C-SPAN 3 PANEL COVERAGE APR 7- PUBLIC EVENT Lisa Curtis (Senior Research Fellow at the Heritage Foundation), Omar Samad (Former Afghan Ambassador to Canada and France and Senior Fellow at the New America Foundation), Jed Ober (Director of Programs at Democracy International) and moderated by Caroline Wadhams (Senior Fellow at the Center for American Progress)

WHEN: Monday, April 7 at 2:00pm 

WHERE: 2212 Rayburn House Office Building, Capitol Hill 

TO RSVP: Email events@psaonline.org with your organization affiliationFollow the event on Twitter! #AfghanElectionsPanel @PSAOnline @afghanallianceThe results of the past 12 years of efforts, investments and sacrifices by the United States and members of the international community in Afghanistan will be tested by Afghanistan’s April 5th election. The election process will likely take several months to complete but will result in a new era as current President Hamid Karzai will be replaced. If the elections are successful, it will mark the first peaceful transition of power through a democratic process in Afghanistan’s history.

For the U.S., successful Afghan elections will be important in securing the possible signing of the Bilateral Security Agreement (BSA), necessary to define the future presence of U.S. and NATO forces in Afghanistan to further assist and train the Afghan National Security Forces (ANSF). Many believe this would be crucial to ensure Afghanistan does not become a haven for terrorist groups in the future. It will also allow the United States to address potential long term threats from remnants of Al-Qaeda and other extremist groups in the region.

The many questions posed by the election will not immediately be answered. Questions include: How will recent Taliban threats affect the transition of power from President Karzai to his successor? What standard can the international community use to measure the success of the elections? What is at stake for the U.S. if a BSA is not signed?

To seek answers to these questions and for early analysis following the first round of elections, join the Partnership for a Secure America (PSA) and the Alliance in Support of the Afghan People (ASAP) for a panel discussion featuring four Afghanistan experts.

Featuring:

Lisa Curtis, Senior Research Fellow, Heritage Foundation. Lisa Curtis analyzes America’s economic, security, and political relationships with India, Pakistan, Afghanistan, and other South Asian countries as a Senior Research Fellow at Heritage. Previously, she has served on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, was the White House-appointed senior assistant to the assistant secretary of state for South Asian affairs, and served in the Foreign Service in India and Pakistan.

Omar Samad, Former Afghan Ambassador to Canada and France, Senior Fellow at the New America Foundation. Ambassador Omar Samad is the founder and president of Silkroad Consulting, L.L.C. based in Virgina. In addition to working at the New America Foundation, he has previously served as the Afghan ambassador to France and Canada, expert in-residence at the United States Institute of Peace Center for Conflict Management, and was the spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Kabul.

Jed Ober, Director of Programs at Democracy International. Jed has served multiple roles at Democracy International. Currently as Director of Programs, he is responsible for overseeing the implementation of programs overseas. He has previously served as Chief of Staff and Logistics Officer in Kabul for regional election observations. Before joining Democracy International, he has worked at the Project on Middle East Democracy, An-Najah National University in the West Bank, and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s Presidential campaign.

Caroline Wadhams, Senior Fellow at the Center for American Progress. As a Senior Fellow at the Center for American Progress, Caroline Wadhams focuses on national security, Afghanistan, Pakistan, India, and terrorism. Prior to joining the Center for American Progress, she served as a legislative assistant for foreign policy for Sen. Russ Feingold (D-WI), the Council on Foreign Relations. Overseas, she has worked with the International Rescue Committee in Sierra Leone and a U.S. election observer in Afghanistan.

On July 29, two participants in Partnership for a Secure America’s Congressional Partnership Program hosted an off-the-record discussion with Ambassador Ronald E. Neumann to share his observations and insights following his recent trip to Afghanistan. This conversation discussed a responsible path forward in Afghanistan.

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Ronald E. Neumann

Formerly a Deputy Assistant Secretary Ronald E. Neumann served three times as Ambassador; to Algeria, Bahrain and finally to the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan from July 2005 to April 2007. Before Afghanistan, Mr. Neumann, a career member of the Senior Foreign Service, served in Baghdad from February 2004 with the Coalition Provisional Authority and then as Embassy Baghdad’s principal interlocutor with the Multinational Command, where he was deeply involved in coordinating the political part of military action. Prior to working in Iraq, he was Chief of Mission in Manama, Bahrain (2001-2004). Before that, Ambassador Neumann served as a Deputy Assistant Secretary in the Bureau of Near East Affairs (1997-2000), where he directed the organization of the first separately-funded NEA democracy programs and also was responsible for the bureau’s work in developing the North African Economic Initiative for Morocco, Tunisia, and Algeria. Before that assignment, he was Ambassador to Algeria (1994 to 1997) and Director of the Office of Northern Gulf Affairs (Iran and Iraq; 1991 to 1994).

Earlier in his career, he was Deputy Chief of Mission in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, and in Sanaa in Yemen, Principal Officer in Tabriz, Iran and Economic/Commercial Officer in Dakar, Senegal. His previous Washington assignments include service as Jordan Desk officer, Staff Assistant in the Middle East (NEA) Bureau, and Political Officer in the Office of Southern European Affairs. Ambassador Neumann is the author of The Other War: Winning and Losing in Afghanistan (Potomac Press, 2009), a book on his time in Afghanistan. He is the author of a number of monographs and articles. At the Academy he has focused particularly on efforts to expand State and USAID personnel to enable these institutions to carry out their responsibilities. Ambassador Neumann speaks some Arabic and Dari as well as French. He received State Department Senior Foreign Service pay awards in 2004, 2003, and 1999 as well as individual Superior Honor Awards in 1993 and 1990.

He served as an Army infantry officer in Viet Nam and holds a Bronze Star, Army Commendation Medal and Combat Infantry Badge. In Baghdad, he was awarded the Army Outstanding Civilian Service Medal. He earned a B.A. in history and an M.A. in political science from the University of California at Riverside. He is married to the former M. Elaine Grimm. They have two children.