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Iranian Threat About Washington Forum DECEMBER 8 - 10, 2010 Report from the Washington Forum Countering the Iranian Threat About Washington Forum Washington Forum, FDD’s annual policy summit, brings together a diverse list of foreign policy and national security professionals from Congress, the White House, the Departments of State, Defense, Treasury, Justice, and Energy, the CIA, the FBI, and the Joint Chiefs, as well as diplomats, scholars and journalists for discussions and debates about pressing national security issues. Last year, Washington Forum focused on countering the Iranian threat and took place just days after the latest round of nuclear negotiations with Iran got underway. Panels centered on the various threats a nuclear Iran poses to U.S. national security, Israel and other nations, and examined the policy options aimed at halting Iran’s nuclear weapons acquisition and its sponsorship of terrorism. Washington Forum provided an opportunity for stakeholders to interact with each other and for policy ideas to germinate. We invite you to watch the footage from Washington Forum 2010 which among other sessions, includes remarks by White House official Gary Samore, Senator Mark Kirk (R-IL), Rep. Brad Sherman (D-CA), and Rep. Pete Hoekstra (R-MI). A highlights video is also available at www. FDDWashingtonForum.org . Washington Forum 2010 Host Committee Chair: Bernie Marcus Kenneth and Nira Abramowitz Larry J. Hochberg Alan and Suzanne K. Peyser Mark and Paula Argosh Daniel and Angela Japha Mark Pruzanski Paul Bishop Len and Michelle Leader Kenneth Schwartz Edgar M. Bronfman Frederick J. Manning Dianne Sehler and The Lynde and Ambassador Richard and Carol and Larry A. Mizel Harry Bradley Foundation Patricia Carlson Charles Moed Robert J. Shillman (“Doctor Bob”) David and Ruth Naftaly 4 A Letter from R. James Woolsey, Cliff May and Mark Dubowitz In the months following FDD’s “Washington Forum 2010: Countering the Iranian Threat,” fears of a nuclear showdown in the Middle East have given way to upheaval in Egypt, Tunisia, Libya and beyond. Yet as the “Arab Spring” dominates the headlines, Iran is meddling in the affairs of Washington’s R. James Woolsey, Chairman, FDD allies, and continuing its march toward a nuclear weapon. The Obama administration recognizes the gravity of an Iranian nuclear threat. As Washington Forum speaker and Pulitzer-prize winning New York Times columnist David Sanger reports, “Every decision — from Libya to Yemen to Bahrain to Syria — is being examined under the prism of how it will affect…the dominating calculus in the Obama administration’s regional strategy: how to slow Iran’s nuclear progress.” In his remarks at the Washington Forum, Gary Samore, White House Coordinator for Weapons of Mass Destruction, Counter-terrorism and Arms Control, explained why the White House sees the situation through an Iranian prism: “Iran’s efforts to acquire nuclear weapons capability poses one of the most serious Cliff May, President, FDD international security threats that this country faces.” Congress, too, remains determined to prevent Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon. In February 2011, Senator Mark Kirk (R-IL) — another Washington Forum speaker — and Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) co-sponsored the Iran Transparency and Accountability Act with U.S. Representatives Ted Deutch (D-FL) and Dan Burton (R-IN). In April, Representative Brad Sherman (D-CA), Washington Forum speaker, and Representative Ed Royce (R-CA) introduced the Stop Iran’s Nuclear Weapons Program Act, which seeks to strengthen the measures President Obama signed into law in the Comprehensive Iran Sanctions, Accountability and Divestment Act (CISADA), Mark Dubowitz, Executive Director, FDD barring U.S. firms from developing Iran’s energy sector and reducing Iran’s access to the international financial system. Senators Mark Kirk (R-IL) and Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) and Congressmen Robert Dold (R-IL) and Ted Deutch (D-FL) have also introduced the Iran Human Rights and Democracy Promotion Act of 2011 to promote human rights and democratic reform, targeting individuals and international companies that are involved in oppressing the Iranian people. FDD remains committed to preventing an Iranian nuclear weapon. In the months following Washington Forum, FDD has turned many of the ideas discussed at the Forum into action. Calls by the Honorable Irwin Cotler and Ambassador Uri Lubrani to pressure the regime over its human rights violations and sponsorship of terrorism resulted in the creation of FDD’s Iran Human Rights Project. FDD’s Iran Energy Project continues to monitor companies that do business with Iran, and develop new means to squeeze the “We need to send a message sanctions regime. Our scholars, including Reuel Marc