MEI Podcast

Aitzaz Ahsan receives MEI award for "Courage in Defending the Rule of Law in Pakistan"

Fri, 21 Nov 2008 13:10:44 -0500

Banquet Address - MEI's 62nd Annual Conference

Fri, 21 Nov 2008 12:42:14 -0500

Banquet Introduction - MEI's 62nd Annual Conference

Fri, 21 Nov 2008 12:34:02 -0500

Changing Course and A Common Word: Two Important Initiatives for Bridging with the Muslim World

Thu, 13 Nov 2008 13:56:50 -0500

MEI was honored to host Abdallah Schleifer, Tom Dine and Rob Fersh for a discussion of two worthy initiatives that bridge the U.S. with the Muslim world—the U.S.-Muslim Engagement Project (USME) and the dialogue among Muslim and Christian religious leaders involved in A Common Word.

"The Search for al Qaeda: Its Leadership, Ideology, and Future"

Wed, 29 Oct 2008 16:37:59 -0400

Several outstanding books have been written about the road to September 11. The Search for Al Qaeda has a different mission. While it does review how al Qaeda was created and developed, it focuses more closely on what has happened to the terrorist network since that awful day. According to Riedel, al Qaeda's ultimate goals are to drive America from the Muslim world (the ummah); to destroy Israel; and to create a jihadist caliphate along the lines of the Ottoman Empire at its height. The book reveals al Qaeda's multi-pronged strategy for accomplishing those goals; draw America into the type of "bleeding wars" that drove the Soviets from Afghanistan, build a safe haven for al Qaeda in Pakistan; develop other "franchises" in the Islamic world that can overthrow pro-American regimes; and conduct more Western attacks along the lines of 9-11 or the transit bombings in Madrid and London. Bruce Riedel is an expert on the Middle East and South Asia, with 30 years of policymaking experience in regional diplomacy and counterterrorism. He draws on this experience and firsthand knowledge in profiling the four most important figures in the al Qaeda movement: Osama bin Laden, its creator and charismatic leader: ideologue Ayman al-Zawahiri, the Egyptian co-leader of al Qaeda and its principal spokesman; Abu Musaib al Zarqawi, the tenacious leader of al Qaeda in Iraq until his death in 2006; and Mullah Omar, Taliban host to al Qaeda. These profiles provide the base from which Riedel delivers a much clearer understanding of al Qaeda and what must be done to counter it.

What Next for Palestinian Refugees: Gaza, the West Bank and Beyond?

Wed, 29 Oct 2008 16:27:03 -0400

Karen Koning AbuZayd was appointed Commissioner General of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency in 2005. Since 2000, Mrs. AbuZayd helped oversee UNRWA social service, health, education and micro-enterprise programs that reach 4.6 million Palestinian refugees. Before joining UNRWA, Mrs. AbuZayd worked in the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees in Sudan, Namibia, Sierra Leone and as Chef de Cabinet to High Commissioner Sadako Ogata. Prior to her 19 years of service at UNHCR, Mrs, AbuZayd lectured in Political Science and Islamic Studies at Makerere University in Kampala, Uganda and Juba University in southern Sudan. Mrs. AbuZayd earned her B.Sc. from DePauw University in Indiana and her M.A. in Islamic Studies from McGill University in Canada.

Human Intelligence, Counterterrorism, and National Leadership: A Practical Guide

Fri, 17 Oct 2008 16:40:13 -0400

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MEI is honored to host Gary Berntsen, a 20-year veteran in the CIA's clandestine service, to discuss his new book, "Human Intelligence, Counterterrorism, and National Leadership: A Practical Guide."

Gary Berntsen has written this book as a guide for an incoming president and White House staff so that they may master current human intelligence and counterterrorism operations. After reading its highly specific recommendations and policy prescriptions, the president and his or her staff will be able to draft a First Directive for the leadership of the intelligence and national security communities outlining how the administration wants those communities to proceed and to defend the nation’s interests.

