john alterman, john, thank you so much. >> thanks, brooke. >>> before we look that far ahead, let med you, this upcoming thursday, vice president joe biden, congressman paul ryan face off thursday night for the vp debate, coverage here on cnn begins at 7:00 eastern. >>> as president obama and mitt romney race to the finish -- >> i got my start as a community organizer. >> i know how the private sector works. >> -- a new documentary shows not only their most decisive moments, but how their minds work. i'm brooke baldwin. the news is now. >> he knows that every step he takes is a potential land mine. >> the backlash against his presidency must be mystifying to him, because he genuinely doesn't see himself as a radical. >> i'll speak live with a p benpbs producer behind this film. >> israel shoots down a drone, but the mystery over where it took off deepens. >>> and how the discovery of a single spider derailed an entire highway project. you've been busy for a dead man. after you jumped ship in bangkok, i thought i'd lost you. >>> surfing is my life now. but who's going to .... >>> tell

thanks also to john alterman and csis for hosting this conference on maghreb transition and seeking stability in an era of uncertainty. i wish to acknowledge dr. tehrat for his involvement in this important conference and members of the diplomatic corps as well. what are we here? why is this conference so timely? to start with, what happens in this dynamic region has far reaching consequences for our own security and prosperity. we know very well that it is most important to the people of this region whose aspirations and ambition deserve to be met. but recent events have raised questions about what lies ahead, what lies ahead for the region, what lies ahead for the rest of us who have watched with great hope. the events that have unfolded. terrorist attack in benghazi, these and other scenes of anger and violence have understandably led americans to ask what is happening to the promise of the arabs spring and what does this mean for the united states? i certainly think it is important to ask these questions and to seek answers as you are doing today. let me on a personal note start with what

thanks also to john alterman john alterman and csis for hosting this conference on the maghreb in transition, seeking stability in an era of uncertainty. i also wish to acknowledge doctored tear out for his strong support of this important conference and members of the diplomatic corps as well. now why are we here, and why is this conference so timely? well to start with, what happens in this dynamic region have far-reaching consequences for our own security and prosperity. and we know very well that it is most important to the people of this region, whose aspirations and ambitions deserve to be met. but recent events have raised questions about what lies ahead, what lies ahead for this region, what lies ahead for the rest of us who have watched with great hope, as general scowcroft said, the events that have unfolded in the maghreb. a terrorist attack in benghazi, the burning of the american school in tunis. these and other scenes of anger and violence have understandably led americans to ask what is happening, what is happening to the promise of the arab spring and what does this mean for

i'm john alterman, global security and geostrategy at csis, and it's a real pleasure to welcome you here to this conference on the maghreb in transition. we first started planning this conference about nine months ago, and we drew up our list of, our sort of dream team of speakers. every single one of those speakers is going to be with us today. if there were an all-star game for north africa experts, you would be seeing them playing today, and i think we're all delighted we were able to pull that together. for several years we at csis have tried to push forward the idea that the maghreb is an important region for u.s. national interests and u.s. strategic thinking. for several years we held a monthly maghreb round table, and this is the fourth all-day conference we've hosted in the last fife years. north africa's remained on the margins of u.s. strategic thinking, but today's conference and the crowd we expect to be here suggests this is beginning to change. it's hard to look seriously at the piddle east for the last 18 -- middle east for the last 18 months and not conclude that north a

i am john alterman on global security and geo-strategy and director of the middle east program and it's pleasure to welcome you here to this conference. we for started planning the conference about nine months ago and we drew up our list, are sort of dream team of speakers. every single one of the speakers who is going to be with us today, if there were an all-star game for north africa experts, he would be seeing them play today and i think we are all delighted we are able to pull that together. for several years we have csis have tried to push forward the ideas that the maghreb is an important region or u.s. national and just and for u.s. strategic thinking. for several years we hurt held a roundtable and this is the fourth all-day conference on the north african region in the last five years. for years as well north africans remained on the margins of the u.s. strategic thinking but today's conference and the crowd we expect to be here suggest this is beginning to change. it's hard to look seriously at the middle east for the last 18 months and not conclude that north africa is indee