Greece’s unsustainable debt already is already is tearing at the fabric of Greek society and many doubt that its profligate behavior and self-serving leadership in business and government can be quickly overcome.  It is not clear how committed European states will be to continuing to ease Greece from its crisis.  Moreover, other members of the European Union have conditions not greatly dissimilar from those of Greece.  The economic repercussions of the future will not be limited to the euro area, but certainly will impact the United States and the global economy as well.  In reflecting on these matters, we are fortunate to be joined by Daniel Speckhard who as the United States ambassador to Greece has been a close observer and has had to wrestle with these problems.

Ambassador Speckhard joins us at a time which may be understatedly called tumultuous, and he brings deep professional experience in vexing areas in addition to Greece, the euro area, and the global economy: specifically NATO, Eastern Europe, and Iraq.  He has been Deputy to the Ambassador At Large of the Newly Independent States, (Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, Moldova, Central Asia, and the Caucuses), Ambassador to Belarus, Deputy Assistant Secretary General for Political Affairs at NATO, Director of Policy Planning at NATO, Deputy Chief of Mission in Iraq, and Director of the Iraq Reconstruction Management Office. In his current position as President of Lutheran World Relief, he is immersed in today’s migration and refugee crises. The focus of the program is on the economic and political importance of Greece’s financial crisis, but our guest brings rare experience in other areas of concern to all of us.  It should be extraordinarily relevant and informative evening.

It is an honor and pleasure to welcome Ambassador Daniel V. Speckhard to the Council.