October 22 Forum with Gal Luft and Anne Korin

Thursday, October 22, 2009 4:30 p.m. - 6:00 p.m. Milken Institute 1250 Fourth Street Santa Monica Map This Forum will also be webcast live on the Milken Institute's web site starting at 4:35 p.m. PST. The video will be available online following the event. The pursuit of precious commodities has repeatedly altered the course of history, dating back to the days when empires went to any lengths to secure access to salt, which was prized for its ability to preserve food. It's a pattern that still holds true today, when nations that control oil wield inordinate power on the world stage. But it's time to insulate our economy against future oil shocks and defuse our entanglement in the Middle East, argue two of America's leading energy security advocates. In their latest book, Turning Oil Into Salt, Gal Luft and Anne Korin contend that this issue is not about the amount of oil we use or import - it's about transforming oil from a strategic necessity into just another commodity. At this Milken Institute Forum, Luft and Korin will describe how to make this shift happen. Their approach addresses the roots of our energy vulnerability and emphasizes policies designed to diminish the strategic value of oil through competition, fuel choice, removal of trade barriers on alternative fuels and other domestic and international free-market-based solutions. Luft and Korin are co-directors of the Institute for the Analysis of Global Security and founders of the Set America Free Coalition, a bipartisan alliance of national security, religious, business and environmental groups promoting U.S. energy independence. They have published numerous articles and studies on energy security and advised members of Congress, presidential candidates, media outlets and think tanks worldwide. They are also co-authors of Energy Security Challenges for the 21st Century. Turning Oil Into Salt will be available for purchase at the Forum, and Luft and Korin will sign copies after their talk.

There is no charge for the Forum, but preregistration is required. To RSVP, please register online here. There is no need to register to view the webcast or view the archived version. For questions, call 310-570-4605. Reserved seating is available for Milken Institute Associates. If you are not currently a member of the Associates and would like to join or receive more information, click here. Parking is not available at the Institute. Two-hour free parking is available in Public Parking Lot No. 1 on Fourth Street, immediately adjacent to our building. The Milken Institute is an independent, nonpartisan economic think tank whose mission is to improve the lives and economic conditions of diverse populations around the world. This Forum is part of our effort to present multiple perspectives on current public policy issues. Videotaping, recording or photographing this event is prohibited without the prior approval of the Milken Institute.