Complete audio recordings from the National Council on U.S.-Arab Relations’ 2014 Arab-U.S. Policymakers Conference, “Framing and Charting the Region’s Issues, Interests, Challenges, and Opportunities: Implications for Arab and U.S. Policies,” are now available from the Council. Listen to and download each session below, or visit the National Council’s podcast feed through iTunes or FeedBurner to access recordings from the conference as well as other Council programs.

• The Collapse of Order in the Middle East

  With Ambassador (Ret.) Chas Freeman, Jr.

• Presentation of Distinguished Global Leadership Award to H.E. Abdullah Bin Hamad Al Attiyah

  With Dr. John Duke Anthony and H.E. Abdullah Bin Hamad Al Attiyah.

• Arab-U.S. Energy Cooperation

  With Ms. Randa Fahmy Hudome, Dr. Paul Sullivan, Dr. Anas Alhajji, Mr. Jamie Webster, Dr. Tamara Essayyad, and Dr. Sara Vakhshouri.

• Remarks on Model Arab League

  With Dr. Joe Dunn and Ms. Kaylee Boalt.

• Remarks from 2014 Findley Fellows

  With Mr. Neil Kapoor, Mr. Justin Mayes, Mr. Anthony Sudarmawan, and Ms. Marlee Pittman.

• Keynote Address by HRH Prince Turki Al Faisal

  With HRH Prince Turki Al Faisal.

• Arab-U.S. Defense Cooperation

  With Mr. Christopher Blanchard, The Honorable Mark T. Kimmitt, Dr. John Duke Anthony, Professor David Des Roches, Dr. Kenneth Katzman, and Dr. Imad Harb.

• Gulf Cooperation Council: Role in Regional Dynamics

  With Dr. John Duke Anthony, H.E. Dr. Abdullah I. El-Kuwaiz, Dr. Abdulaziz Sager, Ambassador (Ret.) Stephen A. Seche, Dr. Abdullah AlShayji, and Dr. Abdulkhaleq Abdulla.

• Geo-Political Dynamics: Egypt & Arab North Africa

  With Dr. Paul Sullivan, Dr. Michele Dunne, Ms. Ellen Laipson, Dr. Michael Hudson, and Dr. William Lawrence.

• Iraq-U.S. Relations: A View From Baghdad

  With H.E. Ambassador Lukman Faily.

• The Palestinian Future

  With Dr. Tom Mattair, H.E. Ambassador Maen Areikat, Ms. Karen Koning AbuZayd, Mr. Bill Corcoran, Mr. Matthew Reynolds, and Mr. Yousef Munayyer.

• Presentation of Global Humanitarian and Business Achievement Award to Dr. Khalaf Ahmad Al Habtoor

  With Congressman Paul Findley (on behalf of Dr. Khalaf Ahmad Al Habtoor).

• Remarks from HRH Prince Abdulmajeed Bin Abdulilah bin Abdulaziz Al Sa’ud

  With HRH Prince Abdulmajeed Bin Abdulilah bin Abdulaziz Al Sa’ud.

• Remarks from HRH Prince Abdulaziz bin Talal bin Abdulaziz Al Sa’ud

  With HRH Prince Abdulaziz bin Talal bin Abdulaziz Al Sa’ud.

• Keynote Address by H.E. Ambassador Adel A. Al-Jubeir

  With H.E. Ambassador Adel A. Al-Jubeir.

• Keynote Address by Ambassador Joseph W. Westphal

  With Ambassador Joseph W. Westphal.

• Geo-Political Dynamics: Syria, Lebanon, Iraq, & Iran

  With Dr. John Iskander, H.E. Ambassador Seyed Hossein Mousavian, Dr. Judith Yaphe, Dr. Najib Ghadbian, Dr. Imad Harb, and Dr. Trita Parsi.

• Arab-U.S. Relations: Views from the Region

  With Ms. Elizabeth Wossen, Dr. Abderrahim Foukara, Dr. Christian Koch, Ms. Judith Kipper, Dr. Jim Zogby, and Ms. Barbara G.B. Ferguson.

• Arab-U.S. Business, Finance, & Human Resource Development

  With Mr. John Pratt, Ambassador (Ret.) Patrick Theros, Ms. Nahlah A. Al-Jubeir, Mr. Nathan Regan, Mr. Steve Lutes, Dr. J. W. Wright, and Mr. Titus Johnson.

Visit the National Council on U.S.-Arab Relations on iTunes.

Before the National Council on U.S.-Arab Relations launched its first Annual Arab-U.S. Policymakers Conference in 1991, we asked numerous policymakers a single question: “What bedevils you the most in your tasks to recommend effective policies?” The answers differed only slightly from one person to the next. A common theme running through all the responses was, and I paraphrase, the following: The “W” questions are ones that policymakers deal with all the time. In and of themselves, they are difficult enough. They include:

“What” needs to be done;
“When” does it need to be done;
“Why” does it need to be done;
“Where” will we likely be if we do this or if we do not;
“Who” needs to do it; and, sometimes even,
“Whether” something needs to be done.

But the most difficult questions of all, the ones policymakers inform us they find most vexing, are “How” questions, for these, unlike most of the others, cannot be answered with a yes or no. Rather, the answer to each comes with a cost.

• Sometimes the cost is political, as when leaders of an administration’s political party or a government’s most important advisers or constituents are certain to put their foot down and say no.
• Sometimes the cost is financial, as when it is pointed out that there are no funds allocated, authorized, or appropriated for that which is recommended.
• Sometimes the cost lies in having to admit that the requisite competent human resources to implement a policy recommendation simply do not exist.
• Sometimes the cost is one of technology, equipment, and/or structures or systems that do not exist or, if they do, would have to be transferred from where they are to where they are needed more at what, arguably, is a prohibitively high cost in terms of time, effort, and money.
• Sometimes the cost is in credibility, as when an administration or government is on record as being strongly opposed to exactly what someone has just recommended as a solution or a palliative.
• Sometimes the cost is moral in the sense that it clearly violates the Golden Rule of Do Not Do Unto Others What You Would Not Have Others Do To You.
• Sometimes the cost will likely be a sharp downturn in the public approval rating of a president, premier, or head of state.
• Sometimes the cost might be a definite setback to the country’s image and the degree of trust and confidence it seeks to cultivate and maintain among its allies.

With this as background, context, and perspective, there follows a series of questions relating to contemporary Arab-U.S. relations. The questions are ones that policymakers on one side or another, and sometimes both sides, grapple with daily. They are provided in the spirit of a public service. To whom? To not only the policymakers entrusted to improve Arab-U.S. relations and not make them worse. They are also offered as food for thought. Again, to whom? To intellectuals, scholars, teachers, students, analysts, investment strategists, specialists in public policy research institutes, and many others eager to enhance their knowledge and understanding of the state of play in the relations between the United States and the Arab world, and who want to improve these relations.

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

Categories of “HOW” Questions

ARAB-U.S. ENERGY COOPERATION

ARAB-U.S. DEFENSE COOPERATION

GULF COOPERATION COUNCIL: ROLE IN REGIONAL DYNAMICS

GEO-POLITICAL DYNAMICS: EGYPT & N. AFRICA

THE PALESTINIAN FUTURE

GEO-POLITICAL DYNAMICS: SYRIA, LEBANON, IRAQ, & IRAN

ARAB-U.S. RELATIONS: VIEWS FROM THE REGION

ARAB-U.S. BUSINESS, FINANCE, AND HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT

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