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SADDLEBROOKE GREAT DECISIONS

SaddleBrooke, Arizona

What is it?

A foreign affairs discussion group that meets some Mondays, January through April, to wrestle with international issues and how they may affect U.S. foreign policy.

Who is it?

The nation-wide Great Decisions program is a division of the non-partisan Foreign Policy Association (FPA) of the U.S. The Saddlebrooke Chapter is one of over twenty-five groups in the greater Tucson area; and with over 120 on our email list, one of the most active. Our usual meeting attendance varies between forty and eighty.

How do I join?

You can join by attending one of our meetings. Dues are $5 per person for one year. We generally meet some Mondays – January thru April – from 3:00-5:00 PM in HOA2 East Ballroom. Our announcements, updates, reminders and any schedule changes are shown on this website.

What do we talk about?

Each year, the FPA tries to forecast what the hot-button international issues will be based on input from its policy experts. They narrow issues down to eight Meeting Topics. Each Topic is then assigned to an expert or experts with knowledge of and experience in that field. Their job is to prepare a comprehensive, detailed analysis of each Topic which is published into The Great Decisions book that is the basis of discussion throughout the entire country. The book contains analyses of the eight Topics – with pertinent history, recommended readings, questions for discussion – all liberally highlighted with maps, illustrations, graphs, even cartoons. And there’s more available on the FPA.org web site.

The cost of the Great Decisions Briefing Book is usually about $27 – our cost from the FPA. The books are sold at or before the first one or two meetings. After that members will need to purchase their own book from the Tucson Great Decisions Association.

We’re pleased to announce the topics for Great Decisions 2024.

Topic 1: “Mideast Realignment” by Marc Lynch

Topic 2: “Climate Technology & Competition” by Bud Ward Will

Topic 3: “Science Across Borders” by Mila Rosenthal

Topic 4: “U.S. China Rivalry” by Jonathan Chanis

Topic 5: “NATO” by Sarwar Kashmeri

Topic 6: “Understanding Indonesia” by Charles Sullivan

Topic 7: “High Seas Treaty” by FPA editors

Topic 8: “Pandemic Preparation” by Carolyn Reynolds

With Mideast Realignment we’ll explore whether the U.S., with its reduced presence in the Middle East, can continue to defend its interests or should it recommit to a leading role in the region?

Climate Technology & Competition asks if we should approach current and future climate initiatives with increased commitment to trade protectionism and nationalism or develop a national accord to confront the “common enemy” of climate change?

Science Across Borders questions, in reference to AI, if there is a middle ground between sharing information and denying access, or regulating cooperation when a nation’s national security is in question?

U.S. China Trade considers if it’s effective to deny China access to U.S. technology and investment in light of decades of predatory Chinese economic policies?

We will discuss NATO’s role in relations between Russia and its neighbors and if expanding membership in NATO will protect countries or further provoke Russia?

To help us to Understand Indonesia, a large democratic, Muslim-majority nation, and ASEAN member, we’ll discuss current issues in U.S. and Asian relations.

The recently negotiated High Seas Treaty also known as Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction Treaty, is attempting to address issues of degradation of ecosystems, shipping, overfishing, deep sea mining and pollution in seas beyond national jurisdiction and asks us to evaluate how difficult it might be to convince nations to participate.

Although the Covid-19 pandemic is waning, the lessons we learned could inform Pandemic Preparation for the future. Will countries cooperate, and will a consensus emerge on how to manage global health challenges?