Wild Pitch: Curveball and Selling the Iraq War

In 1999, a mysterious Iraqi applied for political asylum in Munich. The young chemical engineer offered compelling testimony of Saddam Hussein’s secret program to build weapons of mass destruction. He claimed that the dictator had constructed germ factories on trucks, creating a deadly hell on wheels. His German hosts passed along his account to their CIA counterparts, but denied CIA agents access to their star informant. The Americans dubbed him with an unforgettable code name: Curveball. After September 11, 2001, the Bush administration seized on Curveball’s account as evidence that Saddam’s government needed to be overthrown—in spite of numerous indicators that the informant’s credibility was unraveling. Bob Drogin answers the crucial question of the Iraq war: how and why was America’s intelligence so wrong?
Bob Drogin is the national security correspondent for the Los Angeles Times. He previously served for the Times in Asia and Africa, and as a national correspondent based in New York. He has won or shared multiple journalism awards, including the Pulitzer Prize, the Robert F. Kennedy Journalism Award, and the George Polk Award.
Join the New America Foundation for an engaging discussion on intelligence failure in the run-up to the Iraq war, followed by a robust Q&A session led by Dr. Jeffrey Lewis.
Featured SpeakerBob DroginNational security correspondent, Los Angeles TimesAuthor, Curveball: Spies, Lies, and the Con Man Who Caused a War ModeratorDr. Jeffrey LewisDirector, Nuclear Nonproliferation and Strategy InitiativeAmerican Strategy Program
To RSVP for this event, reply to this email: communications@newamerica.net with name, affiliation, and contact information.

Tuesday, December 4, 2007

12:15 p.m. - 1:45 p.m.

New America Foundation1630 Connecticut Ave, NW, 7th FloorWashington, DC

America’s Changing Social Contract

Despite the sustained economic growth of recent years, Americans are increasingly concerned with economic security. Even before economists began reporting signs of recession, skyrocketing health care costs, faltering pensions, and burgeoning inequality frayed the fabric of the American social contract. America's social contract is an evolving, complex web of legal and informal relationships between households, employers, government, and civil society that extends beyond particular federal programs. Now is the time to strike a new bargain between these sectors, rethinking the rights and responsibilities of each. Breathing new life into the American social contract is needed to keep pace with our 21st century economy and build the conditions for sustained growth and healthy families.
The New America Foundation/Next Social Contract Initiative invites you to join a discussion to help redesign the American social contract. Speakers, discussants, and panelists will return to first principles and address the roles that government, business, families, and civil society have to play in the next social contract.
The Next Social Contract Initiative aims to reinvent American social policy for the twenty-first century. Through a program of research and public education, the initiative will explore the origins of our modern social contract, articulate the guiding principles for constructing a new contract, and advance a set of promising policy reforms. For the full agenda, please visit the New America website.

Monday, December 3, 2007

9:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.

(Lunch will be provided)

The Mayflower Hotel - East Room1127 Connecticut Ave, NWWashington, DC

Martyrs Without Borders

The rate of suicide attacks in the Iraqi insurgency has surpassed the number of suicide operations by all previous insurgent groups combined, including those by Hezbollah in Lebanon, Tamil Tigers in Sri Lanka, and Hamas in Israel. Many of the suicide bombers are foreign volunteers--they come from neighboring countries such as Saudi Arabia and Syria, and from as far away as North Africa and Europe. What motivates these foreign fighters to make this journey of death? Dr. Mohammed Hafez, author of Suicide Bombers in Iraq, will answer this and other vexing questions by examining the varied factions that comprise the Iraqi insurgency, the ideology and theology of martyrdom, and the prospects for a new generation of global jihadists forged in the crucible of Iraq.
Dr. Mohammed Hafez earned a Ph.D. in international relations from the London School of Economics and has received major research grants from the United States Institute of Peace and the Harry Frank Guggenheim Foundation. He is the author of Suicide Bombers in Iraq: The Strategy and Ideology of Martyrdom (2007); Manufacturing Human Bombs: The Making of Palestinian Suicide Bombers (2006); and Why Muslims Rebel: Repression and Resistance in the Islamic World (2003). Next year, he will join the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, California, as an associate professor of national security affairs.
Join the New America Foundation for an engaging discussion on suicide bombers with Dr. Hafez, followed by a robust Q&A session led by Patrick C. Doherty.

