THE MIDDLE EAST:
U.S. SECURITY CHALLENGES IN A DANGEROUS REGION

December 10-13, 2012   |   Capitol Hill Club   |   Washington, DC

This special four-day seminar will cover the profound political, economic and social transformations sweeping the Middle East in the wake of the Arab uprisings, the withdrawal from Iraq, and the continuing war on Al-Qaeda and its affiliates. In addition, this Foreign Policy Seminar will explore the ramifications of rising tensions between Iran and Saudi Arabia, as well as the ongoing strife between Sunnis and the Shia' in Bahrain, Iraq, Syria and Lebanon.

With tensions increasing, how likely are a military confrontation between Israel and Iran, the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, and how secure from Iranian retaliation are the oil fields on the Arab side of the Gulf, and could the civil war in Syria spill over beyond Lebanon? This seminar will provide in-depth discussions of the Arab uprisings, the rise of the Islamist parties (particularly in Egypt), and other current issues in the Middle East that will inevitably be harmful to U.S. interests.

Finally, we will examine the changes taking place on the world energy landscape. What will be the impact of expected greater U.S. energy production on America's historic relations and presence in the Gulf? In all of our discussions, we will pay special attention to what all these developments mean for the United States, the Department of Defense, and our long-term stature and interests in that vital region.

This Alan L. Freed Associates seminar on the Middle East will combine the knowledge of scholars, journalists, and the expertise of policymakers. Our speakers have studied or lived in the Middle East for years. Often they speak Arabic, Persian or Hebrew, and are particularly familiar with the culture as well as the politics of the region. All sessions will be off-the-record and ample time will be afforded for questions. There will also be case studies of key trouble spots, including a crisis simulation.

SEMINAR TOPICS*

• The United States' Role in the Indian Ocean
• Syria, Iran, and Hezbollah: Mutual Support and Common Targets
• Saudi Arabia and the Other Big Stories
• Libya: After the Uprising
• Russia's Return to the Mediterranean
• Egypt and the United States: An Impending Divorce?
• Arab Spring/Arab Winter: Implications for U.S. Policy in the Region
• The Eastern Flank — South Asia and the Middle East
• The Arab-Israeli Conflict and the Strategic Implications to the Area
• China and the Middle East: The New Silk Road
• Latin America and the Islamic Republic of Iran
• Violence in Syria: The Implications and the Risks of Miscalculation
• Strategic Balance in the Gulf and South Asia: The Future of U.S. Forces in Iraq and Afghanistan
• Controlling Somali Piracy
• The Iranian Challenge: From Diplomatic Chess to Military Confrontation
• Four Small Countries — Huge U.S. Equities: Yemen, Kuwait, Jordan and Bahrain
• Why the Middle East Will Remain Crucial for American Interests
• The United States & the Middle East: Prospects for the Three Major Crisis Areas
• The Strait of Hormuz: A Crisis Simulation
• *The above topics may change to address changing current events at the time of the seminar.

PARTICIPANT COMMENTS

Just the right level of detail; the way it was organized, it really tied the whole area together very well. The currency of the information was perfectly blended with historical information. Excellent program; great environment! Well done!

Thoroughly enjoyed the seminar; very thought provoking

Great program! Thanks for presenters with current, diverse experiences and not just academics spouting off.

Excellent course! I really appreciated each topic and each speaker's perspective! Thank you — what a pleasure!

Very well done; I very much appreciated the divergence of viewpoints and highly value hearing the views of true subject matter experts. Particularly I enjoy hearing views I don't agree with.

I found this course to be relevant and accurate. It was extremely thought provoking and enlightening. Super smart, prepared, intriguing speakers

Great forum for learning; very good group of speakers that covered all the topic areas I would have chosen.

This was a very good course. I'm glad I attended.

Well balanced perspectives and experience

Good diversity of points of view; course was relevant and useful.

Great to hear speakers with substantial experience in the region; authentic context and provoking analysis of relationships and politics of conflict

All the speakers demonstrated a truly remarkable depth of knowledge on their topics. Wow — no power points!! The delivery of these complex areas was very exceptional. Super and comprehensive!

Outstanding course; great variety of speakers from government, academia, think tanks

Outstanding speakers with super ability to talk on topics for approximate 40 minutes . . . and keep the audience interested and engaged on all these critical issues.

Great speakers and diverse viewpoints

MODERATOR

The program moderator will be of international stature and have extensive professional experience in the policy issues covered in this four-day seminar. The moderator will facilitate, when necessary, dialogue between the speakers and participants, as well as lead the group discussions and Q&A sessions.

FEE

The fee for each four-day Foreign Policy Seminar is $2,250 per person. The program will feature approximately 16 separate presentations. Also included are continental breakfast and working luncheons. An on-site staff person will assist participants as needed and coordinate daily activities.

REGISTRATION

The target audience for these seminars are civilians (GS-15 and above) and military (O-6 and above). Others who have a special interest in the subject, a need-to-know, or are in key positions may apply. Seminar space is limited to assure participants have ample time for open discussion with presenters. Upon registration, attendees will receive confirmation via email. Cancellations will be accepted in writing up to two weeks prior to the program. After that time, substitutions will be accepted. The Agency will be billed if registration is cancelled after the deadline.

If you have any questions or need further information, please call Iris Fernandez or Patricia Patton at 703-684-8807.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

The Middle East Seminar will be held in a private meeting room at the Capitol Hill Club, located at 300 First Street SE, Washington, DC. The Club is directly across the street from the Capitol South Metro Station (Blue and Orange Lines). Business attire for participants is required. Military uniform is optional.

Reporting information concerning registration time and meeting room assignment will be sent to all participants approximately 2 weeks prior to the start of the program. The seminar meeting room will be open at 7:45 am and seminars will be conducted from 8:00 to 4:00 pm.

These programs are informal and strictly "off-the-record." No video, power point or audio-visual aids are utilized in the presentations.

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