Andrew Cooper MEJ Interview

Thu, 16 Oct 2008 12:08:17 -0400

Andrew Scott Cooper, a contributor to the Autumn issue of the Middle East Journal and a PhD candidate at Victoria University in New Zealand, has combed through recently de-classified documents tracing a secret oil deal that help explain Iran's 1977 economic crisis that undercut the Shah's power and eventually helped lead to the Iranian Revolution.

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Prophets and Princes – Saudi Arabia from Muhammad to the Present

Wed, 15 Oct 2008 16:50:02 -0400

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MEI is honored to host Mark Weston, to discuss his new book, “Prophets and Princes – Saudi Arabia from Muhammad to the Present.”

About the Book:

Saudi Arabia is easy to criticize. It is the birthplace of Osama bin Laden and fifteen of the nineteen 9/11 hijackers. Saudi women are not permitted to drive, work with men, or travel without a man’s permission. Prior to 9/11, the Saudis sent millions of dollars abroad to schools that taught Muslim extremism and to charities that turned out to be fronts for al-Qaeda. Yet the country is the economic and spiritual center of the Middle East, the source of one fourth of the world’s oil, and the cradle of Islam.

In “Prophets and Princes” Mark Weston, a scholar who has lived in Saudi Arabia, writes that despite its serious shortcomings, the Saudi kingdom is still America’s most important ally in the Middle East. The country is a voice for moderation toward Israel and on the price of oil, and it is starting to make the economic and cultural changes necessary to adjust to modern realities.

Most books on Saudi Arabia focus on current events and give short shrift to the long history that is the key to understanding the Saudis. “Prophets and Princes” begins with the birth of Muhammad in 570, but almost half of the book is a revealing portrait of Saudi Arabia today. Drawing on interviews with many Saudi men and women, Weston portrays a complex society in which sixty percent of Saudi Arabia’s university students are women, and citizens who seek a constitutional monarchy can petition the king without fear of reprisal.

The Jerusalem Old City Initiative

Mon, 6 Oct 2008 18:33:10 -0400

MEI and Foundation for Middle East Peace co sponsor a discussion with the leaders of the Jerusalem Old City Initiative, created to pursue creative governance and management options for Jerusalem's Old City.
Michael Bell, Professor of International Diplomacy at the University of Windsor, Canada, and former Canadian ambassador to Israel, Egypt and Jordan; John de Chastelain, former chief of Canada's Defence Staff, Ambassador to the United States and one of the three International Chairmen for the Northern Ireland Peace Process and Chairman of the Arms Decommissioning Commission; Marshall J. Breger, professor of law at the Columbus School of Law; Arthur Hughes, Adjunct Scholar at MEI and former Director General of the Egypt-Israel peacekeeping mission.

MEI Garden Reception with Ali bin Tamin, CEO of Kalima

Mon, 29 Sep 2008 12:39:01 -0400

MEI is honored to host Ali bin Tamin, CEO of Kalima, a non-profit initiative founded by the Abu Dhabi Authority for Culture and Heritage in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), for a morning reception in the MEI Garden.

Kalima, which means “word” in Arabic, funds the translation, publication, and distribution of high-quality works of classic and contemporary writing from other languages into Arabic. The initiative brings together authors, translators, publishers and distributors.

"How Terrorist Groups End: Lessons for Countering al-Qaeda"

Wed, 24 Sep 2008 16:44:35 -0400

MEI is honored to host Seth Jones and Martin Libicki, to discuss their new Rand Corp. report,"How Terrorist Groups End: Lessons for Countering al-Qaeda."

