Revisiting US Middle East Strategy

PAST EVENT VIDEO

Panel

A panel of experts examine the future of US policy in the Middle East and how the election results could shift American priorities in the region.

Admiral Ali Saeed Al Shehri speaks with soldiers during mixed maritime exercise with U.S. Navy and Saudi Royal Navy, at Saudi Military Port, Ras Al Ghar, Eastern Province, in Jubail

Reuters

Speakers

Martin Indyk
Karim Sadjadpour
Tamara Cofman Wittes
David Gardner

Event Date

November 9, 2020

About This Event

Over the past decade, the United States’ diplomatic and military focus on the Middle East has shifted, providing openings for other powers to vie for influence in the region. As US-China competition accelerates and the world struggles with the health and economic fallout of COVID-19, how central will the Middle East be to US strategic interests in the coming years and what would further disengagement mean for the region?

This fall, the Council on Global Affairs and the Financial Times are hosting a series of discussions on foreign policy topics central to the 2020 United States presidential election. As voters confront starkly different foreign policy worldviews, the America in 2020 series convenes influential voices with distinct perspectives to examine issues with far-reaching implications for America’s future.

About the Speakers

Martin Indyk

Distinguished Fellow, Council on Foreign Relations

Martin Indyk is a distinguished fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations and the former US ambassador to Israel, assistant secretary of state for Near East Affairs, and special assistant to President Clinton. Previously, Indyk was executive vice president of the Brookings Institution and was President Obama's special envoy for the Israeli-Palestinian negotiations from July 2013 to June 2014.

Karim Sadjadpour

Senior Fellow, Carnegie Endowment for International Peace

Karim Sadjadpour, Senior Fellow, Carnegie Endowment for International Peace

Tamara Cofman Wittes

Senior Fellow, Brookings' Center for Middle East Policy

Tamara Cofman Wittes is the former Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs, and currently is a senior fellow at the Brookings' Center for Middle East Policy.

David Gardner

International Affairs Editor, Financial Times

David Gardner, International Affairs Editor, Financial Times

Crown Center Content This content is produced by the Lester Crown Center, which aims to shape debates and inform decisions on important US foreign policy and national security issues.

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