Current Strategy Forum: Global Trends, Implications for National Policy and the Maritime Forces

 Susan Avery, from Woods Hole Oceanographic Instituion, speaks during a panel discussion that was part of the 2012 Current Strategy Forum at the U.S. Naval War College.
Susan Avery, from Woods Hole Oceanographic Instituion, speaks during a panel discussion that was part of the 2012 Current Strategy Forum at the U.S. Naval War College. This year’s forum explores global trends and the implications they have on national policy and maritime forces. 120612-N-LE393-110 NEWPORT, R.I. (June 12, 2012)

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Event Information

Tuesday, June 12-13, 2012
8:00 a.m.
U.S. Naval War College, 686 Cushing Road, Newport, RI 02841

U.S. Naval War College

This year marks the 63rd annual Current Strategy Forum (CSF) hosted by the Secretary of the Navy. The first CSF held on May 9, 1949 under the title “Round Table Talks” offered an opportunity for the nation’s public servants, scholars, and senior military officers to join the College faculty and students to discuss the future strategy of the United States. Over the decades, the forum has expanded to include a cross section of America’s civilian leadership to encourage a wide-ranging debate on national and international security.

Our nation’s strategic challenges continue to evolve in number and complexity. Extraordinary fiscal deficits at home, economic crises in Europe, the rising economies of developing nations, unrest in the Middle East, shifting trade routes, and climate change are just a few of the developments shaping the future geostrategic landscape. Additionally, the speed with which the geopolitical environment is changing creates uncertainty regarding strategy and makes difficult the allocation of resources. As our military forces continue to deal with the war in Afghanistan and its aftermath, they must also focus on emerging threats. America’s sights are shifting away from two land wars, to the problem of ensuring security in a fiscally constrained environment. This year’s forum will seek to refresh our 'mental maps' regarding the global system and help bring clarity to the rapidly changing geostrategic environment by presenting the perspective of leading experts on:

  1. how history may help inform us about our future
  2. the nature and challenges of today’s global system
  3. the potential paths that lie ahead for the nation’s future
  4. the implications of these developments for the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps

The 63rd Current Strategy Forum will explore the following issues:

  • Impact on U.S. security and the international strategic environment of the drawdown from extended wars
  • Impact on U.S. grand strategy of continued slow economic growth and continued turmoil in the international economy
  • Problems and prospects in implementing the strategic review “Sustaining U.S. Global Leadership: Priorities for 21stCentury Defense”
  • Strategic implications of high-tech weaponry in contested commons
  • Implications for the roles and missions of U.S. naval forces

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