About the Report:

All terrorist groups eventually end. But how do they end? The evidence since 1968 indicates that most groups have ended because (1) they joined the political process (43 percent) or (2) local police and intelligence agencies arrested or killed key members (40 percent). Military force has rarely been the primary reason for the end of terrorist groups, and few groups within this time frame have achieved victory. This has significant implications for dealing with al Qa'ida and suggests fundamentally rethinking post-9/11 U.S. counterterrorism strategy: Policymakers need to understand where to prioritize their efforts with limited resources and attention. The authors report that religious terrorist groups take longer to eliminate than other groups and rarely achieve their objectives. The largest groups achieve their goals more often and last longer than the smallest ones do. Finally, groups from upper-income countries are more likely to be left-wing or nationalist and less likely to have religion as their motivation. The authors conclude that policing and intelligence, rather than military force, should form the backbone of U.S. efforts against al Qa'ida. And U.S. policymakers should end the use of the phrase “war on terrorism” since there is no battlefield solution to defeating al Qa'ida.

Find our more about the report here: http://www.rand.org/pubs/monographs/MG741/

"Crossed Swords: Pakistan, Its Army, and the Wars Within."

Fri, 19 Sep 2008 14:54:35 -0400

Middle East Institute is honored to host Shuja Nawaz, to discuss his new book, "Crossed Swords: Pakistan, Its Army, and the Wars Within."

About the Book:

Based on 30 years of research and analysis, this definitive book is a profound, multi-layered, and historical analysis of the nature and role of the Pakistan army in the country's polity as well as its turbulent relationship with the United States. Shuja Nawaz examines the army and Pakistan in both peace and war. Using many hitherto unpublished materials from the archives of the United States, the United Kingdom, and the General Headquarters of the Pakistan Army, as well as interviews with key military and political figures in Pakistan and the United States, he sheds light not only on the Pakistan Army and its US connections but also on Pakistan as a key Muslim country in one of the world's toughest neighborhoods. In doing so, he lays bare key facts about Pakistan's numerous wars with India and its many rounds of political musical chairs, as well as the Kargil conflict of 1999. He then draws lessons from this history that may help Pakistan end its wars within and create a stabler political entity.

"America's Midlife Crisis: The Future of a Troubled Superpower"

Thu, 18 Sep 2008 15:31:22 -0400

Middle East Institute is honored to host Gary Weaver and Adam Mendelson, Managing Editor of The Middle East Journal, to discuss their new book, "America's Midlife Crisis: The Future of a Troubled Superpower."

"Arabian Knight: Colonel Bill Eddy USMC and the Rise of American Power in the Middle East"

Tue, 16 Sep 2008 14:46:33 -0400

MEI is honored to host Thomas W. Lippman, MEI Adjunct Scholar to discuss his new book, "Arabian Knight: Colonel Bill Eddy USMC and the Rise of American Power in the Middle East."

"A Path Out of the Desert: A Grand Strategy for America in the Middle East"

Fri, 12 Sep 2008 01:47:43 -0400

MEI is honored to host Kenneth Pollack, to discuss his new book,
"A Path Out of the Desert: A Grand Strategy for America in the Middle East."

Kenneth M. Pollack is the director of research at the Saban Center for Middle East Policy at the Brookings Institution. From 1995 to 1996 and from 1999 to 2001, he served as director for Persian Gulf affairs at the National Security Council, where he was the principal working-level official responsible for implementation of U.S. policy toward Iraq, Iran, and the states of the Arabian Peninsula. Prior to his time in the Clinton administration, he spent seven years in the CIA as a Persian Gulf military analyst. He is the author of The Threatening Storm, The Persian Puzzle, Arabs at War, and Things Fall Apart. He lives in Washington, D.C.

"Dubai & Co.: Global Strategies for Doing Business in the Gulf States"

Fri, 12 Sep 2008 00:25:03 -0400

MEI is honored to host Aamir Rehman, to discuss his book, "Dubai & Co.: Global Strategies for Doing Business in the Gulf States"

Translating Libya: The Modern Libyan Short Story

Thu, 11 Sep 2008 23:07:54 -0400

MEI is honored to host Ethan Chorin, to discuss his new book, "Translating Libya: The Modern Libyan Short Story."