Friday, November 30, 2007

12:30 p.m. - 2:00 p.m.

New America Foundation 1630 Connecticut Ave, NW, 7th FloorWashington, DC

Fall 2007 Farewell Dinner

Friday, December 7th, 6pm-8pm, Room ABC


UCLA, UCSB, UCD, UCSD, UCI, UCR, and UCR Join your fellow Fall UCDC 2007 class for a night of dinner and fun!

UCDC Alumni Network

Did you love your UCDC experience? Are you planning on coming back to Washington? If so, please join the newly created UCDC Alumni Database!

We hope to stay connected with YOU, our awesome alums and to continue to grow as a program and as a Center.

As you know, The UC Washington Center is hosting more events and creating new opportunities for alumni, students and the DC community. You are an integral part of that community whether you are in DC or California.

Please join the UCDC Alumni Network by signing up on this page (http://www.ucdc.edu/students/alumni.cfm) it will take less than 5 minutes and once you register you will receive e-mails about local DC and Center events or receive the newsletter and specific events for Californians. In addition to events information, you will also have the opportunity to serve as a career contact to help incoming interns or find that old roommate or UCDC friend. We keep the e-mails to a minimum and will not share your information with outside parties.

For questions or more information please contact Roya Soleimani at roya.soleimani@ucdc.edu or (202)974-6345. We look forward to welcoming you in the network.

Center Forum

James Miller, GWU Professor and United States Black History Expert



Jim Miller is Professor of English and American Studies at The George Washington University, where he has been teaching since 1998. Dr. Miller received his A.B. degree from Brown University and his Ph.D. from the State University of New York at Buffalo, where he directed the Black Studies Program from 1969-1971.

His major teaching fields are African American Literature and Culture, Twentieth Century American Studies, and Literary/Historical criticism. Professor Miller's essays and reviews have appeared in a wide range of publications, including Critical Studies in Mass Communications, The Year Left, Callaloo, Journal of American Studies, The Boston Sunday Globe, Tikkun, Cineaste, American Literature, Village Voice Literary Supplement, Z Magazine, The Nation, and The Washington Post Book World.

MONDAY, November 19th

6:30pm-7:30pm

Auditorium

Free BURRITOS will be served at 6:

LGBTQIA Hour

Join us in a safe and supportive space for conversation and to get to know one another while in Washington!

8:30 pm Mondays, Room 1104

Center Forum

Politics, Journalism and Nancy Pelosi

With

Marc Sandalow

Marc Sandalow is just finishing a biography on House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. He wrote for the San Francisco Chronicle for 21 years, spending his last 10 years as the paper’s Washington Bureau Chief. He has covered presidential elections, congress, a presidential impeachment, the San Francisco Board of Supervisors, the Berkeley City Council, World Series, and earthquakes (including an earthquake at a World Series.)

Sandalow has been writing from Washington since 1993. He appears daily in the Bay Area as a political analyst on KPIX-TV and KCBS-radio, and was a contributing editor to the California Journal. He is the co-author of “Ballparks: A Panoramic History” and his biography of Pelosi is scheduled to be released in April.

MONDAY, October 29th

6:30pm-7:30pm

(food at 6:15pm)

AUDITORIUM

Free Food and Drinks will be served

p.s. As a friendly reminder, if you join us for your dinner, you have to stay and enjoy the program as well!! It is our pleasure to provide informative events and food for people who join us, but as a courtesy, please do not dine and dash!

