Friday, 2/2/07 at National Conference of the World Affairs Councils of America
Plenary Session: U.S. Strategic Interests in the Middle East--the Military Dimension by Brig. Gen. Mark Kimmitt (Ret.), Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense, Near Eastern and South Asian Affairs
NOTES:
Iraq: four years at war in Iraq; failure in Iraq would be catastrophic; would embolden Iran; would spread outside of Iraq; humiliating defeat; would leave chaos; threats in Iraq come from Baathist insurgents and Al Qaeda, sectarian warfare, and foreign fighters coming into Iraq
New Strategy: there is no easy solution; force, by itself, won't win this war; Iraq must make decision on oil money and a conciliation policy, be willing to fight against all fighters and to break the hold of Al-Sadar; Are Iraqis willing to make the tough decisions and to follow through? It will take months to see a difference.
Iran: diplomacy is the best way; no proposed war; with Iraq gone, Iranians think they have the power; Does the U.S. have the staying power?
Q&A: At the end of the day the Iraqis are going to win this war---100,000 U.S. troops won't work because of the local anti feeling they would generate
Kimmitt doesn't agree with Ralston that the Turks will invade the Kurds in northern Iraq (Ralston spoke about this at the Alaska World Affairs); Kimmitt thinks there will be a diplomatic resolution to the Kurd incursions into Turkey.
Kimmitt: Need to get Baghdad settled down so can deal with the underlying political, economic and resource issues.
Plenary Session Panel: Religion in the Middle East-- Father Nabil Haddad, Catholic priest from Amman, Jordan, The Right Reverend John Chane, Eighth Bishop of Washington, M. Bruce Lustig, M.A.H.L., Senior Rabbi Washington Hebrew Congregation, Sulayman S. Nyang, Professor of African Studies, Howard University. The Iman could not obtain a visa to enter the U.S.
Faith has to bridge the gap; we must continue the Abraham story as brothers and sisters of Abraham; pointed out the common elements of the three religions; have to engage in interfaith dialogue; we believe in the same God; the Abraham Summit as a beginning;
The Jordanian--"faith, religion, tribe--it is who I am, how I act, a code of conduct"; the Rabbi--"God, why don't you send help?" God replied, "I sent you"; fear has overtaken hope--find hope--the Abraham Summit as a beginning; the burden is upon us, not our government; courage to walk alone and forge a path for others to follow
Politics is who gets what, when, and how
Ambassadorial Lunches I went to the Jordanian Ambassador's lunch. It was Amb. Zeid Ra'ad Zeid Al-Hussein's second day on the job and what a charmer. I know that is an ambassador's job, but he was definitely a cut above the rest. His voice was a voice of realism plus hope. I know, I was probably "taken in" by his good looks, beautifully tailored suit, classically modulated voice. Who cares what he said. But I did hear the following---700,000 Iraqis have moved into Jordan; U.S. has absorbed only 300 Iraqi families; in the Iraqi government the Iraqis need to see themselves as Iraqis not as three separate groups.
Plenary Session: The future of the Israel/Palestinian Dilemma--Amb. Dennis Ross (Washington Institute for Near East Policy), Sallai Meridor (Ambassador of Israel to the U.S.), and Ziad J. Asali (American Task Force on Palestine). The following are some notes from the session---a two state solution; Israel moved out of Gaza and the Palestinians voted in a terrorist government and are using resources for terror rather than to improve their lot; need to hear from the Palestinian moderates, many would back peace; Gaza and the Egyptian border is open for smuggling from Iran and Syria; Palestinians must make a choice; very difficult for Palestinians to give up vision of one state, Palestine with no Israel; give up their dream of their right-of-return; when will the Palestinians choose statehood over victimhood and peace over terrorism? There is no combination of world powers that can get Palestine out of the mess at this time.
SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 3rd AT THE CONFERENCE
Plenary Session: Challenges with Iran by Michael Rubin with the American Enterprise Institute. He was an excellent speaker, and I took only one note---he is concerned that Iran will under estimate the U.S.
I bought his book, Eternal Iran. I've just started reading it and really like it. It is a short, very readable recap of Iranian history that will serve me well as a background for current happenings.
Richard Gephardt was the luncheon speaker. His topic was A Democratic View of the U.S. Middle East Policy. What can I say! However, he did admit he doesn't know what causes global warming.
The closing banquet was most pleasant with Barbara Propes presenting the various Council awards. The eight people at our table had some good conversations about our favorite and least favorite speakers and sessions.
Sunday morning bright and early I headed to Seattle for Super Bowl watching with a friend and a couple of days of catching up with the Slingerland Institute and doing nothing.
1:38:27 PM 
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