February 22, 2019

Duckworth Discusses Public Service and Global Conflict at University of Chicago Institute of Politics Event

 

[CHICAGO, IL] — U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) joined former Chief Strategist to President Obama David Axelrod at the University of Chicago yesterday to discuss her commitment to public service, the role of the American military around the world, improving public service opportunities for young adults and the importance of women in the leadership roles throughout our workforce. Yesterday’s event was hosted by the University of Chicago’s Institute of Politics (IOP) and the Pearson Institute. Photos of the event are available here.

“We need the State Department to get more resources. The problem is, if you pull the troops out but you don’t do anything to help the local forces be able to govern itself to stand up to ISIS, then we’re going to end up sending troops back,” Duckworth said during her conversation with Axelrod about our nation’s leadership role in the world. “I want our troops to come home, but it’s not the military’s job to nation-build. It is not the military’s job to advise governments how to be democracies – that’s what the State Department and USAID are for. The problem is, we’re pulling out U.S. troops, but then we’re not engaging. We’re just leaving a hole, a gap in the space so that ISIS can step in.”

IOP is a nonpartisan extracurricular program designed to ignite a passion for politics and public service in young people. Founded by David Axelrod, the IOP provides students with opportunities to engage directly with the ideas, people and processes that shape politics today. The Pearson Institute for the Study and Resolution of Global Conflicts promotes research practices and shares insights that will inform public policy. It fills a critical gap by helping identify new strategies to reduce or mitigate global conflicts and achieve real and enduring impact by influencing public policy in ways that ultimately create a world more at peace. 

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