Street Closings for IMF/World Bank Meetings

October 17, 2007

E-ALERT: Street Closings for IMF/World Bank Meetings

The following information was provided by the District Department of Transportation:

The International Monetary Fund and World Bank will hold its annual meetings from Friday, October 19 through Monday, October 22, 2007. Consequently, the following street closures and pedestrian restrictions will be in effect:

STREET CLOSINGS

Beginning at 8 pm on Friday, October 19, until 2 am on Sunday, October 21, the following streets will be closed:

· Pennsylvania Avenue, NW between 17th Street and 20th Street, NW

* 19th Street, NW between I ("Eye") Street and F Street, NW

* H Street, NW between 17th Street and 20th Street, NW

Beginning at 8 pm on Friday, October 19, until 9 pm on Monday, October 22, the following streets will be closed:

* 18th Street, NW between F Street and Pennsylvania Avenue, NW

· 19th Street, NW between F Street and Pennsylvania Avenue, NW

* 20th Street, NW between F Street and Pennsylvania Avenue, NW

* F Street, NW between 17th Street and 20th Street, NW

Vehicular access to the 1700-2000 blocks of Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, the 1700 - 1800 blocks of H Street, NW, and the 800 block of 19th Street, NW is tentatively scheduled for AM Rush Hour traffic on Monday, October 22, 2007.

PEDESTRIAN RESTRICTIONS

Only pedestrians with business in the area and proper identification will be permitted access to the following locations:

· 600, 700, and 800 blocks of 18th Street, 19th Street, and 20th Street, NW

· 1700, 1800, 1900, and 2000 blocks of G Street, NW

· 1900 block of H Street, NW

The public is advised that the street closings are subject to change without prior notice due to prevailing conditions. The District Department of Transportation wishes to take this opportunity to thank the public for their cooperation and understanding in this matter.

Informational Meeting on Graduate Study in Political Science

Professor Sam Kernell will hold a brief informational meeting on graduate study in political science from 5:30 to 6 on Wed., October 24 in room 318. He would be happy to discuss graduate study in general and proffer tips on the application process. (Mr. Kernell has served on the department's graduate admissions committee during the past several years.) He is mainly interested, however, in stimulating interest in UCSD's nationally ranked political science program.

Philadelphia Trip

Philadelphia Trip
Saturday, October 20 , 2007
6:30 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.

Students who signed up will take a bus to Philadelphia to visit the Liberty Bell, Congress Hall, Independence Hall, Franklin Court and other historical sites. Once you arrive in Philly, tour guides will accompany you on a 3-hour walking tour. Afterwards, you will have a couple of hours to do more exploring on your own. Make sure you visit South Street and grab a greasy Philly cheese steak!
_______________________________________

6:30 a.m. — Meet Chris Cunningham (CA) in the UC Center lobby. Please check in with Chris when you arrive .

6:45 a.m. — Begin boarding buses.

7:00 a.m. — Depart for Philadelphia.

8:00 a.m. — Stop for coffee break at the Maryland House.
(Time permitting)

8:30 a.m. — Depart from Maryland House.

10:45 a.m.— Meet tour guide at Independence Transportation Center, Race Street between 5th & 6th Street

11:00 a.m. — Begin 3-hour walking tour of historic Philadelphia. Tour will be on the bus if it’s raining.

2:00 p.m. — Individual time to do more exploring

4:45 p.m.—Meet buses at Independence Transportation Center (drop off location)

5:00 p.m.— Buses depart for UC Washington Center.

8:00 p.m.—Arrive at UC Washington Center.

Questions? Contact Alverta @Alverta.scott@ucdc.edu or (202) 974-6208

Author Series Event

Author Series Event with

John Kao

Innovation Nation: How America is Losing Its Innovation Edge, Why it Matters, and How We Can Get It Back

Wednesday, October 17th 2007
6:30-8:30

Conference Center B1
1800 K St. NW, Washington, DC 20006

Members $10 Non-Members: $15 Students/Interns: No Charge

As Americans, we have long ascribed to the notion that we are the global leaders in innovation. The fact is that an ominous, seismic shift is occurring. Other nations- not only China and India, but also smaller countries such as Singapore, New Zealand, and Denmark- are moving ahead of us in some areas of innovation. Singapore, a country with a population of only 4.4 million people, has a fully functioning city- Biopolis- devoted entirely to scientific research. The largest nanotechnology research center in the world will be in Beijing, and the second largest in Shanghai. The competition, and our obstacles, seems overwhelming- what can be done to return America back to its preeminent position?