About the book:

Part anthology and part travelogue, Translating Libya presents the country through the eyes of sixteen Libyan short story writers and one American diplomat. Intrigued by the apparent absence of 'place' in modern Libyan short fiction, Ethan Chorin resolved to track down and translate stories that specifically mention cities and landmarks in Libya. The stories trace the influence of the ancient Romans, the later Italian occupation and the current influx of foreign workers from Africa and further afield. The authors open a window on today's Libya - a rapidly urbanizing country with rich oil reserves, recently renewed diplomatic relations with the West and a nascent tourist industry based on its well-preserved ancient cities. This is a unique introduction to a country that has for some time been 'off the beaten path'.

"The Strongest Tribe: War, Politics, and the Endgame in Iraq"

Thu, 4 Sep 2008 18:05:28 -0400

Middle East Institute is honored to host Bing West, to discuss his new book, "The Strongest Tribe: War, Politics, and the Endgame in Iraq."

"The Arab Center: The Promise of Moderation"

Thu, 28 Aug 2008 16:12:42 -0400

MEI is honored to host Marwan Muasher, former Foreign Minister of Jordan, to discuss his new book, "The Arab Center: The Promise of Moderation."

Book Description:

Marwan Muasher, a prominent Jordanian diplomat, has been instrumental in shaping Middle East peace efforts for nearly twenty years. He served as Jordan’s first ambassador to Israel and was also ambassador to the United States, spokesperson at peace talks in Madrid and Washington, minister of foreign affairs, and deputy prime minister in charge of reform. Here he recounts the behind-the-scenes details of diplomatic ventures over the past two decades, including such recent undertakings as the Arab Peace Initiative and the Middle East Road Map.

Muasher’s insights into internal Arab politics and the successes and failures of the Arab Center are uniquely informed and deeply felt. He assesses how the middle road approach to reform is faring and explains why current tactics used by the West to deal with Islamic groups are doomed to failure. He examines why the Arab Center has made so little progress and which Arab, Israeli, and American policies need rethinking. Part memoir and part analysis, this book reveals the human side of the Arab-Israeli conflict. It is essential reading for all who share the hope that moderate, pragmatic Arab voices will be heard in today’s vitriolic debates over how to achieve an enduring peace in the Middle East.

The Iranian Nuclear Challenge

Tue, 26 Aug 2008 14:30:27 -0400

MEI is honored to host Efraim Inbar, to discuss "The Iranian Nuclear Challenge."

Efraim Inbar is a Professor in Political Studies at Bar-Ilan University and the Director of its Begin-Sadat (BESA) Center for Strategic Studies.

Music from MEI's Summer Garden Series - Omer Klein

Tue, 26 Aug 2008 12:18:27 -0400

Pianist Omer Klein performed in the MEI Garden on August 14, 2007, in the third segment of MEI's Summer Garden Series - "Deconstructing Myths, Part 3: 'Contemporary Israeli Music.'"

"Oud Song" comes from Klein's 2007 album, "Introducing Omer Klein," courtesy of Omer Klein and Smalls Records Inc.

Music from Summer Garden Series - Ilhan Sami Ozulu

Tue, 19 Aug 2008 13:46:40 -0400

The following MP3 is courtesy of violinist İlhan Sami Özulu, who performed in the second event of MEI's Summer Garden Series -- "Deconstructing Myths, Part 2: 'Turkish Groove'"

MEI Special Viewpoints Launch Podcast

Tue, 12 Aug 2008 13:59:03 -0400

MEI President Wendy Chamberlin and Iraq experts Phebe Marr and Elizabeth Ferris discuss the status of Iraq's refugees during a special launch of MEI Viewpoints: "Iraq's Refugee and IDP Crisis: Human Toll and Implications,"a wide-ranging collection of essays that explore the challenges facing Iraq, the international community, and the refugees themselves. This special edition of MEI's prestigious Viewpoints series also includes maps and statistics about the state of Iraq’s millions of refugees and IDPs and a comprehensive bibliography and the testimonies of refugees themselves.

