ALWAC Alabama World Affairs Council

11/05/2025

Dr. Michael Sobodchikoff presented, "Won't you be my neighbor? Living in Russia's neighborhood." He illustrated the expansion eastwards of NATO, and the Russian empire's evolution following the collapse of the USSR and Warsaw Pact. Expansion he argued was largely caused by President Clinton's calculations of domestic politics, overriding Sec. State James Baker's previous promise (personal, not policy) to avoid this.

10/01/2025

Amb. Richard LeBaron spoke on the possibilities for peace in the middle east to ALWAC on 09-30-2025, by chance a day after a comprehensive plan was announced by President Trump and Netanyahu in Washington DC.

Ambassador Robert LeBaron speaks to the Alabama World Affairs Council on 30 Sep 2025, on "Is Peace Possible in the Middle East?" By chance, this was one day ...

04/15/2025

Updated topic & speaker for 6 May event: Closing the Deterrence Gap in the Taiwan Strait

Dr. Jared McKinney will speak on his forthcoming monograph, Closing the Deterrence Gap in the Taiwan Strait. McKinney studies, teaches and has publications on both East Asia and the principles of international relations.
https://alwac.org/event-6018177
He is Assistant Professor of International Security Studies, Air War College, and holds five degrees: the PhD, International Relations, Nanyang Technological University; MSc, International Affairs, London School of Economics; LLM, International Relations, Peking University; MSc, Defense and Strategic Studies, Missouri State University; and the BA in History, from Patrick Henry College.

04/09/2025

Ally to adversary? The United States and Europe in Trump’s second term
ALWAC recommends a Brookings panel on foreign policy, featuring Fiona Hill, one of our most forthright speakers at ALWAC

Tuesday, April 22, 2025, 9:30 - 10:30 a.m. EDT
Online only:

On April 22, Brookings will host a discussion on the state of U.S.-Europe relations and what to expect in the months and years ahead.

04/06/2025

Air War College faculty reports on regional tours, Tuesday 8 April, 5:30 pm CT. https://alwac.org/event-6018243
Update for 2025: this event will feature Dr. Joshua Goodman on Latin America; Dr. Alex Lassner on Eastern Europe; Dr. Ashly Townsen on Southern Africa; and introduced by Dr. Margaret Sankey (Thailand and the Philippines).

This AWC faculty event often produces the liveliest exchanges of the year.

03/10/2025

Here is a link to the Stephen Humphreys episode on Ukraine, of In Focus with Carolyn Hutcheson of Troy Public Radio:

https://www.podbean.com/eas/pb-xjw2m-18300fa

Humphreys, our recent speaker, has visited Ukraine both teaching human rights law and observing the destruction and resilience of wartime Ukraine.

As American support for Ukraine wavers, Georgia Attorney Stephen Humphreys visits In Focus by Skype from Kyiv, to share his observations of a country trying to survive.

02/11/2025

Stephen Humphreys discussed his volunteer trips to Ukraine to give advice on human rights law, teaching in a university without electric power, and taking photographs showing both the destruction of wartime and the resiliency of the people.

02/11/2025

Stephen Humphreys's presentation with his photography of Ukraine was well received by our members. The photos and the recordings were uploaded to our Google Drive shortly afterwards. Humphreys discussed his volunteer trips to Ukraine to give advice on human rights law, teaching in a university without electric power, and taking photographs showing both the destruction of wartime and the resiliency of the people.

01/16/2025

On 4 March (changed date), Nathan Gonzáles will speak on Iran, the Middle East, and the fall of Assad. ALWAC.org.
International affairs specialist at ACSC. Two books, several articles on Iran, neighbors. PhD UCLA, MIA Columbia; speaks Spanish, Iranian, German, Italian.

11/20/2024

Dr. Chris Colley of the Air War College, gave a lively briefing on China's influence in the Indo-Pacific region.
Having studied in China for years, he was especially adept at explaining China's perspectives on her neighbors, as well as China's long term challenges in demographics, strategy, the economy and the military. Numerous well-off Chinese have gone to study abroad or work abroad permanently.
https://youtu.be/BNTIZDpj8ps

11/20/2024

Dr. Chris Colley of the Air War College gave a lively and well received, illustrated briefing to ALWAC on China's influence in the Indo-Pacific Region.
Colley studied in China for years before returning to the US as an analyst of the People's Republic.

10/29/2024

Camille P. Dawson, US State Dept., will speak on “US Indo-Pacific strategy,” 7 Nov 2024, 11:30 am – 1:30 pm in the Civic Room at Troy University Montgomery, AL. A box luncheon will be provided. Register ($20) at https://alwac.org/event-5928411