If you’d like to get a feel for what foreign policy might look like under a Democratic administration, especially as it relates to national security, you might want to attend one of two National Security Network Town Halls happening this week.



The National Security Network was formed in 2006 by Rand Beers, who famously quit the Bush administration in protest just days before the invasion of Iraq, and then proceeded to sign up with the campaign of John Kerry. Since then he’s been an informal adviser to both Clinton and Obama. The NSN website provides a brief overview of positions held by Beers during his tenure in government:

 

From 1988-98, Mr. Beers served on the White House National Security Council Staff as Director for Counter-terrorism and Counter-narcotics, Director for Peacekeeping, and Senior Director for Intelligence Programs. From 1998-2003, he was Assistant Secretary of State for International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs. In 2002-03, he was Special Assistant to the President and Senior Director for Combating Terrorism at the National Security Council.



Before 2003, Beers was most famous for being one of the architects of Plan Colombia. Or, from a progressive standpoint, that may be his most infamous claim to fame. This is worth noting because the word "progressive" is used liberally to self-describe the National Security Network on its website:

 

The National Security Network (NSN) was founded in June 2006 to revitalize America’s national security policy, bringing cohesion and strategic focus to the progressive national security community.



One of NSN’s projects is the expansion of foreign policy to the local level, through the formation of state chapters. On it’s website, it states that "national security is a local issue," and that one of its most important missions is to "strengthen citizen support for responsible foreign policy throughout the country. "We bridge the divide between experts and citizens," the website says, "by offering local communities the chance to get involved, promote their own national security experts and leaders, and engage with experts from Washington and around the world."





Accordingly, New Mexico is on their radar. So far they have chapters in Ohio, Florida, Connecticut and Pennsylvania, and their website says they have newly emerging chapters in Colorado, New Mexico, Missouri and "elsewhere."



The Town Hall events will be discussions about "Keeping America Safe and Safeguarding American Values" and are led by Lt. Col. Stephen Abraham. They are free and open to the public:



In Santa Fe tonight, August 13: 7:00 PM, at the Forum at the College of Santa Fe, 1600 St. Michael’s Drive.



In Albuquerque tomorrow, August 14: 7:00 PM at the UNM Student Union Building, in Ballroom A1.