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DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260107T120000
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DTSTAMP:20260424T220159
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SUMMARY:Briefing: Maduro's Capture & the Future of U.S.-Venezuela Relations
DESCRIPTION:What just happened in Venezuela?  \nJoin us for a special virtual briefing with Amb. Charles Shapiro\, former U.S. Ambassador to Venezuela (2002-2004)\, on the recent capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro by U.S. troops in Caracas and what’s next for U.S.-Venezuela relations. \nCo-moderated by Aaron Rosen\, President & Founder of the World Affairs Council of Miami and Rickey Bevington\, President of the World Affairs Council of Atlanta. \nFeatures special commentary on counter-narcotics by former U.S. Ambassador to Jamaica Luis Moreno\, former U.S. Narcotics Affairs Director in Bogota\, Colombia. \nDetails\nWednesday\, January 7 | 12:00pm ET\nZoom Webinar \n\n\nFeaturing\nAmbassador Charles Shapiro \nAmbassador (ret.) Charles Shapiro is a senior advisor at the Pendleton Group\, co-founder of Art of Diplomacy Tours\, and a Professor of Practice at the Nunn School of International Affairs at Georgia Tech. \nA career foreign service officer with 34 years of service\, Shapiro held a number of senior positions at the United States Department of State including Ambassador to Venezuela\, Acting Assistant Secretary for the Western Hemisphere\, and Coordinator for Cuban Affairs. \nIn 2011 Shapiro became the president of the Institute of the Americas\, a think tank at the University of California San Diego. In 2014 he became president of the World Affairs Council of Atlanta. While at the World Affairs Council\, he taught international business in the Executive MBA program at the Robinson College of Business at Georgia State University. \nShapiro’s op-eds have been published in the Toronto Star\, Efecto Cocuyo\, the Atlanta Journal Constitution\, the Atlanta Business Chronicle\, the Miami Herald\, the San Diego Union Tribune\, and the Los Angeles Times.\nAmbassador Luis G. Moreno \nAmbassador Moreno previously served as U.S. Narcotics Affairs Director in Bogota\, Colombia and was instrumental in planning and implementing Plan Colombia (a U.S. foreign aid and military initiative aimed at supporting counter-narcotics in Colombia) \n\nPresented by
URL:https://ctwac.org/event/briefing-maduros-capture-us-venezuela/
LOCATION:Zoom Webinar
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://ctwac.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/Venezuela-Briefing.png
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DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260114T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260114T200000
DTSTAMP:20260424T220159
CREATED:20251215T171603Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260107T190623Z
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SUMMARY:The Architect of Espionage: The Man Who Built Israel's Mossad | WorldNow
DESCRIPTION:How did Mossad\, Israel’s intelligence service\, come to be one of the world’s most notorious and prominent players in global intelligence? Just look to Meir Dagan\, the Mossad’s former director who transformed the service into the leading force in counterterrorism and espionage it is today. \nSamuel Katz\, bestselling author of The Architect of Espionage: The Man Who Built Israel’s Mossad in to the World’s Boldest Intelligence Force\, joins WorldNow to introduce us to the former Mossad director. \nKatz will give us an inside look at Dagan’s leadership and the operations carried out during his tenure\, including counterterrorism efforts\, covert missions related to Iran’s nuclear program\, and expanded intelligence cooperation with international partners – and how he transformed modern espionage and the Middle East. \nThe details: \nWhen: Wednesday\, January 14 | 7:00PM EST / 6PM Central\nWhere: Zoom Webinar | Registration required\nTickets: No charge\, RSVP required \nReserve your spot today \n\n\n \n\nMeet the Author\n \nSamuel M. Katz is a New York Times bestselling author who has written over twenty books on the Arab Israeli conflict\, military and law enforcement special operations\, espionage\, and counterterrorism. He has written hundreds of articles for magazines and journals around the world\, as well as documentaries for television. He is also the former editor-in-chief of Special Operations Report\, a trade publication for the world’s commando and counterterrorist