National Council on U.S.-Arab Relations Fellow Nawaf Al-Thani Visits the Virginia Military Institute

Last month, National Council Distinguished International Defense Affairs Fellow Sheikh Nawaf Al-Thani visited the Virginia Military Institute in Lexington, Virginia (VMI), with a delegation of Council leaders. During the visit, Sheikh Nawaf spoke to academy cadets about dynamics of small state security, and he met with VMI faculty, cadets, and leadership. Joining Sheikh Nawaf in the Council delegation were Council Founding President and CEO Dr. John Duke Anthony, who has a long association with VMI; Board Member Colonel (Ret.) Abbas Dahouk, a former Senior U.S. Department of Defense official serving in the GCC region; together with Council Executive Vice President Patrick Mancino.

(Left) National Council Distinguished International Defense Affairs Fellow Sheikh Nawaf Al-Thani with Virginia Military Institute Superintendent Retired Major General Cedric Wins. (Right) Sheikh Nawaf Al-Thani speaks to VMI cadets about small state security dynamics.

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 to Right) National Council Founding President and CEO Dr. John Duke Anthony, Distinguished International Defense Affairs Fellow Sheikh Nawaf Al-Thani, and Board Member Abbas Dahouk meet with Virginia Military Institute leadership in Lexington, Virginia.

Dr. Anthony is a 1962 graduate of VMI where he received his Bachelor’s Degree in History. He attended on a four-year, all-expenses State Cadetship Award after the completion of his U.S. Army active duty military service. At VMI, Dr. Anthony was elected president of his class all four years in addition to serving as president of the Corps of Cadets’ governing bodies during his First Class (Senior) Year. In 2012, he served as Dean’s Visiting Chair in International Studies and Political Science, where he taught VMI’s first-ever course on “Politics of the Arabian Peninsula.”

Weathering Chinese and Russian Competition in Arabia and the Gulf: Implications for United States Interests, Policies, and Strategy

On March 8, 2023, the National Council convened an online briefing program on “Weathering Chinese and Russian Competition in Arabia and the Gulf: Implications for United States Interests, Policies, and Strategy.” The program explored implications for the region and the United States of evolving relationships between Russia, China, and countries in Arabia and the Gulf. The specialists examined how shifting strategic dynamics can be viewed through different sets of lenses.

 

 

Joining the program were:

Context Provider:

  • Dr. John Duke Anthony, National Council on U.S.-Arab Relations Founding President and CEO; Author, inter alia, of Arab States of The Lower Gulf: People, Politics, Petroleum.

Featured Specialists:

  • Mr. David H. Rundell, Author of Vision or Mirage: Saudi Arabia at the Crossroads, Former Chief of Mission at the United States Embassy in Saudi Arabia, and National Council on U.S.-Arab Relations International Advisory Board Member.
  • Ambassador (Ret.) Michael Gfoeller, Former United States Diplomat, and Consultant on Foreign Affairs and International Security.

Moderator:

  • Colonel (Ret.) Abbas K. Dahouk, National Council on U.S.-Arab Relations Board of Directors Member; Former U.S. Department of State Senior Military Advisor; Former U.S. Embassy in Saudi Arabia Defense and Army Attache; HyphenPoint LLC President.

Audio and video recordings of the program are available above and below, and on YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and elsewhere.

“Weathering Chinese and Russian Competition in Arabia and the Gulf: Implications for United States Interests, Policies, and Strategy” podcast (.mp3)

National Council on U.S.-Arab Relations Fellow Nawaf Al-Thani Visits West Point

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.

Lebanon in Focus [2022 Arab-US Policymakers Conference]

The 31st Annual Arab-U.S. Policymakers Conference, Arab-U.S. Uncertainties: What Lies Ahead?, convened at the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center in Washington, D.C., on November 2-3, 2022. These are some of the conference proceedings.

 

 
“Lebanon in Focus”

Featuring:

Colonel (Ret.) Abbas Dahouk – National Council Board of Directors Member; former Senior Military Advisor to U.S. Department of State; former U.S. Defense and Army Attach´ to Saudi Arabia; HyphenPoint LLC Founding Principal.

Ambassador (Ret.) Edward Gabriel – American Task Force on Lebanon President and CEO; former United States Ambassador to Morocco (1997-2001).

The Annual Arab-U.S. Policymakers Conference is the signature annual symposium organized and administered by the National Council on U.S.-Arab Relations.

U.S.-Arab Relations Defense Dimensions [2022 Arab-US Policymakers Conference]

The 31st Annual Arab-U.S. Policymakers Conference, Arab-U.S. Uncertainties: What Lies Ahead?, convened at the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center in Washington, D.C., on November 2-3, 2022. These are some of the conference proceedings.

 

 
“U.S.-Arab Relations Defense Dimensions: Missiles, Proxies, Mines, Drones, and More”

Featuring:

Sheikh Nawaf bin Mubarak bin Saif Al-Thani – National Council Distinguished International Defense Affairs Fellow; former Defense Attaché of Qatar to the United States; former Official Spokesperson for Qatar’s Ministry of Defense.