Gerecht, Emanuele to Iran that sanctions will only Ottolenghi, Jonathan Schanzer, Claudia Rosett, Benjamin Weinthal and Michael Ledeen, have published hundreds of articles in leading media increase as Iran avoids serious outlets on the nuclear threat. negotiations, and will not be This booklet contains a compilation of the most memorable insights from lifted until our concerns are Washington Forum, including analysis relating to Iran and other pressing fully addressed.” international conflicts. — Dr. Gary Samore Attendees will recall FDD advisor and Wall Street Journal columnist Bret White House Coordinator Stephens moderating a lively debate on Middle East peace with Ghaith al- Omari, former foreign policy advisor to then-Palestinian Prime Minister for Weapons of Mass Mahmoud Abbas, Aaron David Miller, former Middle East peace negotiator Destruction (WMD), under Presidents Bill Clinton and George W. Bush, and Jonathan Schanzer, author of Hamas v. Fatah and FDD’s Vice President of Research. FDD’s key Counter-terrorism and Arms supporters participated in an intimate breakfast conversation with former Control Secretary of Homeland Security Michael Chertoff, and a timely private conversation with FDD Senior Fellow and Long War Journal editor Bill Roggio. For those who weren’t able to join us, we are pleased to share the highlights with you in the following pages and we hope you will consider joining us next year. This year’s Washington Forum, taking place December 7-9, 2011, promises to be equally memorable. Commemorating the anniversary of 9/11, Washington Forum 2011 participants will engage the best and brightest on the national security challenges we face a decade after the attacks. We hope you enjoy the following Washington Forum 2010 highlights, and we look forward to seeing you in December for Washington Forum 2011. Best regards, R. James Woolsey Clifford D. May Mark Dubowitz Chairman President Executive Director 2 Speaker Biographies Major General AMBASSADOR The (ret.) Yaakov Richard HONORABLE Amidror Carlson Irwin COTLER is the National Security is Vice Chairman of the is a former Canadian Advisor to Israel’s Prime Foundation for Defense Attorney General and Minister. Previously, of Democracies. He current Liberal Party MP. he was the program writes a syndicated He is currently serving director of the Institute for Contemporary newspaper column and hosts the “Danger as Liberal Special Counsel on Human Rights & Affairs at the Jerusalem Center for Public Zone” radio show on WMAL in Washington, International Justice, is a member of the House Affairs. He also served as the commander of DC. From 1991-1992, he was the U.S. of Commons Foreign Affairs Subcommittee the Israeli Defense Force’s National Defense Ambassador to the Republic of Seychelles. on International Human Rights, and Chair College and the IDF Staff and Command Previously, he was director of the Voice of of the All-Party Save Darfur Parliamentary College. Maj. Gen. Amidror also headed the America. Ambassador Carlson was a member Coalition. A leading public advocate in IDF’s Research and Assessment Division of the U.S. delegation to the annual U.S.-USSR and out of Parliament for the Human Rights with special responsibility for preparing the Information Talks in Moscow and Washington, Agenda, he headed the Canadian Delegation National Intelligence Assessment, and he D.C. He led official U.S. government delegations to the Stockholm International Forum on served as military secretary for the Minister to the People’s Republic of China, to Georgia, the Prevention of Genocide. Irwin Cotler has of Defense. He is the author of Thoughts About the USSR, and to Moldavia, USSR. He has been been variously described as being “at the Security and Military Affairs (Israel National involved in negotiations on behalf of the U.S. forefront of the struggle for justice, peace and Security College, 2002) and Intelligence: Theory government with many foreign governments, human rights.” and Practice (Ministry of Defense Publishing including those of China, Korea, the USSR, House, 2006). Germany, Costa Rica, Belize, Liberia, Botswana, TOM DELARE Lesotho, South Africa, Morocco and Israel. is the Director for TONY BADRAN Terrorism Finance and is a Research Fellow The Sanctions Policy in at the Foundation HONORABLE the Economic Bureau for Defense of Michael of the Department Democracies. His Chertoff of State. Previously, research focuses on was the second Mr. Delare had worked at both the U.S. Lebanon, Syria and S e c r e t a r y o f Embassy in Rome, Italy (2006-2009) as Hezbollah, their regional and international t h e Department of well as the Embassy in Baghdad, Iraq (2005- relations, and Islamist groups in the Levant. Mr. Homeland Security. Previously, he was the 2006), serving as Minister Counselor for Badran is the author
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