---

The theme of the 2004 Eisenhower National Security Conference is National Security fo the 21st Century - Balancing our Essential Requirements.  We live in an increasingly complex and globalized world, a world where national and international responsibilities and expectations are evolving.  In such a world, how do we determine, and ultimately balance, our requirements as a nation?  What requirements, if any, are essential?  The metrics by which policymakers balance requirements will always differ.  Some view the world through a lens of morality, others through security.  Some advocate unilateral actions, others prefer a multi-national approach.  Who is correct? Should there be a balance between the various approaches?  What course should our policymakers chart when essential requirements stand in opposition to each other?  This year's conference endeavors to contribute substantively to this important and ongoing national security dialogue.