Colonel (Ret.) Abbas Dahouk – National Council Board of Directors Member; former Senior Military Advisor to U.S. Department of State; former U.S. Defense and Army Attach´ to Saudi Arabia; HyphenPoint LLC Founding Principal.

Mr. David Des Roches – U.S. Department of Defense National Defense University Near East/South Asia Center for Strategic Studies Associate Professor; National Council Senior International Affairs Fellow.

The Arab-U.S. Policymakers Conference is the signature annual symposium organized and administered by the National Council on U.S.-Arab Relations.

Evaluating the Impact of President Biden’s Visit to the Middle East

On July 22, 2022, the National Council convened an online briefing program on “Evaluating the Impact of President Biden’s Visit to the Middle East.” It included Saudi Arabian and U.S. analysts, scholars, and former diplomats who reflected on the recent visit of U.S. President Joe Biden to Israel, the Occupied Palestinian Territories, and Saudi Arabia.

 

 

Joining the program were:

Context Provider:

  • Dr. John Duke Anthony, National Council on U.S.-Arab Relations Founding President and CEO; Author, inter alia, of Arab States of The Lower Gulf: People, Politics, Petroleum.

Featured Specialists:

  • Dr. Abdulaziz Sager, Gulf Research Center Founder and Chairman, and National Council on U.S.-Arab Relations International Advisory Board Member.
  • Mr. David H. Rundell, Author of Vision or Mirage: Saudi Arabia at the Crossroads, Former United States Diplomat, and National Council on U.S.-Arab Relations International Advisory Board Member.
  • Ambassador (Ret.) Michael Gfoeller, Former United States Diplomat, and Consultant on Foreign Affairs and International Security.

Moderator:

  • Colonel (Ret.) Abbas K. Dahouk, National Council on U.S.-Arab Relations Board of Directors Member; Former U.S. Department of State Senior Military Advisor; Former U.S. Embassy in Saudi Arabia Defense and Army Attache; HyphenPoint LLC President.

Audio and video recordings of the program are available above and below, and on YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and elsewhere.

“Evaluating the Impact of President Biden’s Visit to the Middle East” podcast (.mp3)

President Biden’s Visit to Saudi Arabia: Implications and Opportunities

On June 24, 2022, the National Council convened an online briefing program “President Biden’s Upcoming Visit to Saudi Arabia: Implications and Opportunities for the U.S.-Saudi Arabia Relationship.” Specialists with decades of experience navigating day-to-day aspects of the U.S.-Saudi Arabia relationship discussed dynamics affecting the various parties ahead of the trip.

 

 

Joining the program were:

Context Provider:

  • Dr. John Duke Anthony, National Council on U.S.-Arab Relations Founding President and CEO; Author, inter alia, of Arab States of The Lower Gulf: People, Politics, Petroleum.

Featured Specialists:

  • Mr. David H. Rundell, Author of Vision or Mirage: Saudi Arabia at the Crossroads, Former United States Diplomat, and National Council on U.S.-Arab Relations International Advisory Board Member.
  • Ambassador (Ret.) Michael Gfoeller, Former United States Diplomat, and Consultant on Foreign Affairs and International Security.

Moderator:

  • Colonel (Ret.) Abbas K. Dahouk, National Council on U.S.-Arab Relations Board of Directors Member; Former U.S. Department of State Senior Military Advisor; Former U.S. Embassy in Saudi Arabia Defense and Army Attache; HyphenPoint LLC President.

Audio and video recordings of the program are available above and below, and on YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and elsewhere.

“President Biden’s Visit to Saudi Arabia: Implications and Opportunities” podcast (.mp3)

A Conversation About Humanitarian Aid With His Excellency Dr. Abdullah Al Rabeeah

On May 31, 2022, the National Council convened an online briefing program “A Conversation About Humanitarian Aid with His Excellency Dr. Abdullah Al Rabeeah.” The featured specialist was the leader of the King Salman Humanitarian Aid & Relief Centre (KSRelief), Saudi Arabia’s leading aid organization that serves people and communities in more than fifty countries around the world.

 

 

Joining the program were:

Context Provider:

  • Dr. John Duke Anthony, National Council on U.S.-Arab Relations Founding President and CEO; Author, inter alia, of Arab States of The Lower Gulf: People, Politics, Petroleum.

Featured Specialist:

  • His Excellency Dr. Abdullah Al Rabeeah, King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Centre Supervisor General; Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Royal Court Advisor; Former Saudi Arabia Minister of Health.

Moderator:

  • Colonel (Ret.) Abbas K. Dahouk, National Council on U.S.-Arab Relations Board of Directors Member; Former U.S. Department of State Senior Military Advisor; Former U.S. Embassy in Saudi Arabia Defense and Army Attache; HyphenPoint LLC President.

Audio and video recordings of the program are available above and below, and on YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and elsewhere.

“A Conversation About Humanitarian Aid With His Excellency Dr. Abdullah Al Rabeeah” podcast (.mp3)