Category Archives: Security and Defense

Arabia to Asia: The Myths of an American “Pivot” and Whether or Not There’s a U.S. Strategy Toward the GCC Region

John Duke Anthony – Arabia to Asia: The Myths of an American “Pivot” and Whether or Not There’s a U.S. Strategy Toward the GCC Region

From the National Council’s Arabia, the Gulf, and the GCC Blog

Arab-U.S. Defense Cooperation – 2015 Arab-U.S. Policymakers Conference

Session on Arab-U.S. Defense Cooperation with Mr. Jeffrey B. Kohler, Mr. Ronald L. Perrilloux, Jr., Mr. Christopher Blanchard, and Professor David Des Roches from the National Council on U.S.-Arab Relations’ 24th Annual Arab-US Policymakers’ Conference, “U.S.-Arab Relations at a Crossroads: What Paths Forward?,” on October 14, 2015, in Washington, DC.

Listen to Podcast (.mp3)

Read Transcript (.pdf)

A Discussion with Gulf Cooperation Council Secretary General Dr. Abdul Latif Al Zayani

A Discussion with Gulf Cooperation Council Secretary General Dr. Abdul Latif Al Zayani. A summary of the key points and perspectives offered by GCC Secretary General Dr. Abdul Latif Bin Rashid Al Zayani at a September 18, 2015, National Council on U.S.-Arab Relations meeting.

From the National Council’s Arabia, the Gulf, and the GCC Blog

Arab-US Defense Cooperation – 2014 Arab-U.S. Policymakers Conference

The National Council on U.S.-Arab Relations23rd Annual Arab U.S.-Policymakers Conference included a session on “Arab-U.S. Defense Cooperation” that featured Mr. Christopher Blanchard, The Honorable Mark T. Kimmitt, Dr. John Duke Anthony, Professor David Des Roches, Dr. Kenneth Katzman, and Dr. Imad Harb.

An audio and video recording of the session as well as a link to the transcript are available below. Videos of the entire 2014 conference are available on YouTube and podcasts of the conference are available through iTunes and FeedBurner.

Transcript (.pdf)

Audio (.mp3)

Dynamics of Regional Crises Run Amok

August 20, 2014
Offices of Willkie Farr & Gallagher LLP, Washington, DC

 

 

Participating Specialists:

Ambassador Samir Sumaida’ie, Former Ambassador of Iraq to the United States (2006-2011) and Former Permanent Representative of Iraq to the United Nations (2004-2006)

Professor David Des Roches, Senior Military Fellow, Near East South Asia Center for Strategic Studies, National Defense University, and Malone Fellow in Arab and Islamic Studies to Syria

Dr. Imad Harb, Distinguished International Affairs Fellow, National Council on U.S.-Arab Relations

Dr. Thomas Mattair, Executive Director, Middle East Policy Council

Mr. Matthew A. Reynolds, North America Representative, United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA)

Mr. Joshua Yaphe, Arabian Peninsula Analyst, U.S. Department of State Bureau of Intelligence and Research

Moderator:

Dr. John Duke Anthony, Founding President & CEO, National Council on U.S.-Arab Relations

AUDIO (.mp3)

Dynamics of U.S.-GCC Defense Cooperation

February 13, 2014
Offices of Willkie Farr & Gallagher LLP, Washington, DC

 

Participating specialists:

Ambassador (Ret.) James Smith, Former U.S. Ambassador to Saudi Arabia (2009-2013); Senior Counselor, The Cohen Group

Professor David Des Roches, Senior Military Fellow, Near East South Asia Center for Strategic Studies, National Defense University; Malone Fellow in Arab and Islamic Studies to Syria

Professor Paul Sullivan, Professor of Economics, National Defense University; Adjunct Professor, Georgetown University

Moderator:

Dr. John Duke Anthony, Founding President & CEO, National Council on U.S.-Arab Relations

AUDIO (.mp3)

KSA2 PROGRAM SUMMARY

U.S.-Arab Defense Cooperation – 2013 Arab-U.S. Policymakers Conference

U.S.-ARAB DEFENSE COOPERATION

Chair:

Mr. Christopher Blanchard – Specialist in Middle Eastern Affairs, Foreign Affairs, Defense, and Trade Division, Congressional Research Service, Library of Congress.

