The overarching question imparting urgency to this exploration is: Can U.S.-Russian contention in cyberspace cause the two nuclear superpowers to stumble into war? In considering this question we were constantly reminded of recent comments by a prominent U.S. arms control expert: At least as dangerous as the risk of an actual cyberattack, he observed, is cyber operations’ “blurring of the line between peace and war.” Or, as Nye wrote, “in the cyber realm, the difference between a weapon and a non-weapon may come down to a single line of code, or simply the intent of a computer program’s user.”
The Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs is proud to host a Director's Seminar entitled "Are We Losing the War on Terror?" with Rand Beers, currently serving as the top advisor on the full range of national security and foreign policy issues for John Kerry's presidential campaign. As the former Special Assistant to the President and Senior Director for Combating Terrorism under President Bush, Mr. Beers has been at the forefront of the war on terror since it was formally declared. He will lead a discussion about the progress we have made and problems we face in combatting terrorist threats both at home and abroad. Mr. Beers' combination of experience inside Washington and now on the campaign trail will bring unique insight into one of the most pressing issues facing the global community.