In Innovation Nation, John Kao sounds the alarm by diagnosing the current (and admittedly grim) situation, describing the best innovation practices from around the world, explaining how innovation works at a national level, and putting forth a revolutionary proposal for a U.S. strategy that all stake holders can get behind.

John Kao, dubbed "Mr. Creativity" by the The Economist, is a leading expert on innovation, large-scale transformation, and high-technology. He taught at the Harvard Business School for 14 years and is the founder of Kao & Company, an advisory and venture development firm that counts leading companies, government agencies, and political figures among its clients. He serves on the Department of Defense's Transformation Advisory Group.

Questions? Contact The World Affairs Council of Washington, DCPh: 202-293-1051

Fax: 202-293-3467 Email: event@worldaffairsdc.org

T-Shirts!

WANT A UCDC SHIRT?

Order forms are available at the Residential Life office on the 4th floor
DEADLINE TO ORDER:
OCTOBER 26, 2007

Not sure of your size? Come try one on!

Questions? Email Sarah at sarah.watson@ucdc.edu

Matsui Foundation for Public Service Writing Prize

The Robert T. Matsui Foundation for Public Service and the UC Washington Center Director’s Office are proud to sponsor a competition affording UCDC program participants the opportunity for formal reflection on their experiences in public service. Students submitting winning entries, to be selected by the Foundation from finalists identified by UCDC faculty, will receive the following cash prizes and will be known respectively as the gold, silver, and bronze winners of the Robert T. Matsui Prize in Writing on Public Service.

• Gold: $500.00
• Silver: $250.00
• Bronze: $250.00
  
  For more information and to apply please click here: http://www.ucdc.edu/students/matsui.pdf

Graduate Program Information Session

An elite interdisciplinary M.A. Program offers new and seasoned professionals practical research training to meet the analytical challenges of today’s workplace…

UC-Irvine Graduate Program in

Demographic & Social Analysis

Information Session:
Wednesday, October 17th
6:00-7:00 p.m.

UC Washington Center
Room 301 (3rd floor)

Earn a Master’s Degree in three quarters!

Gain the research tools in demand in business, government, and nonprofit sectors

Work closely with distinguished faculty from a dozen departments

Join the DASA Director for pizza and conversation

Now accepting applications for Fall, 2008, DASA is a joint program of the Schools of Social Sciences and Social Ecology. For further information, visit http://www.demography.uci.edu/ or contact Professor Judith Treas (jktreas@uci.edu or 949-824-8324).

DALAI LAMA TO SPEAK FROM U.S. CAPITOL LAWN

The International Campaign for Tibet is honored to announce a public address by His Holiness the Dalai Lama on October 17, 2007 following his receipt of the Congressional Gold Medal in the U.S. Capitol Rotunda.
Congress has passed a resolution permitting the International Campaign for Tibet to sponsor a public event on the Capitol grounds in connection with the Gold Medal award ceremony.
ICT is working with U.S. Tibetan Associations to organize a special event and celebration of the award, being presented to His Holiness “…in recognition of his enduring and outstanding contribution to peace, non-violence, human rights, and religious understanding.”
The Dalai Lama’s speech will follow cultural performances by the Tibetan community in a gathering expected to be attended by thousands. Members of the public are welcome and encouraged to attend the festivities on the West Lawn of the U.S. Capitol Mall beginning at 11:00 a.m. on October 17, 2007.

