ISP Symposium – Intelligence in Defense of the Homeland

On Thursday, March 23, 2017, the Intelligence Studies Project (ISP) and Business Executives for National Security hosted a symposium, “Intelligence in Defense of the Homeland,” at the Etter-Harbin Alumni Center on the campus of UT Austin.

“Intelligence in Defense of the Homeland” was designed to promote an exchange of well-informed views on the challenges our intelligence and law enforcement agencies face in detecting and disrupting attacks inside the U.S. by violent extremists. We were honored that James Comey, the Director of the FBI, Thomas Bossert, the Assistant to the President for Homeland Security and Counterterrorism, and Admiral Kurt Tidd, Commander U.S. Southern Command, participated and delivered keynote remarks.

We were joined by a variety of homeland security experts who spoke on state and local government challenges, civil liberties, and the nature of the evolving threat that the United States currently faces. Students, faculty, community members, and media were in attendance.

This event was co-sponsored by the Robert Strauss Center for International Security and Law, the Clements Center for National Security, and the LBJ School of Public Affairs.

For event photographs, click HERE. See below to view the videos.

MEDIA COVERAGE

• FBI Director James Comey Talks National Security at UT (Alcalde)
• FBI Director James Comey to Speak at UT Intelligence Symposium (KXAN)
• FBI Director Comey at UT meeting: FBI’s top priority is counterterrorism against ISIS (KVUE)

VIDEOS

Welcome by Gregory Fenves, President of The University of Texas at Austin

An Evolving Domestic Threat: A Discussion with Bruce Hoffman and Peter Bergen

• Moderator: Michele L. Malvesti, Professor of Practice in International Security Studies at Tufts University
• Bruce Hoffman, Director of the Center for Security Studies and Professor at Georgetown University
• Peter Bergen, Author and CNN National Security Analyst

Keynote Remarks by James Comey, Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation

Introduction by Adm. (Ret.) William McRaven, UT Systems Chancellor

Discussion and Audience Questions Moderated by William Inboden, Executive Director of the Clements Center for National Security

Challenges for State and Local Governments in Countering Extremist Violence: A Panel Discussion with Steve McCraw, Lt. Gen. John Bansemer, and Robert Griffin

• Moderator: Samuel Rascoff, Professor of Law and Director of the Center for Law and Security at New York University
• Steve McCraw, Director of the Texas Department of Public Safety
• Lt. Gen. John Bansemer, Assistant Director of National Intelligence for Partner Engagement at the Office of the Director of National Intelligence
• Robert Griffin, Serial Entrepreneur in Intelligence and National Security

Keynote Remarks by Thomas Bossert, Assistant to the President for Homeland Security and Counterterrorism

Discussion and Audience Questions Moderated by Stephen Slick, Director of the Intelligence Studies Project

Commanders’ Perspectives

• Moderator: Christine Abizaid, Former Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Central Asia
• Adm. Kurt Tidd, Commander, U.S. Southern Command
• Adm. (Ret.) William McRaven, UT Systems Chancellor
• Gen. (Ret.) Norton Schwartz, President and CEO of the Business Executives for National Security

Safeguarding Civil Liberties While Defending the Homeland: A Conversation between Ben Wittes and Hina Shamsi

• Moderator: Robert Chesney, Director of the Strauss Center for International Security and Law
• Ben Wittes, Editor-in-Chief of Lawfare and Senior Fellow at The Brookings Institution
• Hina Shamsi, Director of the ACLU National Security Project

New Approaches to Securing the Homeland – Closing Remarks by Gen. Norton Schwartz