Speakers on the Middle East

General Stanley McChrystal
Former Commander of U.S. and International Forces in Afghanistan; Credited with the capture of Saddam Hussein and the killing of al-Qaeda’s leader in Iraq

A one-of-a-kind commander with remarkable record of achievement, General Stanley McChrystal, (USA,Ret.) is widely praised for creating a revolution in warfare that fused intelligence and operations. General McChrystal speaks with great insight about leadership, teamwork, and international affairs.

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Raghida Dergham
Senior Diplomatic Correspondent for Al-Hayat, the leading independent Arabic daily; Analyst for NBC, MSNBC, and the Arab satellite LBC

An eloquent and insightful presenter, Raghida Dergham offers audiences an important and critical point of view on the Arab world and is one of the few people tuned into both the U.S and Arab/Muslim worlds, as well as the inner workings of the UN Security Council. Dergham candidly discusses the complexities of the nations, leaders, and policies of the Arab world and how those complexities interface with the United States and the west.

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Ambassador Nicholas Burns
Former Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs, Former U.S. Ambassador to NATO, and Former U.S. Ambassador to Greece; Chairs Harvard’s John F. Kennedy School of Government’s New Program on India and South Asia

Ambassador R. Nicholas Burns is one of America's top foreign policy experts and practitioners. Over the course of his 27-year career in the state department, he played a key leadership role in U.S. foreign policy toward the Middle East, Europe, and South Asia.  Burns speaks with candor and passion about his experiences at the forefront of American foreign policy, what works and what doesn't in America's foreign relations, and what the future holds for America's position on the world stage.

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General Michael Hayden
Former Director of the Central Intelligence Agency; Former Director of the National Security Agency

General Michael Hayden served as director of the CIA and deputy director of National Intelligence at a time when the course of world events was changing at a rapidly accelerating rate. General Hayden dissects the political situations in the hot spots in every corner of the world, analyzing the tumultuous global environment and what it all means for the American people and America's interests.

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Kenneth Pollack
Director at the Saban Center for Middle East Policy at the Brookings Institution; Best-selling Author of A Path Out of the Desert: A Grand Strategy for America in the Middle East

With an extensive background in national security, intelligence, and foreign policy, Pollack is an expert on Middle Eastern political-military affairs, with a particular emphasis on Iraq, Iran, Saudi Arabia and the other nations of the Persian Gulf region. In his presentations, he addresses foreign affairs, foreign policy, geopolitics, and the Middle East.

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General James Jones
Former Supreme Allied Commander Europe; Former National Security Advisor; 32nd commandant of the United States Marine Corps; President and CEO of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s Institute for 21st Century Energy

James Jones is the former commander of U.S. European Command and Supreme Allied Commander Europe. He became the president and CEO of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s Institute for 21st Century Energy and later, the National Security Advisor for President Obama. General Jones offers a wealth of knowledge about national and international security, energy, and leadership requirements for success.

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Stephen Hadley
Former National Security Advisor; Expert in International Affairs and the Middle East

As a trusted advisor and a key figure in President Bush's terms, Stephen Hadley has the insider's experience and knowledge to explain the ins and outs of the current geopolitical situation. Hadley provides audiences with a backstage pass to the world of national decision-making.

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Juan Carlos Zarate
Former Deputy Assistant to the President and Deputy National Security Advisor for Combating Terrorism

Juan Carlos Zarate, Esq. is a senior adviser to the Center for Strategic and International Studies and the senior national security consultant and analyst for CBS News. He has served as the deputy assistant to the president, the deputy national security advisor for combating terrorism, and as the first assistant secretary of the treasury for terrorist financing and financial crimes. Mr. Zarate is an expert speaker on national security challenges and the impact of global terrorism on the international financial system and economy.

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Daniel Christman
Senior Counselor, U.S. Chamber of Commerce

LTG (Ret.) Daniel W. Christman, senior counselor to the president of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, is responsible for advising the Chamber’s senior leadership on national security and international issues affecting the business community. He previously served as senior vice president for International Affairs at the Chamber, where he oversaw a team of dozens of policy analysts and program coordinators committed to global business engagement on behalf of the Chamber’s worldwide membership. He lectures extensively on foreign policy and national defense topics, including the ongoing war against international terrorism.

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