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Possibilities and Practicalities

Thursday 21 February 2008
to Friday 22 February 2008

Location

To enable as open a debate as possible, this conference will be held under the Chatham House Rule.

The Chatham House Rule: Information for journalists

Opening address

• The Rt Hon Lord Robertson of Port Ellen KT GCMG hon FRSE PC
  Joint President, Chatham House

Keynote address

• The Rt Hon Bob Ainsworth MP
  Minister for the Armed Forces, UK

Speakers and session chairs

• David Bame
  Director, Office of Regional Security and Arms Transfers Bureau of Political-Military Affairs, U S Department of State
• Guy Ben-Ari
  Fellow, Defense Industrial Initiatives Group, Center for Strategic and International Studies, USA
• Sir Jeremy Blackham
  Former UK President, EADS
• Steven Bowns
  Director, Technology Futures Ltd
• General Vincenzo Camporini
  Chief of Defence Staff, Italy
• Dr Paul Cornish
  Carrington Chair in International Security and Head, International Security Programme, Chatham House
• Ludwig Decamps, Col BE-AR
  Policy Adviser, Private Office of the Secretary General, NATO
  
• Charles Edwards
  Senior Researcher and Leader, Security Programme, Demos
• Dr Liam Fox MP
  Shadow Secretary of State for Defence, UK
• John Higgins CBE
  Director General, Intellect
• The Baroness Neville-Jones
  Shadow Security Minister and National Security Adviser to the Leader of the Opposition, UK
• Sir David Omand GCB
  Visiting Professor, King's College London, Former UK Security and Intelligence Coordinator and Permanent Secretary, Cabinet Office, UK
• Dr Hans Pung
  Director, Defence and Security, RAND Europe
• Vice Admiral Frank Ropers
  German Military Representative to the MC NATO and EU
• Admiral de Saint Salvy
  Deputy Director, Department for Strategic Affairs, Ministry of Defence, France
  
• Simon Sole
  Chief Executive Officer, Exclusive Analysis Ltd
• Air Chief Marshal Sir Jock Stirrup GCB AFC ADC DSc FRAeS FCMI RAF
  Chief of the Defence Staff, Ministry of Defence, UK
• Major General John Stokoe
  Director, BT Defence
• Justin Walker
  Managing Director, Security Solutions and Services Division, Thales UK
  
• Simon Webb
  Director General, International Networks & Environment, Department for Transport, UK

Conference overview

Understanding the future is key for all those concerned with international and domestic security and defence planning, particularly for those with the task of delivering doctrine and capability for the medium and long term. Frustratingly, however, year by year the future of international security appears to become more complex and less predictable. This is in spite (or possibly because) of the growth in scenario planning, trend analysis and risk assessment, and other attempts to make the future appear less murky and hazardous.

This annual Defence 2008 conference will explore the extent to which assessments of the future of international and domestic security can or should be used as the basis for policy, doctrine and capability planning. Are we confident enough of the future to be able to plan for it? Or should we adopt a very different paradigm: accept that the future is unknowable and too rapidly evolving to be the basis for planning, and gear ourselves for rapid, ad hoc responses in security and defence?

The conference will discuss security and defence scenarios and futures, examine the robustness of different methodologies and the reliability of different assessments. It will explore and seek to confirm the most effective and durable balance between possibility and practicality - from public policy (international and domestic), to operational planning (armed services, and police, security and emergency services), and research and technology, development and manufacturing.

Supported by

• Association of Police and Public Security Suppliers
• Defence Manufacturers Associations
• The Society of British Aerospace Companies

Media partners

• Business Monitor International

Further information

• conferences@chathamhouse.org.uk
• Telephone: +44 (0)20 7957 5754