In early February, National Council Distinguished International Defense Affairs Fellow Sheikh Nawaf Al-Thani visited the United States Military Academy at West Point, New York (USMA at West Point), with a delegation of Council leaders. During the visit, Sheikh Nawaf met with academy cadets, faculty, and leaders and also spoke to a class of cadets. Joining Sheikh Nawaf in the Council delegation were Board Member Colonel (Ret.) Abbas Dahouk, a former West Point foreign language instructor and a former Senior U.S. Department of Defense official serving in the GCC region; Senior International Affairs Fellow Colonel (Ret.) David Des Roches, a member of the USMA West Point Class of 1986 and currently a Professor at the U.S. National Defense University; together with Council Executive Vice President Patrick Mancino.

While visiting the United States Military Academy at West Point, National Council Distinguished International Defense Affairs Fellow Sheikh Nawaf Al-Thani met with academy leaders including the Dean of the Academic Board Brigadier General Shane Reeves.

Sheikh Nawaf is the former Senior Defense Official and Defense Attaché of Qatar to the United States, Mexico, and Canada in the rank of Brigadier General as well as the former Official Spokesperson for Qatar’s Ministry of Defense. In recognition of his service, he has received numerous distinguished commendations and citations from the Qatar Armed Forces along with several NATO militaries and multinational organizations. Sheikh Nawaf joined the National Council as a Fellow last fall and was a featured speaker at the Council’s 31st Annual Arab-U.S. Policymakers Conference.

(Left) National Council Distinguished International Defense Affairs Fellow Sheikh Nawaf Al-Thani and the Council’s delegation met with select West Point cadets, including a cadet from Qatar. (Right) Sheikh Nawaf Al-Thani addresses a class of West Point cadets.