Jake Colvin
Major General Paul Eaton
Bernard Finel, Professor Craig Allin, and a student
National Security Network Speakers
Tuesday, October 6: US – Cuba Relations
Jake Colvin (Director, USA Engage)
Jake Colvin directs USA*Engage, a business coalition that promotes the idea that engagement with the world is in the best interests of the United States, and which has become the leading business organization supporting reform of U.S. policy toward Cuba. Through USA*Engage, Colvin encourages policies that facilitate international trade and travel, dialogue and diplomacy, and humanitarian assistance. He also advises non-governmental organizations on economic and trade issues.
Colvin has made the coalition’s work on changing U.S. policy towards Cuba a priority after years of majorities in Congress to remove the travel ban, the passage of sanctions reform legislation and increasing evidence of a change in Cuban-American sentiment.
Prior to joining USA*Engage, Colvin had been a consultant to U.S. and foreign corporate clients on a variety of international economic and trade matters. He also has worked on issues involving U.S. immigration policy, refugee assistance and family reunification.
Colvin has provided commentary on economic, trade and foreign policy issues for a variety of organizations, outlets and publications including National Public Radio, the Chicago Tribune, Forbes, Miami Herald, San Francisco Chronicle and the Center for American Progress.
Originally from Long Island, New York, he is a graduate of the Johns Hopkins School for Advanced International Studies and the University of Richmond.
Tuesday, October 27: Human Rights and National Security
Major General Paul D. Eaton (US Army (Ret), Senior Advisor)
What impact does the closing of Guantanamo Bay have on US National Security? How would the symbolic act of closing Guantanamo Bay impact US counter-terrorism efforts? What practical challenges does closing Guantanamo present? What domestic concern does closing Guantanamo present politically?
Major General Paul D. Eaton served more than 30 years in the United States Army, including combat and post-combat assignments in Iraq, Bosnia and Somalia. As a major general he was assigned to Iraq as Commanding General of the Coalition Military Assistance Training Team (CMATT), where he developed, designed and began the training of the Iraqi military and security forces from 2003 to 2004. Prior to that assignment, he commanded the Army's Infantry Center and was Chief of Infantry for the Army. Eaton has appeared on Hardball, Face the Nation, and Tavis Smiley discussing US national security and human rights policy. In 2008 Eaton served as an advisor to Senator Hillary Clinton's presidential campaign. He holds a bachelor's degree from West Point and a master's in French from Middlebury College. He is married to PJ, has two sons and a daughter, all soldiers.Tuesday, November 10: Climate Changes and National Security
Bernard I. Finel (Senior Fellow, American Security Project)
How does climate change affect American Security?
Bernard Finel is a senior fellow at the American Security Project where he has built a reputation as a top counter-terrorism analyst. He was Associate Professor of Military Strategy and Operations at the U.S. National War College from 2004-2006. Prior to that, Bernard was on the faculty of the Security Studies Program (SSP) at Georgetown University and served as Executive Director of the SSP and the Center for Peace and Security Studies from 2002-2004 and Associate Director of the SSP from 1997-2001. He is co-editor and co-author of Power and Conflict in the Age of Transparency and Ultimate Security: Combating Weapons of Mass Destruction. Dr. Finel directs research on counter-terrorism and defense policy and has published numerous articles and two books on international politics and security. He received his B.A. in International Relations from Tufts University and holds an M.A. and a Ph.D. in Government from Georgetown University.