October 30, 2015
Russia’s annexation of Crimea and continued intervention in Ukraine, and China’s assertion of sovereignty in the East China Sea and South China Sea, are continuing reminders that crisis or even conflict among major powers is far from impossible in the coming years. Meanwhile, the vulnerability of both military and civilian information systems, and broad perceptions that offensive cyber weapons could provide significant military advantage without creating direct casualties or irreversible damage, increase each side's incentives for cyber attack early in conflict - or even in an emerging crisis. Former Under Secretary of Defense for Policy Dr. Jim Miller will discuss what actions the United States should take to buttress strategic stability and reduce the risks of major power conflict in these increasingly challenging circumstances, while protecting the interests of the United States and its allies and partners.
Dr. James N. Miller is President of Adaptive Strategies, LLC, which provides consulting on strategy development and implementation, international engagement, and technology issues. He is a senior fellow at the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Lab and Harvard’s Belfer Center for Science & International Affairs. He serves on the Defense Science Board, the Board of Directors for the Atlantic Council, and the Board of Advisors for the Center for a New American Security.
Dr. Miller has held numerous leadership positions in government, academia, non-profits, and the private sector over a thirty-year career in national security. As Under Secretary of Defense for Policy from May 2012 to January 2014, Dr. Miller served as the principal civilian advisor to Secretaries Leon Panetta and Chuck Hagel on strategy, policy, and operations, and as DoD’s Deputy for National Security Council deliberations. He served as Principal Deputy Under Secretary of Defense for Policy from April 2009 to May 2012. For his contributions, he was awarded the Department of Defense’s highest civilian award, the Medal for Distinguished Public Service, four times. He received a B.A. degree in economics from Stanford University, and Master’s and Ph.D. degrees from Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government.