RidgePointe kicked off the 2012 Great Decisions Lecture Series with Guest Speaker Tom Hanson.

          Tom Hanson is a Foreign Policy Consultant and a former U.S. Foreign Service Officer whose postings included  East Germany, France, Norway, the Soviet Union, Sweden, and the former Soviet republic of Georgia. He also participated in the opening of new U.S. Embassies in Mongolia and Estonia. He worked on the foreign relations committees of the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives and served as Director for NATO and European Affairs at the Atlantic Council of the United States in Washington, D.C. Currently Mr. Hanson is Program Secretary of the St. Paul-Minneapolis Committee on Foreign Relations, a member of MIC’s Great Decisions advisory committee, a frequent Great Decisions speaker, and a regularly featured commentator on Minnesota Public Radio.

          The subject of the talk was "Exit from Afghanistan & Iraq".   First how we came to be involved in the region; following the attacks of 9 - 11 there was a discussion as to what should be the response.   There were two schools of thought on the issue; one of counter terrorism and one of counter insurgence.   Afghanistan being the first point of response  it was to be one of counter insurgence.    When he decision was made to go into Iraq the same response was used.   The thought in both cases was that a government based on democracy could be established and that an army could be built to handle their defenses.   We are out of Iraq and things are not going well; much do to tribal conflicts.   After 10 years we still remain in Afghanistan; our exit is somewhat in question.  Two incidents have fueled the local call for our departure; first the burning of Korans and then the murder of civilians be a US soldier.   Again the same questions; will their armed forces handle afaris or tribal conflict take over.

          This leaves us with a question.   Will Iran become the become the new Middle East Problem?