Event

Civil Liberties and the War on Terror: What Europeans Expect from New US Administration

27.02.2009

 

The Friedrich Naumann Foundation
 
Cordially invites you to a Luncheon on
 
Civil Liberties and the War on Terror:
What Europeans Expect from New US Administration.
 
with
 
Alexander Ritzmann
 
Senior Research Fellow, European Foundation for Democracy
Former Vice Chairman of the Free Democratic Party’s Parliamentary Group
of the Berlin State Parliament (2001-2006)
 
On Friday, February 27th, 2009
12:00 p.m.
 
The Willard InterContinental Hotel
Pierce Room
1401 Pennsylvania Ave, NW
Washington, DC 20004
 
President Obama has raised hopes and expectations for a new beginning in a lot of political arenas in thetransatlantic relations. One of the areas where there were major disagreements among the transatlantic partners was in the application of civil rights and civil liberties in the fight against terrorism. The question now is how his approach on the war on terror will affect civil liberties. His plan to close the Guantánamo bay detention camp has been welcomed as a first step in a new direction. But what exactly does this ‘change’ imply?
 
We are delighted that Alexander Ritzmann, an expert on terrorism, will address these questions. Mr. Ritzmann is a Senior Fellow at the European Foundation for Democracy in Brussels. In his research he focuses on the transatlantic aspects of the 'war on terrorism' as well as terrorism in Europe. He was a member of the Berlin State Parliament from 2001 to 2006 and was the Vice Chairman of the Free Democratic Party's parliamentary group. He served as the ranking member of his party on the homeland security, intelligence and data protection committees and was the spokesman for homeland security. Besides, Ritzmann publishes a weekly column in the German daily newspaper Die Welt.
We look forward to seeing you on February 27th.
 
Sincerely yours,
Claus Gramckow
Representative USA and Canada
Transatlantic Dialogue Program