Speakers:

Mr. David Des Roches – Associate Professor and Senior Military Fellow, Near East South Asia Center for Strategic Studies, National Defense University; National Council on U.S.-Arab Relations Malone Fellow in Arab and Islamic Studies.

Mr. Robert Sharp – Assistant Professor, Near East South Asia Center for Strategic Studies, National Defense University.

Commentators:

Dr. Janet Breslin-Smith – former Professor of National Security Strategy and Chair of the Department of National Security Strategy, National War College.

VIDEO

AUDIO (.mp3)

TRANSCRIPT

Keynote Address: General Lloyd Austin III – 2013 Arab-U.S. Policymakers Conference

KEYNOTE ADDRESS BY GENERAL LLOYD AUSTIN III

Speaker:

General Lloyd Austin III – Commander, United States Central Command; former Vice Chief of Staff, United States Army; former Commander, U.S. Forces-Iraq (from September 2010 through completion of mission in December 2011); former Director, Joint Staff, Pentagon.

VIDEO

AUDIO (.mp3)

TRANSCRIPT

Defense Cooperation Dynamics: Enhancing Regional Security – 2012 Arab-U.S. Policymakers Conference

DEFENSE COOPERATION DYNAMICS: ENHANCING REGIONAL SECURITY

Chair:

The Honorable Molly Williamson – Distinguished Scholar-in-Residence, National Council on U.S.-Arab Relations; Adjunct Scholar, Middle East Institute; former Senior Foreign Policy Adviser to the Secretary of Energy (2005-2008); former Deputy Assistant Secretary of Commerce for the Middle East, South Asia, Oceania and Africa (1999-2004); former Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for the Middle East, Africa, and South Asia (1993-1995).

Opening Remarks:

VADM Robert Harward – Deputy Commander, U.S. Central Command; former Commander, Combined Joint Interagency Task Force 435 in Afghanistan; former Deputy Commander, U.S. Joint Forces Command; and former Chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff representative to the National Counterterrorism Center.

Speakers:

Dr. Anthony Cordesman – Arleigh A. Burke Chair in Strategy, Center for Strategic and International Studies; consultant to the U.S. State Department, Defense Department, and intelligence community; former Director of Intelligence Assessment, Office of the Secretary of Defense.

Mr. David Des Roches – Professor, Near East South Asia Center for Strategic Studies, National Defense University; National Council on U.S.-Arab Relations Malone Fellow in Arab and Islamic Studies.

Mr. Robert Sharp – Assistant Professor, Near East South Asia Center for Strategic Studies, National Defense University.

VIDEO

AUDIO (.mp3)

TRANSCRIPT

A Window onto the Gulf Cooperation Council, Together With a View Regarding Its Involvement Of Late With Yemen

A Window onto the Gulf Cooperation Council, Together With a View Regarding Its Involvement Of Late With Yemen – remarks by His Excellency Dr. Abdul Latif Bin Rashid Al Zayani, Secretary General of the Gulf Cooperation Council, to the Gulf Research Center’s Third Annual Gulf Research Meeting, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom. Introduction by Dr. John Duke Anthony, Founding President and CEO of the National Council on U.S.-Arab Relations.

From the National Council’s Arabia, the Gulf, and the GCC Blog

Dynamics of Defense Cooperation – 2011 Arab-U.S. Policymakers Conference

DYNAMICS OF DEFENSE COOPERATION

Chair:            

Ambassador James Larocco – Director, Near East South Asia Center for Strategic Studies, National Defense University; former U.S. Ambassador to the State of Kuwait.

Speakers:

Dr. Joseph Moynihan – Chairman, Board of Directors, National Council on U.S.-Arab Relations; Vice President, Northrop Grumman Electronics Systems.

General Joseph Hoar (USMC, Ret.) – Former Commander-in-Chief, U.S. Central Command with planning and operations responsibility for 27 countries in the Middle East, Central Asia, South Asia, and the Horn of Africa; Chairman, J.P. Hoar & Associates, a consulting firm engaged in business development in the Middle East and Africa.

Commentators:

Col. David Des Roches (USA) – Professor, Near East South Asia Center for Strategic Studies, National Defense University; National Council on U.S.-Arab Relations Malone Fellow in Arab and Islamic Studies.

Mr. Bob Sharp – Assistant Professor, Near East South Asia Center for Strategic Studies, National Defense University.

AUDIO (.mp3)

TRANSCRIPT (.pdf)