Current Strategy Forum 2009

Newport, Rhode Island

June 16-17, 2009

 

Note: The 2009 Current Strategy Forum was held at the Hyatt Regency Newport while Spruance Auditorium was under construction.

 

2009 marked the 60th consecutive Current Strategy Forum at the Naval War College in Newport. The first was held on May 9, 1949, under the title "Round Table Talks", and 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 time this forum has expanded to include a cross section of America's civilian leadership to encourage a wide-ranging debate on national and international security.

 

Each year the Secretary of the Navy hosts the Current Strategy Forum to provide an opportunity for an exchange of views among outstanding scholars and leaders from across industry, government and the military. Today, as the Navy continues to focus on its support for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, it also must also look beyond the horizon. The Navy must support our nation's national security objectives even as new challenges and threats emerge to threaten the global system. The 2009 forum presented the perspective of the nation's leading experts on how the Navy can both meet future challenges and identify opportunities to promote a more stable world.

 

The 60th Current Strategy Forum explored: The Challenges created by the long-term economic, demographic and geopolitical trends that impact U.S. national security. The Strategic Opportunities that the United States will encounter in a rapidly changing geostrategic environment. The Influence the United States and the maritime services will have in securing a more stable and peaceful world.