Happy Holidays to all!

As we look forward to what promises to be a very interesting new year in 2024 – with an election here in the United States and ongoing challenges around the globe – I want you to know that we at NSI are excited about our nation’s prospects and that you are part of our efforts to continue promoting America’s indispensable leading role in the world.

To begin, I thought we might reflect a bit on this past year and NSI’s role in keeping America and our leaders and policymakers focused on a future where America leans forward and leads in the world.

To say that the past year has been a challenging one for the United States, our allies, and the cause of freedom, is probably a significant understatement.  We face two wars ranging in key parts of the globe, a continuing rise of tensions in the Indo-Pacific, a rash of coups in Africa, attacks on American troops across the globe, and the rise of a clear coalition of global repressors working together to counter the efforts of our nation and its allies. Here at home, we see terrorist threats and a rising tide of deaths from fentanyl and other drugs crossing the Southern border, and increasingly fractious politics, including a Congress and Administration increasingly unable or unwilling to respond effectively to these challenges.

And yet there remains significant cause for hope and inspiration.  America, for all our own internal foibles, remains a beacon for people around the globe who aspire to economic opportunity, freedom, and democracy.  We also remain at the forefront of innovation, leading in the AI and emerging technology revolution that will undoubtedly transform our world for the better and serve as a rising tide that lifts all boats.  And while we may not always take full advantage of it, America remains the leading global superpower across all measures, including economic and military capabilities.  These are all reasons to believe that we can and should do better in the next year and NSI is proud to help lead the charge to make that happen!

To help our nation take advantage of these opportunities and lead in response to the challenges we all see, NSI has spent the last year both expanding our efforts to educate our students to create the next generation of national security leaders, as well as bringing our unique blend of policy and business experience from our fellows and Advisory Board to bear to assist policymakers on Capitol Hill and the Administration as they look to move the American agenda forward.  These students and key young leaders on Capitol Hill in particular are a cause for excitement and hope as well, as we see many of them prepared to roll against the tide and advocate for a strong and forward leaning America!

NSI has spent a significant amount of time this year talking about the rise of global repression, including the increasingly active coalition of global repressors in China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea working together in a range of areas, and we’ve shared clear and effective policy options with the Hill on how they can confront–and halt–these efforts.  And it has worked!  There are hearings upon hearings this year talking about transnational repression due in no small parts to our effort to shift the narrative in this direction.  This effort will continue in the new year and we will continue to work closely with House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party, where we’ve built a strong working relationship, as well as with our friends on the Foreign Affairs, Intelligence, and Armed Services Committees and leadership staff and Members on both the sides of aisle and across both chambers.

We’ve also launched a new NSI Cyber and Tech Center to focus on our efforts to lean forward and protect and grow American tech innovation, and to highlight its critical importance to our national security.   The new NSI CTC is already leveraging many of our people and will continue to expand on the work we’ve been doing in this space for years, even as we look to work in new areas, including ensuring that our nation takes full advantage of the AI revolution while also baking trust, safety, and security in at the core of all we do in emerging technology.  We’re also bringing new people and partners into our work with NSI CTC with the coming launch of two senior level councils and a new raft of initiatives that will expand our work in this domain.

Given all this, we are excited about the new year and thrilled that you are part of the team!!

As you think about your New Year’s resolutions, please think of the work we might do together to move our nation and our allies forward and reach out to see how you can support these efforts!  And, of course, if you’d like to directly support NSI with a donation in this season of giving, you can do so here.

In closing, I just want to reiterate our excitement in working with you all and to emphasize our view that America can, should, and will make good on our calling to lead the world.  NSI is here to help make sure that happens and that we have a generation of young new leaders to take us there.  Thank you again for being part of this important work!

Sincerely,

Jamil N. Jaffer
Founder & Executive Director, National Security Institute