This past Thursday, Feb. 16, there was a panel discussion by Counterterrorism Education Learning Lab (CELL) at the University of Denver concerning the effect that Donald Trump will have on national and global security. It was a lively discussion, leaving many questions, but answering just as many. The talk was moderated by Samuel J. Rascoff, Faculty Director at NYU’s Center on Law and Security. The panel consisted of various global security experts, including:

Ambassador Christopher Hill

Hill is the dean of DU’s Josef Korbel School of International Studies. He is a former career diplomat, a four-time ambassador, nominated by three presidents, whose last post was as ambassador to Iraq (2009 to 2010).

Jeremy Bash, Fmr. Chief of Staff to CIA Director

Bash also served as chief of staff to the secretary of defense from 2011 to 2013. As a senior adviser to Leon E. Panetta in both roles, he worked on the creation of a new defense strategy, counterterrorism operations, a new cyber strategy and a range of sensitive intelligence operations. He is a founder and managing director of Beacon Global Strategies LLC and an NBC News national security analyst.

Michèle Flournoy, Fmr. Under Secretary of Defense for President Obama

As the under secretary of defense for policy, Flournoy was the principal adviser in the formulation of national security and defense policy. She is cofounder and CEO of the Center for a New American Security (CNAS).

Juan C. Zarate, Fmr. Deputy National Security Adviser for Combating Terrorism

Responsible for developing and implementing the U.S. government’s counterterrorism strategy (2005 to 2009), chairman and co-founder of the Financial Integrity Network.

The talk started with the simple question:

The President has asked his generals to come back to him with a plan to defeat ISIS by the end of this month; What do you expect to be in this plan?

This question started a debate that would last throughout the entire talk, which went through practically all the major global security issues facing the United States today. Everything from the Israeli-Palestinian conflict to ISIS was covered, with viewpoints from every side of the isle represented.

Overall, the talk was very informative, and showed everyone in the audience, me included, new perspectives on the issues that matter the most for our way of life and wellbeing as American, and global citizens.