March 21, 2005
9 a.m. to 4:15 p.m.
Lincoln Center Campus (McNally Auditorium)
140 W. 62nd St., New York, NY
Fordham University

For transcripts of each discussion, click links on agenda (below).

Five essays drawn from the conference "The Ethics
of Exit:The Morality of Withdrawal from Iraq" are
featured in the May/June edition of Foreign Policy
and are available on the magazine's web site.

For a conference-based news report, see

Defining the Ethics of Exit in Iraq by Benedicta Cipolla

Sponsored by
Fordham Center on Religion and Culture
Joan B. Kroc Institute for International Peace Studies
The Fourth Freedom Forum

The United States is formally committed to withdrawal from Iraq, although how definitively and under what conditions is unclear. Both supporters and opponents of the war and occupation are debating scenarios ranging from, on the one hand, “staying the course” or even enlarging, at least temporarily, the U.S. commitment, to, on the other, a strategic withdrawal hewing to a firm schedule.

Each of these alternatives involves grave risks and poses major moral questions. What moral principles and obligations, based on what ethical and/or religious sources, should guide policy makers and citizens choosing among any of these possibilities or among the more fine-grained alternatives that will be confronted along the way?

In the midst of a robust and conflicted debate that is taking place on the political and military issues at stake in Iraq, this conference will focus on the less frequently addressed moral questions, and attempt to advance the discussion of the morality of post-intervention U.S. policy regarding Iraq and the morality governing military occupations and withdrawal generally.

Addressing these issues will be a prominent group of scholars and Iraq experts, including Stanley Hoffman (Harvard University), Jean Bethke Elshtain (University of Chicago), Col. W. Patrick Lang (former Defense Intelligence Agency analyst), Lawrence Kaplan (The New Republic), Adeed Dawisha (Miami University, Ohio), George Lopez (University of Notre Dame), Sohail Hashmi (Mount Holyoke), Kenneth Himes, O.F.M. (Boston College), and Frances FitzGerald (Journalist).

For further information:
Margaret Steinfels, Fordham Center on Religion and Culture; Julie Titone (574-631-8819) or Gerard Powers (574-631-3765), Kroc Institute for International Peace Studies.

AGENDA

Panel Member Bios

9:00 a.m.	The Challenge for U.S. Policy Margaret O'Brien Steinfels Co-Director, Fordham Center on Religion and Culture Dialup (28K-56K) | Broadband (100K+)
9:30 a.m.	Which Way? Stay the Course or Strategic Withdrawal? Moderator: R. Scott Appleby Director, Kroc Institute for International Peace Studies Lawrence Kaplan Senior Editor, New Republic George Lopez Senior Fellow, Kroc Institute for International Peace Studies Respondents: Adeed Dawisha Professor of Political Science, Miami University (Ohio) Col. W. Patrick Lang President, Global Resources, Washington, D.C. Dialup (28K-56K) | Broadband (100K+)
11:00 a.m.	Break
11:15 a.m.	Learning From the Past Moderator: Frances FitzGerald, Journalist Stanley Hoffmann Paul and Catherine Buttenwieser University Professor, Harvard University Dialup (28K-56K) | Broadband (100K+)
Noon	Lunch (not provided)
1:00 p.m.	The Ethics of Occupation and Withdrawal: Jus Post-Bellum Moderator: Gerard F. Powers Director of Policy Studies, Kroc Institute for International Peace Studies Sohail Hashmi Associate Professor of International Relations, Mount Holyoke College Jean Bethke Elshtain Laura Spelman Rockefeller Professor of Social and Political Ethics, University of Chicago Divinity School Kenneth Himes, O.F.M. Professor and Chairperson, Theology Department, Boston College Dialup (28K-56K) | Broadband (100K+)
2:45 p.m.	The Ethics of Exit: Synthesis and Discussion Moderator: Alistair Millar Vice President, Fourth Freedom Forum Peter Steinfels Co-Director, Fordham Center on Religion and Culture Discussion among presenters and respondents Dialup (28K-56K) | Broadband (100K+)
4:15 p.m.	Adjourn

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