Great Decisions, an international affairs discussion group, will hold its first session Tuesday, Jan. 12, 2016, from 11:45 a.m. to 1:45 p.m. at the Durango library. That day's topic will be Middle East Alliances, led by Katherine Burgess. All discussions are moderated by interested community members.
Great Decisions is sponsored nationally by the Foreign Policy Association and organized locally by the Durango Public Library, the League of Women Voters of La Plata County, and the local chapter of American Association of University Women.
As alliances between state and non-state actors in the region are constantly shifting, the U.S. has found itself between a rock and a hard place. In a series of conflicts that have shaken the traditional alliances in the Middle East to their core and are far from being black-and-white, what can the U.S. do to secure its interests in the region without causing further damage and disruption?
The Great Decisions discussions are free and open to the public. Attendees are invited to bring a sack lunch. The discussions will be held every other Tuesday through April 19, 2016. The Winter 2016 program will include the following topics:
. The Rise of ISIS, Jan. 26
. The Future of Kurdistan, Feb. 9
. Migration, Feb. 23
. The Koreas, March 8
. The United Nations, March 22
. Cuba and the U.S., April 19
Each discussion session includes a video on the topic. A book on the various topics, prepared by the Foreign Policy Association, is available for $25 by sending a check made out to LWVLPC and mailed to Janice C. Sheftel, 35 Animas Place, Durango, CO 81031. Books should arrive by the end of December. Purchasers will be notified to pick up their books at the library reference desk, second floor.