community. Katz lectures police agencies and military commands around the world on the history of terrorism\, and he is a frequent guest on television and radio networks. \n\nMeet the Host\n\nJim Falk is President Emeritus of the World Affairs Council of Dallas/Fort Worth. Now residing in Santa Fe\, NM\, he is a Director of the Board of Global Santa Fe. In addition to hosting WorldNow with Jim Falk\, Jim produces and hosts The Forum\, a weekly talk show on KSFR-FM\, Santa Fe Public Radio. He is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations. \n  \n  \n\nAbout the Book\nThe Architect of Espionage: The Man Who Built Israel’s Mossad into the World’s Boldest Intelligence Force by Samuel M. Katz \nFrom a New York Times bestselling author and an expert on Middle Eastern conflict comes a riveting biography of Meir Dagan\, the legendary Mossad director who transformed Israel’s intelligence service into a global powerhouse of espionage and counterterrorism.\nIn The Architect of Espionage\, Samuel M. Katz masterfully chronicles the life of Meir Dagan\, a visionary covert warfare veteran who revolutionized the art of intelligence and espionage. Born in the shadows of the Holocaust\, his life personified the modern history of the Jewish people and the State of Israel. Dagan’s journey embodies decisive action\, innovative thought\, and bold leadership under fire. His tenure as the head of the Mossad marked a transformative era in Israel’s history\, reshaping the agency into a formidable global force. \nDagan spent thirty-two years in uniform\, and under his eight-year leadership\, Mossad orchestrated a series of high-stakes missions\, including targeted assassinations\, clandestine attempts to stop Iran from becoming a nuclear power\, and the covert expansion of Israel’s strategic collaborations with members of the global intelligence fraternity\, notably with the CIA. These operations not only bolstered Israel’s security but also altered the geopolitical dynamics of the Middle East. \nKatz brings to life the portrait of a spymaster whose influence extended far beyond Israel’s borders\, shaping intelligence relationships across the Middle East and worldwide. \nFor anyone captivated by espionage thrillers or historical biographies\, this is an essential and timely read\, providing an insightful glimpse into the mind of one of the most influential spymasters of our era. \nGet yourself a copy of The Architect of Espionage on Bookshop.org and support your local bookstore. \n\nPresented by\nWorldNow with Jim Falk is hosted by the World Affairs Council of Connecticut with the World Affairs Council of Dallas/Fort Worth and the World Affairs Councils of America. Presented in partnership with Councils nationwide: \n \n\n\n\nMission Partners\n \n\nMark & Linda Caplan\nDonna Collins\nSusan & Peter G. Kelly\nSe-Min Sohn\n  \nSupport global engagement in Connecticut by contacting CEO Megan Torrey about sponsorship opportunities. Learn more on our website about available opportunities. \n\nStay Globally Involved\nRenew your membership or become a member on our website. As a member of the World Affairs Council of Connecticut\, you can get exclusive access to events and travel opportunities\, build relationships with local leaders and global dignitaries\, and join our community of global citizens. Let us bring the world to you. \n\n\nThe World Affairs Council of Connecticut provides a platform for open dialogue and the exchange of ideas on global issues. The views expressed by speakers and contributors to this organization’s public programs—in person\, online\, and through affiliated social media sites— are solely their own and do not necessarily represent the official policies or positions of CTWAC\, its individual staff\, board members\, members\, or sponsors. As a nonpartisan and nonpolitical organization\, CTWAC’s purpose is to foster informed discussion and greater understanding of the world\, without endorsing any particular viewpoint. \n\n 
URL:https://ctwac.org/event/the-architect-of-espionage-worldnow/
LOCATION:Zoom Webinar
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://ctwac.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/Architect-of-Espionage-WorldNow.png
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DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260121T120000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260121T130000
DTSTAMP:20260424T220159
CREATED:20260114T212116Z
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SUMMARY:[Postponed] Greenland\, Denmark\, & the U.S.