Update:
This event was also covered by C-SPAN.
Video Clip (requires RealPlayer)

A Conversation with Yousaf Raza Gillani

Mon, 4 Aug 2008 16:18:03 -0400

On July 29, 2008, Pakistan's Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gillani spoke to a Washington audience about the political situation in his country and efforts to combat terrorist activities along the border with Afghanistan. The event was co sponsored by the Council on Foreign Relations and the Middle East Institute. CFR President Richard Haass introduces Prime Minister Gillani.

Audio Encounter: "Shisha Cafes of Egypt"

Sun, 3 Aug 2008 17:19:53 -0400

Former MEI intern Zachary Kineke spent several weeks in the summer of 2008 in Egypt and Qatar through a Carnegie Foundation journalism fellowship. Zak is a broadcast journalism student at Syracuse University and provided this audio Encounter.

Interview with Phebe Marr

Tue, 29 Jul 2008 09:01:20 -0400

Iraq expert Phebe Marr discusses the implications of the exodus of Iraqis from their homeland, fleeing sectarian violence and economic hardships. Elaborating on her essay for the Viewpoints "Iraqi Refugee and IDP Crisis: Human Toll and Implications" Marr also talks about the burden of the brain drain on Iraq's reconstruction efforts.

The Future of Democracy in Lebanon

Tue, 22 Jul 2008 15:18:43 -0400

Political and sectarian struggles have long plagued Lebanon, a country that seems to be perpetually steeped in crisis. From the assassination of Prime Minister Rafiq Hariri in 2005 to the forced deadlock of the Lebanese government by Hezbollah in 2006, democracy in Lebanon seems to be a constant struggle in a delicate balance of power. Even with the recent turn of events and the election of a president, many questions remain for the future of governance in Lebanon. What will it take to overcome governmental crises and sectarian differences? Is democracy sustainable in the divided society? Riad al-Khouri and Graeme Bannerman addressed these issues in a discussion of the "Future of Democracy in Lebanon."

"Can The Taliban Win In Pakistan?"

Fri, 18 Jul 2008 14:28:34 -0400

Middle East Institute is honored to host Pervez Amirali Hoodbhoy to discuss "Can The Taliban Win In Pakistan?"

Ambassador Chamberlin's Testimony to Senate Foreign Relations Committee

Tue, 1 Jul 2008 12:19:26 -0400

Ambassador Wendy Chamberlin, President of the Middle East Institute, appeared before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on June 25, 2008. Her testimony concerned U.S. aid to Pakistan.

"Your Government Failed You"

Tue, 1 Jul 2008 12:01:57 -0400

The Middle East Institute is honored to host Richard Clarke, new Member of the MEI Board of Governors, to present his new book, "Your Government Failed You: Breaking the Cycle of National Security Disasters."

Richard A. Clarke began his career in the Office of the Secretary of Defense in 1973. He was a Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Intelligence in the Reagan Administration. The Senate confirmed him as Assistant Secretary of State for Politico-Military Affairs in the George H.W. Bush Administration. He served in the White House for both presidents Bush and for President Clinton, who appointed him as National Coordinator for Security and Counter-Terrorism. He now teaches a Harvard’s Kennedy School, consults for ABC News, and is Chairman of Good Harbor Consulting.

Developments in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

Fri, 20 Jun 2008 12:16:50 -0400

MEI is honored to host Osama Al-Kurdi, distinguished member of the Majlis Al-Shura (Consultative Council)of Saudi Arabia since 2001, to discuss "Developments in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia."

Israel: Growing Pains at 60 - Historical Success in Danger (Interview)

Wed, 4 Jun 2008 14:01:20 -0400

MEI's May 12th publication of "Viewpoints Special Edition - Israel: Growing Pains at 60" included a contribution from Dr. Menachem Klein, senior lecturer at Bar Ilan University. In this episode of the MEI Podcast, Klein offers further comments on his Viepoints article, "Historical Success in Danger."

