Washington Strategy Forum Update — Expanded Afternoon Session

Over the past 48 hours, the response to Friday’s first Washington Strategy Forum has been far larger than I anticipated.

What began as a Substack community focused on escalation, coercion, and great-power politics is increasingly becoming something more important: a real strategic forum bringing together journalists, policymakers, military officials, scholars, and independent analysts trying to understand where the world is heading — and how to prevent the next generation of geopolitical disasters before they happen.

That is exactly why we launched the Strategy Forum series.

And because of the overwhelming response, we are now expanding the afternoon strategic briefing session on Friday.

In addition to the previously announced discussion, Joe Kent — the most senior Trump administration official to leave over the Iran war — will now join the afternoon session for a private strategic discussion and Q&A.

As a result, the afternoon session will now begin earlier:

Afternoon Strategic Briefing (Expanded Session)

Friday, May 22
2:00pm–4:30pm

Park Hyatt Washington
Georgetown, Washington, DC

The afternoon session will focus on:

• the Iran war,

• escalation warning indicators,

• US-China competition,

• Taiwan and deterrence,

• the global economic crisis now emerging around Hormuz,

• and the broader transformation occurring in the international system.

The format will be much closer to the type of private strategic briefing I normally give using escalation models, historical comparisons, structured analysis, and extended discussion.

Soft drinks and refreshments will be provided.

Afternoon attendees also receive reserved seating at the evening public forum.

Evening Public Forum

How to Prevent Another Forever War in the Middle East

Presented by Escalation Trap and The Left Hook

Friday, May 22
6:00pm–8:30pm

Busboys and Poets
450 K Street NW
Washington, DC

Confirmed participants currently include:
Robert Pape, Joe Kent, Trita Parsi, Emily Jashinsky, Wajahat Ali, and Narges Bajoghli, with additional guests still being finalized.

The evening forum remains free and will also be livestreamed for subscribers unable to attend in person.

A very limited number of seats remain available for the afternoon strategic briefing session, with priority continuing to go first to Founding Members and paid subscribers.

Registration link:

REGISTRATION LINK

I am genuinely excited about where this community is heading.

My hope is that the Strategy Forum becomes not simply another event series, but a serious long-term intellectual and strategic community focused on understanding escalation, great-power competition, and how to prevent the next generation of strategic disasters before they happen.

— Robert Pape