In the “Exiting Iraq” panel of the Middle East Institute’s 60th Annual Conference, Jay Garner, Brian Katulis, David Satterfield, Qubad Talabani and moderator Bing West discussed various ways to improve the situation in Iraq and to find a comprehensive and successful way out of the current quagmire for US forces.

Gary Sick, Senior Research scholar at SIPA's Middle East Institute, Columbia University
Hooshang Amirahmadi, Founder and President, American Iranian Council (AIC)
John Limbert, U.S. Naval Academy, former 14 month hostage in Iran
Kenneth Pollack, Brookings Institution

Views from Kuwait, UAE and Saudi Arabia

Sami Al-Faraj, President of the Kuwait Centre for Strategic Studies
Ibtisam Al-Kitbi, UAE University
Wahid Hashim, King Abdul Aziz University - Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
Barbara Slavin, Senior Diplomatic Reporter for USA Today, USIP

Views from Jordan, Syria and Lebanon

Fares Braizat, Director and Senior Researcher of University of Jordan's Centre for Strategic Studies
Murhaf Jouejati, National Defense University, Former Advisor to the Syrian delegation during the Middle East peace talks
Judith P. Harik, President of Matn University, Beirut and leading expert on Hezbollah
Trita Parsi, National Iranian American Council (NIAC)

Patrick Clawson, Washington Institute for Near East Policy
Hillary Mann Leverett, former National Security Council director for Iran and Persian Gulf Affairs
Ray Takeyh, Council on Foreign Relations
David Mack, Middle East Institute

Ambassador Pierre Vimont, Ambassador of France to the United States

Roy Gutman, a former senior fellow at the United States Institute of Peace (2002-2003), is an award-winning journalist who has reported on international affairs for more than three decades. He is currently foreign editor at the McClatchy Washington bureau. His new book, "How We Missed the Story; Osama Bin Laden, the Taliban, and the Hijacking of Afghanistan," is a narrative that exposes how and why the U.S. government, the United Nations, and the Western media "missed the story" in the leadup to 9/11.

Middle East Institute is honored to host Ambassador David Satterfield to give an update on the situation in Iraq following the President and Secretary of State's trip to the Middle East region, including provincial and national leadership, and the diplomatic activities on a regional level.

Danny Seidemann is an Israeli lawyer and legal counsel to Ir Amim, an Israeli NGO concerned with the future of Jerusalem. He is a leading expert on Jerusalem's municipal operations, planning, and residency rights. Ir Amim has been an invaluable resource for policy makers, diplomats and journalists. Seidemann has appeared frequently before the Supreme Court of Israel on Jerusalem-related issues.

The Middle East Institute is honored to present Michael M. Gunter to discuss his new book, “The Kurds Ascending; The Evolving Solution to the Kurdish Problem in Iraq and Turkey,” a narrative that exposes the prospects of a positive future for the the Kurds in Iraq and Turkey.

Marking the fifth anniversary of the U.S. invasion of Iraq, Middle East Institute & Foundation for Middle East Peace are honored to present Dalia Mogahed to discuss her timely new book, co-authored with John L. Esposito, "Who Speaks For Islam? What a Billion Muslims Really Think," the result of six years of research and more than 50,000 interviews representing 1.3 billion Muslims who reside in more than 35 nations that are predominantly Muslim or have sizable Muslim populations.

Ibrahim Aboukhazam, Rector, Nasser University
Ronald Bruce St. John, Historian of US-Libyan Relations
Ali Abdussalam Triki, Deputy Secretary General For Foreign liaisons and international Cooperation in charge of African Affairs
Daniel Yergin, Chairman of Cambridge Energy Research Associates (CERA)
Moderator: Charles O. Cecil, former US Ambassador to Niger and recent US Chargé in Libya

Introduction by Wendy Chamberlin, President of the Middle East Institute
Jeffrey Feltman, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs

J. Stephen Morrison, Director, Africa Program, Center for Strategic & International Studies (CSIS)
Ali Richi, Deputy Secretary General of Foreign liaisons and international Cooperation in charge of Migration.
Miloud Mehadabi, Director of International affairs, Green Book Centre
Moderator: Herman Cohen, Cohen and Woods International and former Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs

Middle East Institute is honored to host Michael Ware, to discuss the "Situtation on the Ground in Iraq." Ware is a CNN correspondent based in the international news network’s Baghdad bureau.

Ware joined CNN in June 2006 and quickly established himself as one of the foremost on air experts on Iraq, providing in-depth analysis and reports across all CNN networks.