The Much Too Promised Land: America's Elusive Search for Arab-Israeli Peace

Wed, 23 Apr 2008 16:36:34 -0400

Middle East Institute & Israel Policy Forum are honored to co-host Aaron David Miller to discuss his new book "The Much Too Promised Land: America's Elusive Search for Arab-Israeli Peace." For nearly twenty years, Miller has played a central role in U.S. efforts to broker Arab-Israeli peace. His position as an advisor to presidents, secretaries of state, and national security advisors has given him a unique perspective on a problem that American leaders have wrestled with for more than half a century. Why has the world’s greatest superpower failed to broker, or impose, a solution in the Middle East? If a solution is possible, what would it take? And why after so many years of struggle and failure, with the entire region even more unsettled than ever, should Americans even care? Is Israel/Palestine really the “much too promised land”?

The Man Who Pushed America To War

Fri, 11 Apr 2008 15:35:58 -0400

Middle East Institute is honored to host Aram Roston, to discuss his new book,"THE MAN WHO PUSHED AMERICA TO WAR: THE EXTRAORDINARY LIFE, ADVENTURES AND OBSESSIONS OF AHMAD CHALABI," an explosive biography that tells the untold story of the man who is largely responsible for the war in Iraq.

The Situation in Iran

Fri, 4 Apr 2008 16:01:17 -0400

Middle East Institute is honored to host Dr. Ebrahim Yazdi to discuss the "Situation in Iran."

Ebrahim Yazdi lives in Tehran with his wife, and presently serves as Secretary-General of the Freedom Movement of Iran.

The Situation on the Ground in Iraq

Fri, 4 Apr 2008 13:06:41 -0400

Middle East Institute is honored to host Michael Ware, to discuss the "Situtation on the Ground in Iraq." Ware is a CNN correspondent based in the international news network’s Baghdad bureau.

Ware joined CNN in June 2006 and quickly established himself as one of the foremost on air experts on Iraq, providing in-depth analysis and reports across all CNN networks.

Since joining CNN, Ware has also reported from Lebanon where he was involved in the network’s coverage of the Israel-Hezbollah crisis in the summer of 2006.

Libyan Foreign Policy & African Conflicts

Fri, 4 Apr 2008 10:54:38 -0400

J. Stephen Morrison, Director, Africa Program, Center for Strategic & International Studies (CSIS)
Ali Richi, Deputy Secretary General of Foreign liaisons and international Cooperation in charge of Migration.
Miloud Mehadabi, Director of International affairs, Green Book Centre
Moderator: Herman Cohen, Cohen and Woods International and former Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs

Luncheon Keynote Address - Libya, Africa & the West

Fri, 4 Apr 2008 10:32:52 -0400

Introduction by Wendy Chamberlin, President of the Middle East Institute
Jeffrey Feltman, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs

Libya's Relations with Africa & The West

Wed, 2 Apr 2008 16:24:08 -0400

Ibrahim Aboukhazam, Rector, Nasser University
Ronald Bruce St. John, Historian of US-Libyan Relations
Ali Abdussalam Triki, Deputy Secretary General For Foreign liaisons and international Cooperation in charge of African Affairs
Daniel Yergin, Chairman of Cambridge Energy Research Associates (CERA)
Moderator: Charles O. Cecil, former US Ambassador to Niger and recent US Chargé in Libya

Who Speaks For Islam? What a Billion Muslims Really Think

Mon, 24 Mar 2008 12:59:57 -0400

Marking the fifth anniversary of the U.S. invasion of Iraq, Middle East Institute & Foundation for Middle East Peace are honored to present Dalia Mogahed to discuss her timely new book, co-authored with John L. Esposito, "Who Speaks For Islam? What a Billion Muslims Really Think," the result of six years of research and more than 50,000 interviews representing 1.3 billion Muslims who reside in more than 35 nations that are predominantly Muslim or have sizable Muslim populations.

