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The Honorable John Young is a Member of the Potomac Institute's Board of Regents and a Senior Fellow, and a former Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition, Technology and Logistics.  He is a strong advocate for acquisition reform and cost control within the Defense Department, which he maintains could be better achieved with greater use of multiyear procurement contracts, among other options.  In a recent interview on Federal News Radio, Mr. Young made the case that lawmakers and the Defense Department must look at clearing away red tape that not only causes headaches for DoD program managers, but also wastes significant amounts of taxpayer money. Click here to read more and to listen to the interview in full.       

Potomac Institute for Policy Studies Senior Fellow Amb. David Smith says a recent Turkish referendum on constitutional reforms highlights cultural divisions in modern Turkey that bear watching. In a recent issue of the Georgian publication Tabula, Amb. Smith says the referendum "is likely to have exacerbated the clash between Turkey’s secular and religious cultures."  He adds, "Turkey is at a crossroads in its modern history.  Which direction it takes is a decision for the Turkish people.  But as neighbors, friends, partners and allies, we observe with interest—and a tad of concern." Click below to read the article in full.

 

Dr. Tawfik Hamid is the Potomac Institute for Policy Studies' Chair for the Study of Islamic Radicalism. In an op-ed for the Wall Street Journal, he writes about a Florida pastor's recent threat to burn copies of the Koran on 9/11. Dr. Hamid calls on Muslims to rise above such provocation and to resist the urge to retaliate, citing the Koran's teaching that it is wrong to take revenge against the many for the acts of a few.  Click here to read the op-ed in full.  

 

The Potomac Institute for Policy Studies is pleased to announce that Elon Musk, CEO and Product Architect of Tesla Motors and CEO/CTO of Space Exploration Technologies (SpaceX), will be a Potomac Institute for Policy Studies Navigator Award winner for 2010.  Mr. Musk and fellow awardees will be presented with the award at a banquet at the Willard Hotel, Washington, DC, on October 21.
  
At SpaceX, Mr. Musk is chief designer, overseeing development of rockets and spacecraft for missions to Earth orbit and ultimately to other planets.  At Tesla, he has overseen development and design for products including the all electric Tesla Roadster and Model S sedan.  Transitioning to a sustainable energy economy, in which electric vehicles play a pivotal role, has been one of his central interests for almost two decades. In addition, Mr. Musk is the non-executive chairman and principal shareholder of SolarCity, which he helped create.  SolarCity is now the leading provider of solar power systems in the United States.

The Potomac Institute for Policy Studies is pleased to announce that Arden L. Bement, Jr., PhD, Chief Global Affairs Officer and Inaugural Director of the Global Policy Research Institute, Purdue University, will be a Potomac Institute for Policy Studies Navigator Award winner for 2010.  Dr. Bement and fellow awardees will be presented with the award at a banquet at the Willard Hotel, Washington, DC, on October 21. 

Prior to his appointments at Purdue University, Dr. Bement served as the 12th director of the National Science Foundation (NSF), a position he held from November 24, 2004 until June 1, 2010.  He had been acting director since February 22, 2004. While Director of the NSF, Dr. Bement served as a member of the U.S. National Commission for UNESCO and as the vice-chair of the Commission's Natural Sciences and Engineering Committee.  

Regarding the selection of Dr. Bement as a recipient of a Navigator Award, Potomac Institute Chairman and CEO Michael Swetnam said, "Arden has been a great and inspiring leader in this country’s science and technology fields for decades.  His contributions are too numerous to mention.  We, at the Institute, are honored to be associated with him and to present him with this award."

  1. Senior Fellow David Smith on Mosque Controversy
  2. Dr. Tawfik Hamid on the Meaning of "Moderate"
  3. BGen David Reist on What's Next in Iraq
  4. Dr. Tawfik Hamid on Canadian Terror Arrests

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