Book Talk: 'The Russia Trap: How Our Shadow War With Russia Could Spiral Into Nuclear Catastrophe'

Oct. 2, 2019, 12:00-2:00pm (RSVP required)
Littauer L-369, Belfer Center Library, 79 JFK St., Cambridge, MA

Join Russia Matters for a talk with George Beebe, former director of the CIA’s Russia analysis, about his new book, "The Russia Trap: How Our Shadow War With Russia Could Spiral Into Nuclear Catastrophe." The talk will be moderated by Harvard Kennedy School's Graham Allison.

In "The Russia Trap," Beebe has produced a thought-provoking “pre-mortem” in which he argues that new game-changing technologies, disappearing rules of the game and distorted perceptions on both sides are combining to lock Washington and Moscow into an escalatory spiral that they do not recognize, and which their own actions are inadvertently fueling.  While Americans fret about the dangers of appeasement and focus on deterring World War II-style Russian aggression, "The Russia Trap" warns that all the pieces are in place for a World War I-type tragedy that could be triggered by a small, unpredictable event. 

RSVP to [email protected].

Speaker:

George Beebe, vice president and director of studies at the Center for the National Interest; former director of the CIA’s Russia analysis and special advisor to U.S. Vice President Dick Cheney for Russia/Eurasia and intelligence programs

Moderator:

Graham Allison, principal investigator, Russia Matters; Douglas Dillon Professor of Government, Harvard Kennedy School

Event will be followed by a book signing at the Harvard Coop.