“The terrain in Afghanistan is different from Iraq. It’s more uneven, the roads are difficult to traverse. That’s why we’ve had to create an all-terrain version.”

Ashton Carter, on leave from the Belfer Center’s board of directors to serve as under secretary of defense for acquisition, technology, and logistics, was quoted in “Pentagon hopes new M-ATV is ‘life-saver,’” which CNN published on November 4, 2009.

For the full article, go to: http://www.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/asiapcf/11/04/afghanistan.military.vehicle/index.html

“We stated clearly that the United States is prepared to take steps to improve the relationship, but that the process must be based on reciprocal and concrete efforts by the Burmese government.”

Kurt Campbell, assistant secretary of state for East Asian and Pacific affairs and former assistant director and research fellow at the Belfer Center, was quoted in “U.S. Diplomat Meets Myanmar’s Top Dissident and Urges Junta to Work With Her,” which the New York Times published on November 5, 2009.

For the full article, go to: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/05/world/asia/05myanmar.html?_r=1&ref=asia

“On the bottom line question - yes or no on McChrystal’s request - Kerry says no. He argues that McChrystal reaches ‘too far, too fast.’ Kerry recommends that further troop increases must meet three conditions: reliable Afghan troops to partner with American forces, local political leaders, and civilian advisers to speed development. Truth be told, none of these three will be in place soon.”

Belfer Center Director Graham Allison wrote “In Afghanistan, Kerry Keeps US Goals Modest,” which the Boston Globe published on November 4, 2009.

For the full oped, go to: http://belfercenter.ksg.harvard.edu/publication/19673/

“The administration earlier this year forecast that the economy would grow next year by 3.5 percent, then by 4 percent, then by 4.5 percent after that. I think that’s highly unlikely to happen. My guess is that the economy will grow in real terms at closer to 2 percent a year for the next few years.”

Niall Ferguson, a member of the Belfer Center’s board of directors, was interviewed on “The Charlie Rose Show” on November 3, 2009.

For the full interview, go to: http://www.charlierose.com/guest/view/247

“Development’s means and ends are jumbled. In part, development is trapped by its own chequered history. Yet, this past is not necessarily a liability, it could even provide an opening to improve the development process.”

David Ekbladh, a research fellow with the Belfer Center’s International Security Program, wrote “Muddling Through: How Development’s Past Shapes Its Future,” which the Belfer Center published on November 4, 2009.

For the full oped, go to: http://belfercenter.ksg.harvard.edu/publication/19674/

“I think it is the grappling with important problems with greater-than-expected candor, genuine authenticity and extraordinary sacrifice that accounts for the military’s high standing. The chosen military messengers often convey that. Can we say the same of other sectors of society: hard problems, candor, authenticity, sacrifice?”

Ben Heineman, Belfer Center senior fellow, wrote “Petraeus, not Westmoreland,” which the Washington Post published in its “On Leadership” blog on November 2, 2009.

For the full opinion article, go to: http://belfercenter.ksg.harvard.edu/publication/19672/

“My impression is that the Obama administration still has not formulated its total policy or strategy on Arab-Israeli peace-making, because the political calculus for this — involving domestic as well as foreign policy — is too complex and costly for a young administration that has more important battles to fight.”

Rami Khouri, a senior fellow with the Belfer Center’s Dubai Initiative and director of the Issam Fares Institute for Public Policy and International Affairs and the American University of Beirut, wrote “Bad Month for Middle East Peace,” which Agence Global released on November 4, 2009.

For the full oped, go to: http://agenceglobal.com/article.asp?id=2182

“During the last decade and a half, the United States has been seduced by phenomenal business and economic growth enabled by the effectiveness and efficiency of high performance global, networked environments. The United States has been one of the key global leaders on embedding technology into our day-to-day life, transforming the global economy and connecting people in ways never imagined. However, we have not invested in the resilience necessary to assure our businesses can operate in a degraded environment.”

Melissa Hathaway, senior advisor to the Belfer Center’s Project Minerva, wrote “Government Must Keep Pace with Cybersecurity Threats,” which Information Security magazine published in the October 2009 issue.

For the full oped, go to: http://searchsecurity.techtarget.com/magazinePrintFriendly/0,296905,sid14_gci1370150,00.html

Hathaway’s recently published Belfer Center discussion paper, “Strategic Advantage: Why America Should Care About Cybersecurity,” was featured in “Hathaway: Feds Can’t Safeguard Cyber Assets Alone,” which GovInfo Security published on November 2, 2009.

For the full article, go to: http://www.govinfosecurity.com/articles.php?art_id=1905

Debate Still Rages Over Who Won the Cold War
Voice of America
November 3
Quoted: Joseph Nye
Topic: Reflections on the anniversary of the end of the Cold War

Joseph Nye was also quoted in the Christian Science Monitor. http://www.csmonitor.com/2009/1103/p06s09-wome.html

… Joseph Nye is an influential foreign policy expert and former high-ranking Clinton administration official. Nye agrees with Mr. Klaus that the primary causes of the Soviet collapse were economic failure and the decline of communist ideology.

He says that from the 1970s on, the Soviet economy proved unable to adjust to an increasingly information-driven global production system. Nye also points to what he calls the exhaustion of communist ideas he says had become “authoritarian and dictatorial” under Stalinism.

“So, by the time the Berlin Wall fell in 1989, it fell not under a barrage of artillery, but under hammers and bulldozers wielded by people who had lost faith in the ideas,” he said.

But Nye says the choices made by Mikhail Gorbachev following his 1985 appointment as general secretary of the Soviet Communist Party hastened the collapse.

“He wanted to save communism but in the process of trying to save it, he accelerated its demise … So his policies of perestroika, [or, economic] restructuring, and then glasnost, or openness, speeded up the disintegration of the Soviet empire,” Nye said.

http://www.voanews.com/english/2009-11-03-voa70.cfm

“It’s important to think about a strategy of reaching out to all interested groups and really engage before, during, and post-Copenhagen.”

-Paula Dobriansky, Belfer Center senior fellow

http://www.nationaljournal.com/njmagazine/cs_20091031_7714.php