Center for International and Security Studies at Maryland

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Author: search.filters.author.Lahneman, BillEnd date: 2009

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Now showing 1 - 7 of 7
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    Impact of Diaspora Community on National and Global Politics
    (2005-06-30) Lahneman, Bill; Plotkin, Karri; Reeves, Kevin M.; Zahid, Sadaf; Morrissey, Scott; CISSM
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    Impact of Diaspora Community on National and Global Politics
    (2005-07-05) Lahneman, Bill; CISSM
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    Future Ideological Challenges: Fault Lines, Movements, and Competing Models
    (2005-06-24) Lahneman, Bill; Zahid, Sadaf; Hoshmand, Andrea; CISSM
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    Intervention in Internal Conflict: Insights for Afghanistan
    (2001-12-07) Lahneman, Bill; CISSM
    This conference was the capstone event for an examination into the phenomenon of internal conflict, the reasons for third party intervention in internal conflict, and the role of the United States in such interventions. Three principal questions guided this process: What were the prospects regarding the nature and number of future internal conflicts? What were the challenges posed by internal conflicts and what could be learned by studying responses to internal conflict over the past decade? Under what circumstances was intervention in internal conflict managed more or less successfully? This last inquiry raised another series of questions. How does one define success? Is "success" an ability to stop fighting and achieve temporary stability, or must it include the achievement of long-term stability through "nation-building?" In narrowly defined national security terms, why should the United States ever consider "humanitarian" intervention? The original purpose of the conference was to provide a forum for the presentation of several case studies of internal conflict during the last decade. However, the events of last September 11th provided a real world case in which the answers to many of these questions were urgently needed to inform important US foreign policy decisions. As a result, the theme of the conference was changed. Now, instead of summarizing lessons learned about internal conflict and intervention, the conference sought to interpret how these lessons learned could help guide US policies toward Afghanistan following the collapse of the Taliban regime, which was perceived to be imminent. To assist in this effort, presentations by several Afghanistan area specialists were added to the event program. In addition to providing specific information concerning how Afghan culture, politics, and other factors might affect US conduct in post-Taliban Afghanistan, these scholars offered constructive criticism of the general lessons learned proposed by the case study authors. The seven case studies on intervention in internal conflict are: Somalia David Laitin, Stanford University Bosnia Steven Burg, Brandeis University Rwanda Gilbert Khadiagala, Johns Hopkins SAIS East Timor Eric Schwartz, Wilson Center Sierra Leone I William Zartman and Kwaku Nuamah, Johns Hopkins SAIS Cambodia David Chandler Haiti Chetan Kumar, United Nations They are available on CISSM"s and the NIC"s websites. Only pertinent aspects are reproduced in these proceedings, which emphasize potential lessons learned from each study, similarities running through the different studies, and lessons considered applicable to Afghanistan. Bill Lahneman is the Associate Director for Programs at the Center for International and Security Studies at Maryland.
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    Conference on Climate Change and Its Implications Through 2020
    (2004-06-28) Grimes, Bridget; Lahneman, Bill; CISSM
    On Monday, June 28, academics and senior government officials convened to address what many see as the greatest public policy problem of the next decade: global warming. The three panels that comprised this conference focused on what we know about climate change, policy scenarios related to climate change, and the geopolitical, economic, and social implications of such policy scenarios. This paper provides a summary of the panel presentations, the issues discussed, points of contention, and the varying opinions about climate change over the next 16 years. The following major themes were identified in the conference: The reality of the greenhouse effect is not in dispute, for statistics show that climate change is a very real phenomenon, although the degree of change caused by human activity is still not fully understood. There was some dispute over the level of weight granted to greenhouse gases versus issues surrounding land use, deforestation for agriculture or urban development. Overall, though, the consensus is that greenhouse gases are playing a critical role in climate change regardless. Recognition of perceptions of all relevant partiesscientists, policymakers, and the general publicis essential to addressing the problem of global warming. Because the major environmental changes anticipated to result from global warming will not take place until after 2020, perceptions are important to address the situation now through strategic investment. The United States will have a difficult time assuming a leadership position in the crusade to mitigate the effects of global warming, but there are advantages to having the U.S. at the forefront of the battle armed with advanced technology and policy measures. The U.S. has the strength of presence to carry the mantle of leader, and it has the technological and financial means to do so as well. But what it currently lacks is commitment to such an endeavor. If the United States committed to remedying the problem of climate change, it would not only be able to reinforce relations with allies but also could make deals in the climate arena thus allowing the U.S. to shape the climate change agenda according to its preferences. Finally, there is no silver bullet to resolve the problemno one scientific advance, new technology, or policy mechanism can resolve the effects of global warming.Rather, scientists and policymakers would do well to explore a variety of solutions, focusing on six key technologies: nuclear fission, biomass, wind, solar, the decarbonization of fossil fuels, and energy efficiency. Bill Lahneman is the Associate Director for Programs at the Center for International and Security Studies at Maryland.
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    Organized Crime and Corruption of State Institutions
    (2002-11-18) Lahneman, Bill; Lewis, Matt; CISSM
    Louise Shelley, director of American University"s Transnational Crime and Corruption Center, said that all discussions about organized crime should be understood in an historical context. The relationship between organized crime and government does not form overnight. For example, the roots of organized crime go back to the 1860s in Italy, and even earlier in Japanalthough the state-organized crime relationship was shaped by events in the 1920s in Japan. Shelley maintained that organized crime groups have survived because they have performedfunctions for the state and have developed along with the state. Shelley said that periods of rapid economic expansion or post-war reconstruction allow openings for greater criminal involvement with the state. Often, militaries are directly involved in organized crime activities. Afghanistan, Colombia, and the Balkans are examples of such postconflict situations. Mozambique is an example of where there has been peaceful conflict settlement but major organized crime penetration into the state. Property redistribution and privatization also foster the conditions that allow organized crime to take hold. Bill Lahneman is the Associate Director for Programs at the Center for International and Security Studies at Maryland.