DESCRIPTION:Thank you for your interest in this event. Unfortunately\, this discussion has been postponed as MG Jensen’s schedule has changed due to the unprecedented current events that require his full attention. \nThe Embassy of Denmark would like to share that MG Jensen highly values this discourse and we’re working hard to reschedule. We will announce the new date and time as soon as MG Jensen’s schedule and the diplomatic situation allows. Please check back soon. \nAny questions\, don’t hesitate to reach out to the Council at: info@ctwac.org. \n\nThe U.S. has stated its desire to take Greenland – by purchase or by force. \nPresident Trump claims the island is a strategic Arctic asset\, and that U.S. ownership would deter Russia and China. Denmark’s leadership states the island is “not for sale\,” and the use of military force to take Greenland could mean the end of NATO. Greenland itself prefers Denmark\, according to its Prime Minister. \nAs this conflict unfolds between NATO allies\, Major General Karsten Jensen\, Defence Attache of Denmark to the U.S. joins the Council to speak with us directly. \nRSVP now to hear directly from Denmark’s top military representative in the U.S.\, on Denmark’s response to U.S. threats and the future of the Denmark\, Greenland\, and the U.S. \nThe Details \nWhen: Wednesday\, Jan. 21 | 12:00PM – 1:00PM ET Postponed\nWhere: Zoom Webinar\nTickets: No charge\, suggested $20 donation \nReserve your spot today \n\n\n \n\nJoin the Community\nWith continuous breaking global news\, Council membership allows you to understand it all. Members gain lower-cost and exclusive access to discussions with foreign and local leaders\, events with experts and opposing views\, and – most essentially – a community of engaged people like yourself. \nBecome a member or renew today. \n\nMission Partners\n \n\nMark & Linda Caplan\nDonna Collins\nSusan & Peter G. Kelly\nSe-Min Sohn\n  \nSupport global engagement in Connecticut by contacting CEO Megan Torrey about sponsorship opportunities. Learn more on our website about available opportunities. \n\n\n\nThe World Affairs Council of Connecticut provides a platform for open dialogue and the exchange of ideas on global issues. The views expressed by speakers and contributors to this organization’s public programs—in person\, online\, and through affiliated social media sites— are solely their own and do not necessarily represent the official policies or positions of CTWAC\, its individual staff\, board members\, members\, or sponsors. As a nonpartisan and nonpolitical organization\, CTWAC’s purpose is to foster informed discussion and greater understanding of the world\, without endorsing any particular viewpoint.
URL:https://ctwac.org/event/greenland-denmark-us/
LOCATION:Zoom Webinar
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://ctwac.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/Greenland-Denmark-and-the-U.S.jpg
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DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260121T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260121T200000
DTSTAMP:20260424T220159
CREATED:20251218T203335Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20251219T205320Z
UID:10000402-1769022000-1769025600@ctwac.org
SUMMARY:The Trillion Dollar War Machine with Bill Hartung | WorldNow
DESCRIPTION:The U.S. spends nearly a trillion dollars on its military each year\, making up 40% of the world’s military spending. Is this spending really keeping America safe? \nBill Hartung\, author and senior fellow at the Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft\, argues that not only is this spending not keeping America safe\, but it is endangering both the U.S. and the world at large. \nOn January 21st\, Hartung joins WorldNow with Jim Falk to reveal how the American military industrial complex operates\, its key players – from Hollywood and Silicon Valley to lobbyists and the Pentagon’s top contractors – and how we can secure America’s future and prosperity by re-envisioning America’s trillion-dollar war machine. \nThe details:\nWhen: Wednesday\, January 21 | 7:00pm-8:00pm Eastern / 6pm Central\nWhere: Zoom Webinar | Registration required\nTickets: No charge\, RSVP required \nReserve your spot today \n\n\n \n\nMeet the Author\n \nWilliam D. Hartung is a senior fellow at the Quincy Institute\, focusing on the arms industry and US military budget. He was previously the director of the Arms and Security Program at the Center for International Policy and the co-director of the Center’s Sustainable Defense Task Force. Bill