FREE AND OPEN TO THE PUBLIC
OCTOBER 17, 200711:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Campus * Progress

Evaluating Higher Education Institutions and College Rankings
When?October 16, 200712:00 PM - 1:30 PM
Where?
Center for American Progress1333 H Street NW, 10th floorWashington, DC 20005

Do students and parents have the information they need to make decisions about what college or university to choose? What criteria do we value in institutions of higher education and what information do we need to make choices about where to attend? Join Campus Progress and the Center for American Progress for a discussion of college and university rankings and the availability of public information on the performance of institutions of higher learning. The discussion will address questions about whether and how institutions of higher education should be ranked, what criteria are important, and whether the public has access to the information that we need to make informed decisions.Join us as we discuss college and university rankings and the availability of relevant information from institutions of higher learning. The panel will feature Kevin Carey, Research and Policy Manager for Education Sector; Paul Glastris, Editor in Chief of The Washington Monthly; and Kenneth Terrell, Assistant Managing Editor of Education, U. S. News and World Report. The panel will be moderated by Cynthia G. Brown, Director of Education Policy at the Center for American Progress. Lunch will be served at 11:30 a.m. Sponsored by Campus Progress and Center for American Progress.
Please click here to RSVP.
For more information please contact speakers@campusprogress.org

Stand Up Against Poverty

http://www.standagainstpoverty.org/ (signs are also in the elevators)

October 16 + 17, 2007STAND UP and SPEAK OUT is a worldwide call to take action against poverty and inequality and for the Millennium Development Goals. On October 16th and 17th, be a part of this growing movement of people who refuse to stay silent or seated in the face of poverty. Help us break the world record so we can break the record of broken promises.

Imperatives for a New Cuba Policy

Polls indicate the great majority of Americans now see our 47-year old Cuba policy for the utter failure it is. Even the Cuban-American community, heretofore solidly behind the policy, is moving rapidly in the other direction. Polls taken in the congressional districts of Lincoln Diaz-Balart and Mario Diaz-Balart, two of the policy's most iron-clad advocates, show even the majority of their constituents to disagree – 66% expressing disagreement in Lincoln Diaz-Balart's district and 69% in Mario Diaz-Balart's. Truly a dramatic change.

Tuesday, October 16, 20078:30 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.
University of California Washington Center1608 Rhode Island Ave, NWWashington, DC

To RSVP for this event, reply to this email: communications@newamerica.net with name, affiliation, and contact information.
If you have questions, call or email Liz Wu at (202) 986-2700 x315 or wu@newamerica.net

Career Night KICKOFF!

Monday, Oct. 22nd
Beyond the Beltway: Making a Successful Transition from College to Work

presented by Lauren Payne, Career Advisor, UC San Diego’s Career Services Center

Being successful in their first job right after college can be a big concern for many graduating seniors, even for those with previous work experience. This session will cover strategies for success in your first year after college, such as managing your expectations and anticipating an employer’s expectations, workplace etiquette, making a strong impression, and building your professional networks.

Auditorium
6:30—8:00 (food will be served at 6:15)

UC Washington Center Forum

MONDAY, October 15th 6:30pm-7:30pm

(Moved to the)AUDITORIUM Seating may be limited, so be on time!

Ambassador Ronald Neumann
Former United States Ambassador to Afghanistan and member of the American Academy of Diplomacy

Formerly a Deputy Assistant Secretary and twice an Ambassador (Algeria and Bahrain) Ronald E. Neumann has a combination of regional expertise and leadership ability that equip him to serve as Ambassador to the Islamic State of Afghanistan. Mr. Neumann, a career member of the Senior Foreign Service, served most recently 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 operations in Fallujah, Najaf, and other areas.
Prior to working in Iraq, he was Chief of Mission in Manama, Bahrain (2001-2004), where, as Ambassador, he worked on maintaining the balance between urging progress on democratic reform and expanding solid relations with a friendly monarchy that was beginning important political reforms. His previous Washington assignments include service as Deputy Director of the Office of Jordan, Lebanon, Syria and Palestinian Affairs; Staff Assistant in the NEA Bureau; and Political Officer in the Office of Southern European Affairs.
Ambassador Neumann speaks Arabic and French. He earned a B.A. in history and an M.A. in political science from the University of California at Riverside.

