the asia-pacific center for security studies is actually fully entitled the daniel k [inaudible] asia pacific academic study. it was established in hawaii in 1995 but it's a dod institution that provides a forum where current and future military and civilian leaders from the end of pacific gather to address regional and global security issues and enhance security cooperation through programs of executive education, professional exchange and building relationships ofdi trut and confidence. currently over 30 countries sent participants to engage and learn and build those relationships. the ted stevens arctic security study sensor which is what we seek to namee this arctic center will be monitored after the daniel k asia-pacificft center o the fact that the two of them worked hand-in-hand worked hand-in-hand of national security defense from both the perspective of the far north as well as the asia-pacific is only fitting that we model and arctic center. the head center after the asia pacific center. the senator understands the value of the asian-pacific center and he has joined senator

k. clarke and associates. and senior fellow at ucla. and back with us, daniel lippman.being with us and if i can start with you, general. what do you make of the fact that the ceasefire is back in the language that the president is using? and for those who watch this space are saying, is the united states even ready, capable of pushing and leveraging a ceasefire? given where we have been in negotiations to date. >> well, i think a ceasefire would be a tangible sign of progress that the president would seek. but that doesn't mean that the ceasefire's really on the table right now. i think what the taliban said when president trump called off the last set of talks before they were going to camp david is the united states will be back. and now, i guess we're back. and of course, we would like the ceasefire because it would be tangible. but as we've learned about the mechanics of how the peace talks have unfolded. really, this is about a promise by the taliban not to deal with al qaeda. and later, to talk with the -- with the existing government headed by president ghani. a

arctic securities study center which we seek to name this arctic center will be modeled after the daniel k. inouye asia-pacific center. so the fact that the two of them worked hand in glove for so many years, for decades really, on these issues of national security, national defense, from both the perspective of the far north as well as the asia-pacific, it's only fitting that we would model an arctic center, the ted stevens arctic security studies center after the asia-pacific center named after daniel inouye. senator schatz clearly understands the value of the asia-pacific center, and he's joined senator sullivan and i as a cosponsor of this legislation. but what we're really seeking to do here, the overaveraging -- overarching goals of this study center is to find solutions for the greatest security challenges of the circa polar arctic region to help promote greater understanding of the arctic. we know we've got to do more there as well as facilitate greater engagement and potential solutions for the many challenges we know lie ahead. it's an evolving world out there, let me tell you, m