Future of War
First Annual Conference
Event
New America
The First Annual Future of War Conference brings together a diverse, interdisciplinary collection of experts to discuss the profound social, political, economic, and cultural implications of the changing nature of war and conflict. The theme of the event is “How is Warfare Changing?,” which we explore through a consideration of three sub-themes: “How Are Emerging Technologies and Strategies Redefining the Practice of War?;” “Are We Living in a Forever War?;” and “Can We Better Understand How Warfare is Evolving by Reflecting on History?” The conference also launches the Future of War Project, which links New America, a DC-based think tank and civic engagement enterprise, and Arizona State University, one of the nation’s largest and most innovative public research universities.
CNN is the leading media partner for the conference and will live-stream panels on CNN.com. DefenseOne will also be a media partner for this event.
Agenda:
Tuesday February 24, 2015
8:00 AM– 8:30AM: Registration and Breakfast
8:30 AM – 8:50 AM: Welcome and Opening Remarks
Dr. Michael Crow
President, Arizona State University
Dr. Anne-Marie Slaughter
President and CEO, New America
9:00 AM – 9:50 AM: Machines That Kill: Will We Rely on Autonomous Weapons?
Dr. Peter W. Singer
Strategist and Senior Fellow, New America; Author, Ghost Fleet: A Novel of the Next World War (forthcoming)
Moderator:
Peter Bergen
Vice President, Director of Studies, New America; Professor of Practice, Arizona State University; Co-Director, Future of War Project
9:50 AM – 10:40 AM: Climate Change, Pandemics, and the Competition for Prosperity: Planning for Non-Military Security Challenges
Nadya Bliss
Director, Global Security Initiative, Arizona State University
Col. Troy Thomas
Director for Strategic Planning, National Security Council; Officer, United States Air Force
Moderator:
The Honorable Sharon Burke
Senior Advisor, International Security Program, New America; Former Assistant Secretary of Defense for Operational Energy Plans and Programs, U.S. Department of Defense
10:50 AM – 11:30 AM: Continuities and Change in Future Armed Conflict
Lt. Gen. H.R. McMaster
Deputy Commanding General, Army Capabilities Integration Center, U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command
11:30 AM – 12:00 PM: Striking a Balance: Authorizing the Future Use of Military Force
Heather Hurlburt
New America
The Honorable Harold Koh
Yale Law School
Moderator:
Jake Tapper
Chief Washington Correspondent; Anchor, The Lead, CNN
12:00 PM– 12:30 PM: Lunch
12:40 PM– 1:20 PM: How Will the Digital Biology Revolution Transform Conflict?
Dr. Gaymon Bennett
Assistant Professor of Religion, Science, and Technology, Arizona State University
Dr. Gary Marchant
Lincoln Professor of Emerging Technologies, Law, and Ethics; Faculty Director of the Center for Law, Science, and Innovation, Arizona State University
1:30 PM – 1:40 PM: The Kill Switch
Phil Zabriskie
Author, The Kill Switch; Former Staff Writer, TIME Magazine
Introduction:
Peter Bergen
Director, International Security Program, New America
1:40 PM– 2:20 PM: How Will Technology Shape the Future of War?
Moderator:
Barbara Starr
Pentagon Correspondent, CNN
Dr. Arati Prabhakar
Director, Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency
2:20 PM– 3:00 PM: What is Cybersecurity at Home?
The Honorable Suzanne Spaulding
Under Secretary, National Protection and Programs Directorate, U.S. Department of Homeland Security
Moderator:
Alan Davidson
Vice President, Open Technology Institute, New America
3:10 PM– 4:00 PM: How Should We Adjust the Laws of War to Address the Changing Nature of Conflict?
Naz Modirzadeh
Founding Director, Program on International Law and Armed Conflict, Harvard Law School
Moderator:
Rosa Brooks
Professor, Georgetown University Law Center; Senior Fellow, International Security Program, New America
4:10 PM– 5:00 PM: The Tyranny of Distance: What is the Future of U.S. Maritime Security?
Adm. Michelle Howard
Vice Chief, Naval Operations, U.S. Navy
Moderator:
Jim Sciutto
Chief National Security Correspondent, CNN
Wednesday February 25, 2015 8:00 AM–5:00 PM
8:00 AM– 8:30 AM: Registration and Breakfast
8:30 AM– 9:30 AM: Reflections on the Future of War
Moderator:
Wolf Blitzer
Anchor, The Situation Room, CNN
Gen. Raymond Odierno
Chief of Staff, U.S. Army
9:40 AM– 10:30 AM: What Do Lessons from History Tell Us About the Future of War?
Moderator:
Michael Lind
ASU Future of War Fellow; Co-Founder, New AmericaDr. Philip Bobbitt – Herbert Wechsler Professor of Federal Jurisprudence; Director, Center for National Security Law; Columbia Law School; Author, The Shield of Achilles
Sir Lawrence Freedman
Professor of War Studies, King’s College London; Author, Strategy: A History
Dr. Ian Morris
Jean and Rebecca Willard Professor of Classics and Professor of History, Stanford University; Author, War: What Is It Good For?
10:40 AM– 11:10 AM: Why is Violent Conflict Decreasing in the Long-term?
Daniel Rothenber
Professor of Practice, Arizona State University; Fellow, New America; Co-Director, Future of War Project
Dr. Steven Pinker
Johnstone Family Professor, Department of Psychology, Harvard University; Author, The Better Angels of Our Nature: Why Violence Has Declined
11:20 AM– 12:00 PM: How Will the Wars of the 21st Century be Fought?
Dr. David Kilcullen
Chairman, Caerus Global Solutions; ASU Future of War Senior Fellow, New America; Author, The Accidental Guerilla and Out of the Mountains
Dr. Peter W. Singer
Strategist and Senior Fellow, New America; Author, Ghost Fleet: A Novel of the Next World War (forthcoming)
Moderator:
Dr. Anne-Marie Slaughter
President and CEO, New America
12:00 PM – 12:30 PM: Lunch
12:30 PM – 12:40 PM: Personal Reflection – The Next Generation of Cyberwar
Introduction:
Dr. Peter W. Singer
Strategist and Senior Fellow, New America; Author, Ghost Fleet: A Novel of the Next World War (forthcoming)
Midshipman Zane Markel
Midshipman, Center for Cyber Security Studies, U.S. Naval Academy
12:40 PM– 1:10 PM: Will There be a Nuclear War in South Asia?
Gordon Lubold
Senior Military Writer, DefenseOne – Director, South Asia Programs, U.S. Institute of Peace
1:10 PM– 1:40 PM: Is a Long Peace Possible in Asia? How Does China See the Future of War?
Philippe Le Corre
Visiting Fellow, Center on the United States and Europe, Brookings Institution Dr. Sheldon Simon – Director, Center for Asian Studies, Arizona State University
Moderator:
Bay Fang
Senior Fellow, International Security Program, New America; Former Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs, U.S. Department of State
1:40 PM – 1:50 PM: Personal Reflection – Life as a Mayor in Wartime Iraq
Introduction:
Col. Joel Rayburn
Adjunct Fellow, International Security Program, New America; Author, Iraq After America: Strongmen, Sectarians, Resistance
Maj. Gen. Najim Abed al-Jabouri
Distinguished Research Fellow, Near East South Asia Center for Strategic Studies, National Defense University; Former Mayor, Tal Afar, Iraq
1:50 PM – 2:30 PM: What Does the Rise of ISIS Tell Us About the Future of War?
Dr. Hassan Abbas
Professor, National Defense University; Author, The Taliban Revival
Dr. Douglas Ollivant
Partner, Mantid International; ASU Future of War Senior Fellow, New America; Former Director for Iraq, National Security Council
Emma Sky
Senior Fellow, Jackson Institute for Global Affairs, Yale University; Former High Level Advisor in Iraq for the U.S. and U.K. Governments
Moderator:
Dr. Tara Maller
Associate Director for Strategic Communications, Franklin Project, Aspen Institute; Research Fellow, International Security Program, New America
2:30 PM – 3:00 PM: How Do You Defeat a Networked Enemy Like ISIS? Lessons from Joint Special Operations Command
Col. (Ret.) Ioannis Koskinas
CEO, Hoplite Group; Senior Fellow, International Security Program, New America; Retired U.S. Air Force Officer, Special Operations
Moderator:
Peter Bergen
Vice President, Director of Studies, New America; Professor of Practice, Arizona State University; Co-Director, Future of War Program
3:10 PM– 3:50 PM: What Human Rights Will Be Most at Risk in Future Wars?
Moderator:
Dr. Karen Greenberg
Director, Center on National Security, Fordham University School of Law
Daniel Rothenberg
Professor of Practice, Arizona State University; Fellow, New America; Co-Director, Future of War Project
3:50 PM– 4:30 PM: Is the Pentagon Adapting Fast Enough?
Tom Ricks
Senior Advisor for National Security, International Security Program, New America; Contributing Editor, Foreign Policy
Moderator:
Kevin Baron
Executive Editor, DefenseOne
4:30 PM– 5:00 PM: How Will Congress Shape the U.S. Military of the Future?
Sen. John McCain
U.S. Senator, Arizona; Chairman, Senate Armed Service Committee