How do the Republican and Democratic candidates view the struggle against terrorism? What are the implications of a change in U.S. strategy and how are European governments likely to react?
On 4 November 2008 the US will elect a new president. In January 2009, the new president will inherit a daunting array of international dangers, challenges and opportunities. How will he or she respond?
In the spirit of great debate befitting a presidential election the Global Leadership Forum will address the most pressing global issues facing the US; ranging from relations with transatlantic allies and the Middle East, to climate change and the crisis in the global economy- Royal United Services Institute
Bio
Ashton Carter
Ashton Carter is chair of the International Relations, Security, and Science faculty at Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government. He is also co-director (with former Secretary of Defense William J. Perry) of the Preventive Defense Project, a research collaboration of Harvard and Stanford Universities.
Carter served as Assistant Secretary of Defense for International Security Policy during President Clinton's first term. His Pentagon responsibilities included countering weapons of mass destruction worldwide, oversight of the US nuclear arsenal and missile defense programs, and chairmanship of NATO's High Level Group. Carter was twice awarded the Department of Defense's highest award, the Distinguished Service Medal, and for his contributions to intelligence, the Defense Intelligence Medal.
Lyse Doucet
Lyse Doucet is a presenter and correspondent for BBC World television and BBC World Service. In 2002, she and her team were nominated for a Royal Television Society Award for their exclusive coverage of the attempted assassination of the Afghan President Hamid Karzai. The following year, Ms. Doucet was awarded a Silver Sony Award for News Broadcaster of the Year. She is also a regular presenter on the BBC's "Have Your Say" program and she occasionally presents "HARDtalk." Before joining the BBC's team of presenters in 1999, she spent 15 years as a BBC foreign correspondent. Ms. Doucet has an honorary doctorate in civil law from the University of King's College in Halifax, Nova Scotia; a master's degree in international relations from the University of Toronto; and a bachelor's degree from Queen's University at Kingston.
Baroness Pauline Neville-Jones
Pauline Neville-Jones, Baroness Neville-Jones DCMG is a former BBC Governor and Chairman of the British Joint Intelligence Committee. Pauline Neville-Jones was a career member of the UK Diplomatic Service from 1963 to 1996, during which time she served in British Missions in Rhodesia, Singapore, Washington, DC and Bonn. Between 1977 and 1982 she was seconded to the European Commission where she worked as Deputy and then Chef de Cabinet to Commissioner Christopher Tugendhat.
Sir David Omand
Sir David Bruce Omand GCB is a former senior British civil servant. Omand started out with the Home Office. After years of service with the Ministry of Defence, from 1996-1997 he was Director of the Government Communications Headquarters, before being appointed Permanent Secretary at the Home Office.
In the 2000 New Year Honours, he was made a Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath (KCB). In 2002 he became the first Permanent Secretary and Security Intelligence Co-ordinator in the Cabinet Office. In the 2004 Queen's Birthday Honours, he was promoted to Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath (GCB).
He retired from the Cabinet Office in April 2005. On January 27, 2006, he was appointed to the board of The Natural History Museum, for a term of 4 years. He has served the Crown for over 35 years.
Kori Schake
Kori Schake is a research fellow at the Hoover Institution. She is also the Bradley Professor of International Security Studies at the United States Military Academy at West Point, N.Y. Her areas of research interest are national security strategy, the effective use of military force, and European politics.
During President George W. Bush's first term, she was the director for Defense Strategy and Requirements on the National Security Council. She was responsible for advising the president, White House chief of staff, and national security adviser on defense issues, including the secretary of defense's annual review of the defense program and the president's annual meeting with the Combatant Commanders; developing presidential policy initiatives; and orchestrating interagency coordination for all long-term defense planning and coalition maintenance issues.
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