Since joining CNN, Ware has also reported from Lebanon where he was involved in the network’s coverage of the Israel-Hezbollah crisis in the summer of 2006.

Middle East Institute is honored to host Dr. Ebrahim Yazdi to discuss the "Situation in Iran."

Ebrahim Yazdi lives in Tehran with his wife, and presently serves as Secretary-General of the Freedom Movement of Iran.

Middle East Institute & Israel Policy Forum are honored to co-host Aaron David Miller to discuss his new book "The Much Too Promised Land: America's Elusive Search for Arab-Israeli Peace." For nearly twenty years, Miller has played a central role in U.S. efforts to broker Arab-Israeli peace. His position as an advisor to presidents, secretaries of state, and national security advisors has given him a unique perspective on a problem that American leaders have wrestled with for more than half a century.

MEI's May 12th publication of "Viewpoints Special Edition - Israel: Growing Pains at 60" included a contribution from Dr. Menachem Klein, senior lecturer at Bar Ilan University. In this episode of the MEI Podcast, Klein offers further comments on his Viepoints article, "Historical Success in Danger."

MEI is honored to host Osama Al-Kurdi, distinguished member of the Majlis Al-Shura (Consultative Council)of Saudi Arabia since 2001, to discuss "Developments in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia."

The Middle East Institute is honored to host Richard Clarke, new Member of the MEI Board of Governors, to present his new book, "Your Government Failed You: Breaking the Cycle of National Security Disasters."

Ambassador Wendy Chamberlin, President of the Middle East Institute, appeared before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on June 25, 2008. Her testimony concerned U.S. aid to Pakistan.

Middle East Institute is honored to host Pervez Amirali Hoodbhoy to discuss "Can The Taliban Win In Pakistan?"

Political and sectarian struggles have long plagued Lebanon, a country that seems to be perpetually steeped in crisis. From the assassination of Prime Minister Rafiq Hariri in 2005 to the forced deadlock of the Lebanese government by Hezbollah in 2006, democracy in Lebanon seems to be a constant struggle in a delicate balance of power. Even with the recent turn of events and the election of a president, many questions remain for the future of governance in Lebanon. What will it take to overcome governmental crises and sectarian differences? Is democracy sustainable in the divided society?

Iraq expert Phebe Marr discusses the implications of the exodus of Iraqis from their homeland, fleeing sectarian violence and economic hardships. Elaborating on her essay for the Viewpoints "Iraqi Refugee and IDP Crisis: Human Toll and Implications" Marr also talks about the burden of the brain drain on Iraq's reconstruction efforts.

Former MEI intern Zachary Kineke spent several weeks in the summer of 2008 in Egypt and Qatar through a Carnegie Foundation journalism fellowship. Zak is a broadcast journalism student at Syracuse University and provided this audio Encounter.

On July 29, 2008, Pakistan's Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gillani spoke to a Washington audience about the political situation in his country and efforts to combat terrorist activities along the border with Afghanistan. The event was co sponsored by the Council on Foreign Relations and the Middle East Institute. CFR President Richard Haass introduces Prime Minister Gillani.

MEI President Wendy Chamberlin and Iraq experts Phebe Marr and Elizabeth Ferris discuss the status of Iraq's refugees during a special launch of MEI Viewpoints: "Iraq's Refugee and IDP Crisis: Human Toll and Implications,"a wide-ranging collection of essays that explore the challenges facing Iraq, the international community, and the refugees themselves. This special edition of MEI's prestigious Viewpoints series also includes maps and statistics about the state of Iraq’s millions of refugees and IDPs and a comprehensive bibliography and the testimonies of refugees themselves.

The following MP3 is courtesy of violinist İlhan Sami Özulu, who performed in the second event of MEI's Summer Garden Series -- "Deconstructing Myths, Part 2: 'Turkish Groove'"

MEI is honored to host Efraim Inbar, to discuss "The Iranian Nuclear Challenge."

Efraim Inbar is a Professor in Political Studies at Bar-Ilan University and the Director of its Begin-Sadat (BESA) Center for Strategic Studies.

MEI is honored to host Marwan Muasher, former Foreign Minister of Jordan, to discuss his new book, "The Arab Center: The Promise of Moderation."

Book Description:

Middle East Institute is honored to host Bing West, to discuss his new book, "The Strongest Tribe: War, Politics, and the Endgame in Iraq."

MEI is honored to host Ethan Chorin, to discuss his new book, "Translating Libya: The Modern Libyan Short Story."

About the book: