C.V. Starr Presentation

A Paradigm For Security: Partnering with Pakistani Democracy (Sponsored by the Center for International Law and Network 20/20)

• Date: Wednesday, October 29, 2008
• Time: 4:30 pm - 6:00 pm
• Location: Wellington Conference Center (5th floor of the Building which is on 47 Worth Street)
• Contact: Michael Rhee at (212) 431-2865. You may also send an e-mail to mrhee@nyls.edu.
• Click here for registration materials: There is no charge for this lecture. But registration is still required.

Diminishing influence in Pakistan, a frontline state in the U.S. war on Islamist extremists, has become a prime concern for the United States. Pakistan is the world’s second most populous Muslim country and the only Muslim-majority state with nuclear weapons. Because its mountainous tribal areas border Afghanistan, Pakistan is both an essential ally against Al Qaeda and the Taliban as well as being a safe haven for these very forces. Today, analysts of many stripes describe Pakistan as a failing state where Islamist insurgents already control remote parts of the country and threaten to take over the government and gain control over its nuclear weapons. They warn us that soaring food and fuel prices and nationwide energy shortages portend massive unrest and instability. Yet dire outcomes are not inevitable in Pakistan. Broadly supported and massively funded legislation for non-military aid is working its way through the U.S. Congress. If passed, this will give the next American president an unprecedented opportunity to build a more positive and sustainable relationship with Pakistan. The dilemma and challenge for the United States is to mesh our respective interests and priorities into an effective, agreed upon strategy.

To this end, a Network 20/20 delegation visited Pakistan in May, 2008, to seek frank exchanges and to build bridges with their counterparts in this important country. The delegation had three goals in mind: 1) To acquire a better understanding of Pakistan and Pakistani views of the war on terrorism and the danger of nuclear proliferation; 2) To gain insights into the impact of the on-again off-again nature of Pakistani-U.S. bilateral relations; and 3) To make concrete recommendations at a time when the U.S. is pledging to strengthen our alliances across Pakistani society, not just with the military.

In a 10-day trip to Pakistan flanked by side trips to Afghanistan and India, Network 20/20 conducted more than 60 interviews in Islamabad, Karachi, Lahore, Peshawar, Multan, Rawalpindi, Kabul and New Delhi. Interviewees represented a cross-section of Pakistani society ranging from government officials, members of Parliament, military officers, university chancellors, and business executives to religious leaders including radical Islamists, journalists, non-profit community organizers, scientists, entrepreneurs and persons-on-the-street. Many interviewees spoke English; Network 20/20’s Urdu-speaking members conversed with those who did not. The panelists will present the findings of their trip report.

About the panelists

George Billard is a Network 20/20 Board member and a filmmaker based in New York City. He is President of Do Diligence, a film production company with productions in more than 30 countries, including Mongolia, Japan, Peru, French Polynesia, Australia, Morocco, Egypt, Turkey, and Chile’s Easter Island. He is also President of Miracle Media, where he produced and directed The Well-Seasoned Traveler for the A&E television network. Billard has created a library of motion picture imagery that is distributed internationally. Billard has a B.A. in Broadcast and Film from Boston University, and in 2005, he earned an M.P.A. from Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government.

Associate Professor Tai-Heng Cheng is a charter Network 20/20 member and Associate Director of the Center for International Law at New York Law School. Prior to joining New York Law School, he was involved in the Dahbol arbitrations concerning the largest foreign investment in the Republic of India. He has also advised the Prosecutor-General of the United Nations Transitional Administration in East Timor. Professor Cheng holds a Doctor of the Science of Law degree and a Master of Law degree from Yale Law School. He also holds a Master of Arts degree and a Law degree with first class honors from Oxford University.

Glenn Johnston is a Network 20/20 member and a director of business research for Kroll--one of the world’s leading risk consulting companies--and is head of business development for the North America region. Before joining Kroll, he held director-level positions at the law firms of Loeb & Loeb and Covington & Burling. Earlier in his career, Johnston was a financial journalist and worked in London and New York. He also spent four years as a public affairs officer with the United Nations, where he was assigned to the General Assembly’s Legal Committee and the Security Council. Johnston has a law degree from Trinity College Dublin.

Madiha R. Tahir is a Network 20/20 member. She received her Master’s Degree in Near Eastern Studies from NYU. She is fluent in Urdu and Hindi and has working knowledge of Arabic. Born in Pakistan, Tahir immigrated to the U.S. with her family for political asylum and continues to be active in the Pakistani immigrant community. She has contributed freelance work for various documentary projects and is currently an advanced M.S. student at the Columbia Graduate School of Journalism. Tahir retains a keen interest in reporting on Pakistani politics and American foreign policy in the region.