Day: November 7, 2019

Ben Rhodes served as United States Deputy National Security Advisor for Strategic Communications to Barack Obama between 2009 and 2017.  Currently, he is co-chair of National Security Action, a political NGO and a regular contributor to NBC News and MSNBC. Rhodes is co-host of the foreign policy podcast Pod Save the World.

Rhodes joined a small group of students, staff, faculty, and guests from the World Affairs Council to discuss some of his experiences.  Discussion revolved around US foreign policy in Syria.

Soka’s International Studies Concentration was excited to help sponsor two events related to foreign policy in October. On the 16th, Ambassador Mohammad Reza Amirkhizi spoke about the Iran Nuclear Deal. As a high-level Iranian diplomat working on

this issue, the SUA community learned more about the conflicts and prospects for peace through non-proliferation.  He argued that the United States should pursue a nuclear-free Middle East through multilateral negotiations.

On the 22nd, US policy in the Middle East was one of the many topics addressed by former Obama speechwriter and senior foreign policy advisor Ben Rhodes. Soka’s Performing Arts Center provided a beautiful backdrop for the moderated conversation between Ben Rhodes and the World Affairs Council’s Nando Guerra.  Rhodes argued that a crucial element of US foreign policy and patriotism should include an openness to our global interconnectedness.  He shared insider stories abouthis work with President Obama, including details about his role working towards normalizing relations with Cuba.  The event closed with Ray Charles version of “America the Beautiful” and a call to adapt this song as the American National Anthem.  It was the first event to be sponsored in partnership with the World Affairs Council of Orange County.

Haley Saffarina, Aiden Gross, and Swann Jin, all class of 2020 provided inspiring introductions and helped moderate audience discussion for these events.

Amb Amirkhizi and Ben Rhodes