Free Food and Drinks will be served at 6:15 in the alcove gallery next to the auditorium

Computer News

Every student is issued a computer user account and email address with a temporary password while at the UC Washington Center.

You must login to a lab computer to change your temporary password before you can access any websites which require a UCDC account login such as Computer Registration, Online Work order, or webmail.

Residential Services Welcome

Welcome to the UC Washington Center. The Residential Services Office is located on the 4th floor. At our office you can pick-up packages, check your mailbox, rent DVD players, VCRs, and Board Games. We’re also here to try and make your stay in the Center as enjoyable as possible and to address residential concerns that may arise. Our office is open Monday-Thursday from 2:00 p.m. to 9:30 p.m., Fridays, 2:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m., and Saturdays from 3:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. Come by and say hello!

UC Center Forums

Welcome to Washington! Every Monday, come check out the UC Washington Center Forum Lecture series! These seminars and workshops will expose you to hot topics and give you direct access to Ambassadors, members of Congress, and many top policy makers and journalists in the DC and California community.

September 24th—Auditorium:
Bryce Harlow Institute, Lobbying Panel: Chris Hansen, Group Executive Officer, State and National Initiatives, AARP Ed Ingle, Managing Director, Government Affairs, Microsoft
Melissa Laurenza, Associate, Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld

October 1st—Room A/B:
Fall Quarter Kick Off!

October 8th—Room A/B:
Roger Wilkins, George Mason
University professor, civil rights
activist, and journalist

October 22nd—Room A/B:
Career Night series kick off!
“Beyond the Beltway: Making a Successful Transition from College to Work” with Lauren Payne, Career Advisor, UC San Diego’s Career Services Center

October 29th—Room A/B:
Rajiv Chandraseakaran, Assist. Managing Editor, The Washington Post

For more details on Center Forums, see http://www.ucdc.edu/aboutus/centerforum.cfm.

UC Washington Center Congressional Fellowship

Are you a UC Student working on Capitol Hill this fall!?

If the answer is yes, then you are eligible to apply for the UC Washington Center and the UC Office of Federal Government Relations UC Congressional Fellowship (UCCF) this fall.

As a congressional fellow, you will be provided with additional support (a financial award, training and networking opportunities) and the UCCF program will also help connect UC congressional fellows to issues that impact the UC system as a whole.

Applicants will be reviewed on their application essay questions, qualifications, experience and interviews.

To request an application, please email Roya Soleimani at: fellowship@ucdc.edu. Applications are due by no later than midnight on September 30th. In fairness to all applicants, late applications will not be accepted.

Message from Director Bruce Cain

As the Director of UC’s Washington Center, I welcome all of you who are arriving for the Fall term. For those of you who do not know me, I am a Professor of Political Science at UC Berkeley as well as the Center’s Director. Like the professors at your home campuses, I have published many books and articles in my thirty years as an academic, but more than most, I have an enduring interest in experiential
political learning. My own career was very positively influenced by a year as a state redistricting consultant in the early eighties, and since that time, I have worked with governments at all levels and the media in various capacities. I know first hand how valuable political sector and nonprofit experience can be.

Working with student representatives, I instituted a number of changes to improve programming and the quality of life for undergraduates at the Center. I look forward to continuing that discussion and making further improvements. I want the UC undergraduate intern program to be as innovative and valuable as possible. You will see that the Center’s staff is very dedicated and skilled in their work. I urge you to participate in as many of the Center’s forums and workshops as possible so that you get the most you can out of your Washington experience.

In the meantime, get unpacked, poke your nose around town and get a sense of what goes on in the nation’s capital. Based on the experiences of students before you, you are about to have a wonderful time at the Center.

Bruce Cain

Introduction

The postings that follow will provide you with information on a variety of subjects pertaining to life at the University of California's Washington Center and living in Washington DC. The goal is to inform you about what to expect while living and working in Washington and alleviate some of the concerns that you might have.