iran without setting off Islamic terrorism?

Finally made it to Washington. Free Wifi too, wohoo!

I got a reasonably nice photo of the Arann Islands on the way over.