2009 Edmund S. Muskie Award Ceremony

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Click below to read each individual's remarks:
Honorable Tim Roemer
Honorable Paul McHale
General James Mattis
Peter Kovler
Senator Dianne Feinstein


On June 17, the Center for National Policy proudly presented the 2009 Edmund S. Muskie Distinguished Public Service Award to General James Mattis, Commander, US Joint Forces Command and Supreme Allied Commander Transformation, NATO, and Senator Dianne Feinstein, Chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, for their outstanding contributions to America's national security.  

General Mattis, introduced by CNP Board Member Hon. Paul McHale, spoke about the challenges that lie ahead for the United States in Afghanistan and in the other conflicts we are bound to be confronted with in the future.  In reflecting on the nature of operations in Afghanistan in particular, Mattis detailed how the US military has been forced to adapt to the changing character of war, now marked not only by conventional threats, but by irregular, insurgent and hybrid threats.

Illustrating what he referred to as hybrid threats, Mattis drew upon the example of Hezbollah's activities out of Lebanon in 2006.  The organization, according to its leader Hassan Nazrallah, "transformed from a traditional guerilla war into a new unprecedented fighting school – somewhere between a guerilla war and traditional armies' operations." In the face of enemies such as these, Mattis noted that "as times and enemies change, so must [the US] military be able to fight non-militaries, not just those who organize and fight in our preferred manner, because we must avoid being dominant in conventional war yet irrelevant against the changed threat."

He also focused on a number of the lessons learned in Afghanistan that have contributed to the development of "a recalibrated strategy abetted by a new command structure."  The recalibrated strategy, Mattis noted, includes strengthened regional diplomatic and military cooperation, Afghan anticorruption efforts, a better integration of counterinsurgency principles, improvements in the size and capability of the Afghan security forces, increases in the number of US and NATO troops, and strengthened NATO efforts to go after drug labs in the country. 

Mattis concluded by talking about the heinous nature of the enemy we face in Afghanistan and beyond, and expressed confidence that "the all-volunteer [US] military has stood the test of war and will continue to do so."

Senator Feinstein, introduced by CNP Board Chairman Peter Kovler, discussed the importance and urgency of stemming nuclear proliferation.  This effort is crucial to international security, Feinstein said, and must begin with an enhanced partnership between the United States and Russia.  These two countries, according to Feinstein, possess nearly 96 percent of the world's estimated 23,000 nuclear weapons.   

The logic that lead to the creation of these vast stockpiles, by which, Feinstein noted, "planet Earth can be destroyed hundreds of times over," had some grounding in the dynamics of the Cold War and the theory of mutually assured destruction.  

Now, however, the danger has swelled far beyond this. In the post-Cold War era, according to Feinstein, "we face the very real possibility of a rogue nation, or a terrorist group, coming into possession of either a dirty bomb or a full nuclear warhead." She pointed to the examples of regimes like those of Iran and North Korea, and the dangers that stem from them not only possessing or potentially possessing the world's most dangerous weapons, but also the prospect of non-state actors buying or stealing the weapons materials from them.

Feinstein discussed her positive view of the efforts undertaken thus far on this issue by the Obama administration and its outreach and pledge to work with Moscow.  She highlighted three additional factors that she thinks will be key to effective nonproliferation: "[strengthening] the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, including more robust and comprehensive inspections; [ensuring] the highest security standard for nuclear weapons, highly enriched uranium, and weapons-grade plutonium; and [removing] deployed nuclear weapons from high-alert status, to reduce the risk of accidental or unapproved launch."  Feinstein summed up her dedications to this effort saying "I have no illusions that it will be easy. But it can and should be accomplished."

The Muskie Award presentation is an annual event hosted by the Center in honor of the late Ed Muskie (1914-1996), who served our nation in the Navy, as governor of Maine, as U.S. senator and as U.S. secretary of state. Muskie chaired the CNP board following his retirement from government service.