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Cancellation Policy:

Cancellations must be made at least three (3) business days prior to the program for a full refund. In the event you are not able to cancel before that deadline, we encourage you to find someone to attend in your absence as we cannot issue a refund after our numbers have been guaranteed. If you have reserved a seat and were planning on paying at the door but were not able to attend, you are still responsible for the reservation cost.


The WACC Speaker Series Luncheon 2009 Program Calendar is Now Available!
 
NOVEMBER 2008
World Affairs Council of Charlotte General Dynamics  

Thank you for our corporate sponsors, General Dynamics for sponsoring this program.

If you missed the luncheon with Marshall Goldman, author of "Petrostate: Putin, Power, and the New Russia," please check out his interview with Mike Collins (Charlotte Talks).

Listen Now (Charlotte Talks with Mike Collins, WFAE)

 

 

Dr. Marshall Goldman
Petrostate: Putin, Power, and the New Russia

The story of oil and gas in Russia is a tale of discovery, intrigue, corruption, wealth, misguidance, greed, patronage, nepotism, and power. Marshall Goldman tells this story with panache, as only one of the world's leading authorities on Russia could.

Date: Tuesday, November 18th, 2008
Location: The Westin (Uptown Charlotte)
Google Map

Time:
12:00 - 1:30 p.m.
Cost:
$ 40(WACC members); $ 50 (non-members)
Lunch included

In the aftermath of the financial collapse of August 1998, it looked as if Russia's day as a superpower had come and gone. That it should recover and reassert itself after less than a decade is nothing short of an economic and political miracle. Based on extensive research, including several interviews with Vladimir Putin, this revealing book chronicles Russia's dramatic reemergence on the world stage, illuminating the key reason for its rebirth: the use of its ever-expanding energy wealth to reassert its traditional great power ambitions. In his deft, informative narrative, Marshall Goldman traces how this has come to be, and how Russia is using its oil-based power as a lever in world politics.

The book provides an informative overview of oil in Russia, traces Vladimir Putin's determined effort to reign in the upstart oil oligarchs who had risen to power in the post-Soviet era, and describes Putin's efforts to renationalize and refashion Russia's industries into state companies and his vaunted "national champions" corporations like Gazprom, largely owned by the state, who do the bidding of the state. Goldman shows how Russia paid off its international debt and has gone on to accumulate the world's third largest holdings of foreign currency reserves--all by becoming the world's largest producer of petroleum and the world's second largest exporter. Today, Vladimir Putin and his cohort have stabilized the Russian economy and recentralized power in Moscow, and fossil fuels (oil and natural gas) have made it all possible.

To register for this event, please call the Council at 704-687-7762 before 10:00 AM (Nov. 18th, 2008). Limited spots available.

Reservation Information

Member Rate
$ 40
 
Non-Member Rate
$ 50
 

Speaker Information:

Marshall Goldman is Professor of Economics Emeritus at Wellesley College and Senior Scholar at the Davis Center for Russian Studies at Harvard University. An internationally recognized authority on Russian history, politics, and economics, he has met with Mikhail Gorbachev and interviewed Vladimir Putin, and has advised former President George H.W. Bush and President George W. Bush on Russia. Goldman has written for publications like Foreign Affairs, The New York Times, The Washington Post, The New Yorker , and The Atlantic Monthly ; and he has appeared on numerous television programs, including The News Hour, Crossfire, Face the Nation, The Today Show , and Nightline.

OCTOBER 2008
General Dynamics

Senator Chuck Hagel (R-Ne)
America Our Next Chapter

In his two terms in the US Senate Senator Hagel has been known to be pro-active, thoughtful, knowledgeable, and outspoken political leader. As one of the Senate's leading Republican lawmakers, he has challenged the policies of the current administration by expressing concerns about the war in Iraq. By breaking ranks, he’s drawn cautious admiration from individuals and groups from the other side of the ideological sphere.

Date: Thursday, October 30th, 2008
Location: Charlotte City Club
Time:
12:30 p.m. (Please note the change in time due to the Senator's schedule)
Cost:
$ 55 (WACC members); $ 65 (non-members)
Lunch included

 

If you missed Senator Chuck Hagel at our Speaker Series Luncheon on October 30th, check out his interview on Charlotte Talks regarding his book "America: Our Next Chapter" and American foreign policy. Listen WFAE October 31st, 2008 (Charlotte Talks)

Reservations are closed for this program. Thank you.

America will vote for a new president on November 4th, 2008. The next President of the United States will face a series of tough international and domestic challenges. Senator Hagel’s presentation, “America Our Next Chapter” will provide a thoughtful analysis of the future of America and its role in the world as it continues moving forward as a global leader. Please join us for a timely opportunity to explore the issues as you cast your vote.

Speaker Information:

As the author of “America: Our Next Chapter,” Senator Hagel’s vision of an effective American foreign policy is guided by the hand of international diplomacy. It includes building strategic alliances and partnering with international organizations while reaffirming America’s commitment to democracy, free trade, international peace and global security. On the home front, he’s a supporter of smaller government, responsible government spending, and the introduction of reforms to reduce costs of entitlement programs.  

SEPTEMBER 2008