HKS in the News March 30, 2012

1. Why Europe still matters (Burns) Boston Globe

2. Could Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala head the World Bank? Yes, if five things happen (Pritchett) The Guardian (UK)

3. NATO wary as withdrawal looms (Semple) The Friday Times (Pakistan)

4. Baker Wins HKS Negotiator Award (Gustafson) Harvard Crimson

Why Europe still matters

Boston Globe

March 30

Commentary by: Nicholas Burns, Belfer Center

Topic: U.S.-European relations

WHEN THE Obama administration announced last November that the United States would pivot its strategic attention to Asia, few disagreed. After all, the Asia-Pacific region is where China is rising to global power and India, South Korea, Indonesia, and Australia are providing much of global growth and prosperity. After focusing on Europe for well over two centuries, the United States would now make Asia the top priority…

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Could Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala head the World Bank? Yes, if five things happen The Guardian (UK)

March 30

Commentary by: Lant Pritchett

Topic: Leadership at the World Bank

The candidacy of an African woman, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, to lead the World Bank represents a historic opportunity to strengthen the organisation in its mission to attack global poverty. However, the fatalist view is that Okonjo-Iweala cannot win because she is not American. Fortunately, in this case idealism and power politics can align. Okonjo-Iweala can and should win, but it will take effort. Here is a five-stage scenario of how events could play out.

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NATO wary as withdrawal looms

The Friday Times (Pakistan)

March 30

Quoted: Micheal Semple, Carr Center

Topic: NATO in Afghanistan

NATO's responsibilities in Afghanistan are governed by UN Security Council resolutions. According to Richard Yale II, a former special envoy, NATO's job in Afghanistan is "essentially to shore up a weak government in Kabul, to reconstruct Afghanistan, and to use military capabilities against forces which help Al Qaeda and want to destabilize the country." …

"The chief irony is that the Pakistani establishment had previously called for NATO to do more in certain sectors," saysMicheal Semple, an Irishman who works as a research fellow at the Carr Center for Human Rights Policy at Harvard Kennedy School and had worked for the EU in Afghanistan. "Infiltration now works both ways and Abdul Wali now mainly works out of Kunar. The Taliban now use firing positions close to Pakistan Army border posts." …

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Baker Wins HKS Negotiator Award

Harvard Crimson

March 30

Quoted: Christopher Gustafson MPP 2012

Topic: HKS Negotiator Award

Former United States Secretary of State James A. Baker III received the 2012 Great Negotiator Award Thursday. The award, given by the Program on Negotiation at Harvard Law School and the Future of Diplomacy Project at Harvard Kennedy School, recognizes individuals who have made a lasting impact through their work in negotiation and dispute resolution…

“We’ve heard a lot of stories about James Baker’s actions during that time, and it’s interesting to hear his firsthand account to either corroborate or tweak the official history of the situation,” said HKS student Christopher W. Gustafson…

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In the HKS TV Studio

Ted Strickland, Institute of Politics

MSNBC “Live with Thomas Roberts,” 3/29

Topic: GOP Presidential Race

Broadcast Notes

Farai Chideya, Institute of Politics

MSNBC “The Last Word,” 3/29

Topic: The Trayvon Martin case