is the co-author\, with Ben Freeman\, of the recently released The Trillion Dollar War Machine: How Runaway Military Spending Drives America into Foreign Wars and Bankrupts Us at Home. \nBill previously directed programs at the New America Foundation and the World Policy Institute. He also worked as a speechwriter and policy analyst for New York State Attorney General Robert Abrams. Hartung’s articles on security issues have appeared in the New York Times\, the Washington Post\, the Los Angeles Times\, The Nation\, and the World Policy Journal. \nHe has been a featured expert on national security issues on CBS 60 Minutes\, NBC Nightly News\, the PBS Newshour\, CNN\, Fox News\, and scores of local\, regional\, and international TV and radio outlets. \n\nMeet the Host\n\nJim Falk is President Emeritus of the World Affairs Council of Dallas/Fort Worth. Now residing in Santa Fe\, NM\, he is a Director of the Board of Global Santa Fe. In addition to hosting WorldNow with Jim Falk\, Jim produces and hosts The Forum\, a weekly talk show on KSFR-FM\, Santa Fe Public Radio. He is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations. \n  \n\nAbout the Book\n \nThe Trillion Dollar War Machine: How Runaway Military Spending Drives America into Foreign Wars and Bankrupts Us at Home by William D. Hartung and Ben Freeman \nA hard-hitting investigation into how the Pentagon’s runaway spending embroils America in foreign wars\, squanders its wealth\, and enriches a privileged elite\n“A damning indictment of the conflicts of interest running rampant in the defense establishment.”―Publishers Weekly\nAmerica spends nearly a trillion dollars a year on its military. This extraordinary spending not only detracts from our ability to address pressing social problems but compels us into foreign wars to justify our vast arsenal. Sold to us in the name of “security\,” our military industrial complex actually makes us far less safe. \nTop policy experts William D. Hartung and Ben Freeman follow the profits of militarism from traditional Pentagon contractors\, which receive more than half of the Pentagon’s budget\, to the upstart high-tech firms that shamelessly promote unproven and destabilizing technologies. They unmask the enablers of the war machine—politicians\, lobbyists\, the media\, Hollywood\, think tanks\, and so many more—whose work enriches a wealthy elite at the expense of everybody else\, spreading conflict around the world and embroiling America in endless wars. \nA damning tour de force\, The Trillion Dollar War Machine shows who is pulling the strings and pushing for war\, and offers a blueprint for how we can shut down the war machine and restore American security and prosperity. \nGet yourself a copy of The Trillion Dollar War Machine on Bookshop.org and support your local bookstore. \n\nPresented by\nWorldNow with Jim Falk is hosted by the World Affairs Council of Connecticut with the World Affairs Council of Dallas/Fort Worth and the World Affairs Councils of America. Presented in partnership with Councils nationwide: \n \n\n\n\nMission Partners\n \n\nMark & Linda Caplan\nDonna Collins\nSusan & Peter G. Kelly\nSe-Min Sohn\n  \nSupport global engagement in Connecticut by contacting CEO Megan Torrey about sponsorship opportunities. Learn more on our website about available opportunities. \n\nStay Globally Involved\nRenew your membership or become a member on our website. As a member of the World Affairs Council of Connecticut\, you can get exclusive access to events and travel opportunities\, build relationships with local leaders and global dignitaries\, and join our community of global citizens. Let us bring the world to you. \n\n\n\n\n\nThe World Affairs Council of Connecticut provides a platform for open dialogue and the exchange of ideas on global issues. The views expressed by speakers and contributors to this organization’s public programs—in person\, online\, and through affiliated social media sites— are solely their own and do not necessarily represent the official policies or positions of CTWAC\, its individual staff\, board members\, members\, or sponsors. As a nonpartisan and nonpolitical organization\, CTWAC’s purpose is to foster informed discussion and greater understanding of the world\, without endorsing any particular viewpoint.
URL:https://ctwac.org/event/trillion-dollar-war-machine-worldnow/
LOCATION:Zoom Webinar
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://ctwac.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/Trillion-Dollar-War-Machine-.png
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