"The Kurds Ascending:The Evolving Solution to the Kurdish Problem in Iraq and Turkey"

Thu, 6 Mar 2008 15:10:57 -0500

The Middle East Institute is honored to present Michael M. Gunter to discuss his new book, “The Kurds Ascending; The Evolving Solution to the Kurdish Problem in Iraq and Turkey,” a narrative that exposes the prospects of a positive future for the the Kurds in Iraq and Turkey.

Jerusalem's Future: Chronic Conflict or a Shared Peace in a City of Three Faiths?

Wed, 27 Feb 2008 17:03:27 -0500

Danny Seidemann is an Israeli lawyer and legal counsel to Ir Amim, an Israeli NGO concerned with the future of Jerusalem. He is a leading expert on Jerusalem's municipal operations, planning, and residency rights. Ir Amim has been an invaluable resource for policy makers, diplomats and journalists. Seidemann has appeared frequently before the Supreme Court of Israel on Jerusalem-related issues.

Nazmi Jubeh, PhD, is the Co-Director of Riwaq Center for Architectural Conservation and a lecturer at Birzeit and al-Quds universities. A widely published expert in archeology, history, politics, and architecture, he has served on Palestinian negotiating teams and has advised the Palestinian Authority on Jerusalem and the Holy Sites. A graduate of Birzeit, he received a Masters degree from the University of Tubingen in Germany. Jubeh is a board member of several cultural institutions in Jerusalem.

Gregory Khalil, a Palestinian -American from San Diego, is a leading expert on the Israel-Palestine peace process and the Palestinian Christian community. Khalil, graduated from Yale and the Yale Law School, served from 2004 to 2008 as a member of the Negotiations Support Unit of the Palestinian Authority.

Can Israel and Syria Break the Middle East Deadlock?

Fri, 22 Feb 2008 11:27:12 -0500

Middle East Institute and Israel Policy Forum are proud to co-host Alon Liel, Chairman of the Israel-Syria Peace Society and former Director General of Israel's Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Dr. Liel has served in several foreign ministry posts and has spearheaded unofficial talks with prominent Syrians on a Syrian-Israeli peace treaty. Dr. Liel now lectures at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem, Tel Aviv University, and the Interdisciplinary Center in Herzliya.

The Situation in Iraq (Updated)

Wed, 13 Feb 2008 14:11:11 -0500

Middle East Institute is honored to host Ambassador David Satterfield to give an update on the situation in Iraq following the President and Secretary of State's trip to the Middle East region, including provincial and national leadership, and the diplomatic activities on a regional level.

How We Missed the Story; Osama Bin Laden, the Taliban, and the Hijacking of Afghanistan

Mon, 11 Feb 2008 13:04:18 -0500

Roy Gutman, a former senior fellow at the United States Institute of Peace (2002-2003), is an award-winning journalist who has reported on international affairs for more than three decades. He is currently foreign editor at the McClatchy Washington bureau. His new book, "How We Missed the Story; Osama Bin Laden, the Taliban, and the Hijacking of Afghanistan," is a narrative that exposes how and why the U.S. government, the United Nations, and the Western media "missed the story" in the leadup to 9/11.

Iran on the Horizon - Keynote Address

Tue, 5 Feb 2008 12:36:25 -0500

Ambassador Pierre Vimont, Ambassador of France to the United States

Ambassador Pierre Vimont was appointed Ambassador of France to the United States by President Nicolas Sarkozy in August 2007. Prior to his present appointment, Vimont had been serving as chief of staff to the minister of foreign affairs since 2002. Preceding that position, Vimont was ambassador and permanent representative of France to the European Union from 1999 to 2002. Vimont holds a degree in law and is a graduate of the Institute of Political Studies and the National School of Administration (ENA) in France.

Iran on the Horizon - Concluding Remarks

Mon, 4 Feb 2008 13:43:54 -0500

Panel IV: Iran: What does the U.S. do Now?

Mon, 4 Feb 2008 13:30:05 -0500

Patrick Clawson, Washington Institute for Near East Policy
Hillary Mann Leverett, former National Security Council director for Iran and Persian Gulf Affairs
Ray Takeyh, Council on Foreign Relations
David Mack, Middle East Institute

Panel III: Iran & The Levant

Mon, 4 Feb 2008 13:29:28 -0500

Views from Jordan, Syria and Lebanon

Fares Braizat, Director and Senior Researcher of University of Jordan's Centre for Strategic Studies
Murhaf Jouejati, National Defense University, Former Advisor to the Syrian delegation during the Middle East peace talks
Judith P. Harik, President of Matn University, Beirut and leading expert on Hezbollah
Trita Parsi, National Iranian American Council (NIAC)

Panel II: Iran & The Gulf

Mon, 4 Feb 2008 11:43:36 -0500

Views from Kuwait, UAE and Saudi Arabia

Sami Al-Faraj, President of the Kuwait Centre for Strategic Studies
Ibtisam Al-Kitbi, UAE University
Wahid Hashim, King Abdul Aziz University - Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
Barbara Slavin, Senior Diplomatic Reporter for USA Today, USIP

Panel I: Assessing Iran's Intentions and Internal Power Centers

Mon, 4 Feb 2008 11:40:25 -0500

Gary Sick, Senior Research scholar at SIPA's Middle East Institute, Columbia University
Hooshang Amirahmadi, Founder and President, American Iranian Council (AIC)
John Limbert, U.S. Naval Academy, former 14 month hostage in Iran
Kenneth Pollack, Brookings Institution

Iran on the Horizon - Introduction

Mon, 4 Feb 2008 11:37:10 -0500

Iraq's Three Wars: Is the U.S. Irrelevant to Them?

Wed, 19 Dec 2007 10:47:28 -0500

For three decades, Mr. Cole has sought to put the relationship of the West and the Muslim world in historical context, and his most recent book is Napoleon's Egypt: Invading the Middle East (Palgrave Macmillan, 2007). He also writes on current events, and his articles on contemporary Sunni radicalism include "Muslim Religious Extremism in Egypt" in Middle East Historiographies (University of Washington Press, 2006) and "The Taliban, Women, and the Hegelian Private Sphere," Social Research (Fall 2003). He has authored several recent journal articles on Shi`ite movements in present-day Iraq, as well as an extended essay, "The Ayatollahs and Democracy in Iraq." (Amsterdam University Press, 2006). These works were foreshadowed by an earlier book, Sacred Space and Holy War: The Politics, Culture and History of Shi`ite Islam (IB Tauris 2002), as well as in his monographs, edited books and articles of the 1980s and 1990s.

Postscript on Annapolis: An Israeli Perspective

Fri, 7 Dec 2007 13:29:01 -0500

Middle East Institute is honored to host MK Ephraim Sneh, former Deputy Defense Minister of Israel. Minister Sneh has served in the Knesset since 1982 and as Minister of Health (1993-1996), Deputy Minister of Defense (1999-2001), and Minister of Transportation (2001-2002). In March 2006, he was re-elected to the Knesset and served as Chairman of the Labor Parliamentary Faction. In October 2006, he was appointed Deputy Minister of Defense for the second time.

Dr. Sneh has an M.D. from Tel Aviv University Faculty of Medicine, and was a Research Fellow at the Walter Reed Army Medical Center. He served as a career officer in the IDF until 1987, retiring with the rank of Brigadier General. He began his military career as a Medical Officer in the Paratroops Brigade and in 1974 became Chief Medical Officer of the Paratroops and Infantry Corps. He served as commander of the medical teams during the Entebbe Rescue Operation in 1976. In 1980, he was promoted to Chief Medical Officer of the IDF Northern Command, and the following year became Commander of the Security Zone in South Lebanon. He served as Head of the Civil Administration of the West Bank from 1985-87.