Join Us on The Hill Next Wednesday!

Hey Readers,

If you work within the natural resources and national security/foreign policy world, you may want to join us on the Hill next Wednesday at noon for a lunch discussion on that exact topic. This will be a great conversation - everything from Yemen's water woes, to Pakistan's water woes, to China's water woes...

We'll of course also cover deforestation, climate change, energy, biodiversity loss, and the full range of resource challenges - and U.S. opportunities for stability-building and soft power available through addressing these challenges. General Zinni will lead off this conversation. The full event link is on our website here: http://www.cnas.org/node/4974. Hope to see you there.

~Christine

Date:
September 22, 2010 - 12:00pm - 1:00pm

Location:
2200 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington , DC 20515

Date and Time:
Wednesday, September 22, 2010
11:30 a.m.: Check-in and Registration
12:00-1:00 p.m.: Event

Location:
2200 Rayburn House Office Building

On September 22, 2010, the Center for a New American Security (CNAS) will hold a congressional luncheon briefing on how natural resources influence national security, featuring a presentation by General Anthony C. "Tony" Zinni (Ret), Former Commander-in-Chief of U.S. Central Command and CNAS Fellow Christine Parthemore. Lt. Col. Shannon Beebe, author of The Ultimate Weapon is No Weapon: Human Security and the New Rules of War and Peace, will also give remarks.

To R.S.V.P., email Beth Kramer, Pew Charitable Trusts, at [email protected]

Featured Speaker

General Anthony C. "Tony" Zinni (Ret.)
Commander-in-Chief of U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM)

Speakers

Lt. Col. Shannon Beebe
Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for the Middle East

Christine Parthemore
CNAS Fellow and co-author Sustaining Security: How Natural Resources Influence National Security

Congressional Hosts

Rep. Russ Carnahan

Rep. Jeff Fortenberry

Rep. Norm Dicks

Rep. Dave Reichert

Rep. Chris Smith

A recent Center for a New American Security study concluded that the loss of renewable natural resources, such as forests, fresh water, fish and fertile soils, can play a significant role in driving instability and conflict.

Learn how the loss of fish stocks helped turn some desperate Somali fishermen into pirates, and how soil erosion and deforestation—putting 75 percent of Afghanistan on the brink of becoming barren desert—helps explain the shifting loyalties of impoverished rural Afghans.

Lunch will be provided on a first come, first served basis.  No interns, please.

The Pew Charitable Trusts and the Center for a New American Security seek to comply with federal, state and local government ethics rules when hosting events.  If you are a government employee or official, by attending this event, you confirm your participation is permitted under the ethics rules that apply to you.  This is a widely attended public event.