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.”
0930-1000 Continental Breakfast
1000-1005 Welcome remarks: Paul Kolbe, Director, Intelligence Project
1005-1025 Keynote: The Hon. Jim Clapper (joining us via Zoom), Senior Fellow, Intelligence Project
1025-1045 Setting the Scene: Dr. Paula Briscoe, Recanati-Kaplan Fellow, Intelligence Project
1045-1200 Panel – National Security and Intelligence Reform from 1947 to Present
This panel will discuss key changes in the last 75 years to intelligence and national security structures, requirements, authorities, and enduring strengths and challenges.
Moderator: Dr. Michael Miner
Panelists: Dr. Michael Warner, U.S. Cyber Command (Zoom); Dr. James Wirtz, Naval Postgraduate School (in person); Dr. Sara Castro, U.S. Air Force Academy (in person)
1200-1300 Lunch Provided (In-Person Attendees)
1300-1400 Panel – Reimagining the 1947 National Security Act for the 21st Century
Winners will present their ideas and discuss the major challenges and key proposals.
Moderator: Dr. Graham Allison
Panelists: Essay Competition Winners:
First place: Russ Travers, former Acting Director of the National Counterterrorism Center and former White House Deputy Homeland Security Advisor
Second place: Sophie Faaborg-Anderson, MPP Candidate, Harvard Kennedy School / MITRE Corporation’s National Security Engineering Center
Third place: Marie Couture and Laurie LaPorte, National Security Experts
1400-1500 Panel – Priority Challenges for US Intelligence and National Security
This panel will explore ways to address current constraints and will consider legislative measures to improve intelligence capabilities, and national security.
Moderator: Ellen McCarthy, former Assistant Secretary of State for the Bureau of Intelligence and Research (in person)
Panelists: The Hon. Sue Gordon, Intelligence Project Senior Fellow (via Zoom); the Hon. Jim Clapper, Intelligence Project Senior Fellow (via Zoom)
1500 Adjournment of Conference
1530-1630 Informal roundtable discussion for students