Reaching Out: Cuba’s New Economy and The International Response

On November 18, 2011 The Brookings Institution launched a new in-depth study entitled Reaching Out: Cuba’s New Economy and The International Response. Using what is described as out-of-the-box thinking the study:

• Describes recent changes in the Cuban economy 
• Identifies current and potential relations between Cuba and International Financial Institutions 
• Makes recommendations about how the US and other market-oriented countries could and should help Cuba improve its situation

As part of the launch of Reaching Out, Brookings held a panel discussion that included:

• Ted Piccone - Moderator, Senior Fellow and Deputy Director, Foreign Policy, Brookings
• Richard Feinberg – Study Author, Nonresident Senior Fellow, Brookings
• Carlos Alzugaray Treto - A Cuban Viewpoint, Professor, University of Havana 
• Gary Hufbauer – An Alternative Viewpoint, Senior Fellow, Peterson Institute for International Economics

DOWNLOAD Bulletized Notes of this discussion enhanced with relevant hyperlinks. (Download free PDF Reader)

Fall of the USSR - Legacies & Lessons at the 20th Anniversary

 

On November 15th,  The Heritage Foundation hosted a distinguished panel of speakers who looked back at the fall of the Soviet Union 20 years afterwards. Video & Audio versions are available. 

The Panel addressed:

• Why the Soviet Union fell 
• Why the world was surprised by its collapse 
• What has become of its empire in the last two decades 
• What and why mistakes were made by Sovietologists and journalists 
•  Why those mistakes need to be understood by future generations of experts and citizens 

The Panel consisted of:

• Lee Edwards Distinguished Fellow, The Heritage Foundation
• Richard Pipes Baird Professor Emeritus of History, Harvard University 
• David Satter Senior Fellow, The Hudson Institute 
• Mike Gonzalez Vice President of Communications, The Heritage Foundation 
• Ariel Cohen Senior Fellow for Russian and European Studies, The Heritage Foundation 

DOWNLOAD Bulletized Notes enhanced with relevant hyperlinks. (Download the free PDF Reader.)

Current Asia-Pacific Security Situation & Taiwan

Dr. Nien-Dzu (Andrew) Yang Deputy Minister for Policy, Taiwan Ministry of National Defense spoke at the Center for Strategic & International Studies on Nov 9, 2011.  Video & Audio versions are available. 

Dr. Yang discussed several issues including:

• Relations between the US and Taiwan 
• Taiwan’s Future Security Challenges 
• Taiwan’s Future Defense Needs 
• Other Areas of Future Concern for Taiwan 
• Question & Answer Session topics included: 
• South China Sea concerns 
• Cross-strait Military Confidence Building Measures 
• US Arms Sales to Taiwan 
• Taiwan’s Defense Budget

DOWNLOAD  the Bulletized Notes enhanced with relevant hyperlinks in a PDF file. (Download the free PDF Reader.)