Mid-Hudson Valley World Affairs Council

Great Decisions: Ukraine and the Future of European Security
2026-05-18 18:30 - 19:30 (America/New_York) | Boardman Library, 141 Boardman Rd, Poughkeepsie, NY, 12603, United States
Monday, May 18, 6:30 pm, Boardman Road Library, Poughkeepsie.
Facilitator Rick Levitt of the World Affairs Council of the Mid-Hudson Valley. With reduced U.S. support for NATO and Ukraine, Europe faces strategic uncertainty. The Trump administration has signaled an intention to reduce its security role in Europe. What are America’s stakes in NATO and Europe’s strategic dilemmas, and how might Europe respond? There is no assigned reading for this presentation, however, the Great Decisions materials are available for checkout from the library should you wish to read up on the topic before the talk. No Registration Required.

Great Decisions: The Gray Zone Dilemma – Irregular Warfare in the South China Sea
2026-05-19 - 2026-05-20 | Woodstock Public Library District, 10 Dixon Ave, Woodstock, NY, 12498, United States
Rescheduled – Date/Time TBD (May 19 or 20). Please check back closer to the date.
Woodstock Library, 10 Dixon Ave., Woodstock, NY
Facilitator Michael Hauser for the World Affairs Council of the Mid-Hudson Valley. Since World War II, the term Irregular Warfare (IW) has become an increasingly common aspect in the study of warfare and statecraft. Comprising concepts such as guerrilla warfare, counterterrorism, unconventional warfare, and counterinsurgency, IW today is seemingly ubiquitous as major powers utilize IW strategy to exploit the “gray zone” between peace and war. This presentation will summarize the scope of IW and focus on the South China Sea as a case study for modern IW. There is no assigned reading for this presentation, however, the Great Decisions materials are available for checkout from the library should you wish to read up on the topic before the talk. No Registration Required.

Great Decisions: American and the World - Trump 2.0 Foreign Policy
2026-06-08 18:30 - 19:30 | Boardman Library, 141 Boardman Rd, Poughkeepsie, NY, 12603, United States
Monday, June 8, 6:30 pm, Boardman Road Library, Poughkeepsie
Facilitator Rick Levitt of the World Affairs Council of the Mid-Hudson Valley.Trump’s return has marked a break from 80 years of U.S. foreign policy leadership, embracing an “America First” approach. This topic explores the risks of isolation and diminished influence in relation to Trump 2.0 foreign policy. There is no assigned reading for this presentation, however the Great Decisions material is available for checkout at the library should you wish to read up on the topic before the talk. No Registration Required.
