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Andrew Latham

Andrew Latham

Senior Washington Fellow

Biography

Dr. Andrew Latham is a professor of international relations and political theory at Macalester College in Saint Paul, Minnesota. He is also a non-resident fellow at Defense Priorities, a Washington DC-based think tank, and a regular opinion contributor at The Hill.

His research is focused on both international relations and political theory. In the field of international relations, he has published eight single-authored or edited books, numerous articles in peer-reviewed academic journals (including European Journal of International Relations; International Studies Quarterly; Contemporary Security Policy; International Studies Review, and International Journal) and over one hundred works of public scholarship (in publications such as The National Interest, The Diplomat, 19FortyFive, the World financial Review, Journal of Indo-Pacific Affairs, RealClearDefense, DefenseOne, Wavell Room, Responsible Statecraft, Strategy Bridge, and The Conversation).

He has also published articles on political theory. These have appeared in publications such as Commonweal, First Things, New Oxford Review, Touchstone, EthikaPolitika, Providence, Genealogies of Modernity, Public Discourse, and Crisis Magazine.

In 2015, he published his first novel, The Holy Lance. In 2018, he was awarded a U.S. National Endowment for the Humanities research grant in support of his research project on medieval political theory, which culminated in his most recent book, Medieval Sovereignty. He is currently working on a book provisionally entitled China’s Grand Strategy: A History, 1950-2050.

He earned his PhD from York University in Toronto, and his MA from Queen’s University in Kingston.

From This Expert

Publications

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Unraveling China’s Grand Strategy: Its Aim is to Erode U.S. Global Hegemony, Not Seek World Domination
For China, advancing new global norms based on polycentrism and multi-alignment is a strategic imperative.
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The Hill Times — Canada is in a Deep Moral Panic Regarding Donald Trump
The real challenge for Canada is not Trump — it is the nation’s unwillingness to confront the realities...
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1945 — Why Canada’s Fear of a ‘Rogue America’ is Deeply Misguided
The fact remains that the United States is not retreating; it is refining its global strategy. For decades,...
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1945 — Is NATO Falling Apart?
This internal division weakens Europe’s ability to respond to the geopolitical changes reshaping the...
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RealClearDefense — Europe’s Self-Inflicted Irrelevance
If Europe wants to matter, it must change. It must invest in real military capabilities, not just paper...
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1945 — Donald Trump’s Tariff War Could Be A Disaster for America
The United States cannot be trusted as a reliable economic partner. And the consequences of this will...
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1945 — Canada’s Military Has Reached the Tipping Point Into Crisis
Trump’s return to the White House is more than a wake-up call—it is a final warning. Canada can no longer...
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1945 — Donald Trump’s Tariffs: A Declaration of Economic War on Canada
The notion that Canada can rely on the United States for economic security has been shattered. While...
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1945 — Trump’s Tariff Wall: Can Canada and Mexico Overcome Fortress America?
The question is whether Canada and Mexico can forge a new path forward—or whether both nations will find...
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From Trade War to Takeover: How Canada Should Respond to Trump
Rather than engaging in futile diplomatic grandstanding or indulging in alarmist reactions to outlandish...
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The Hill — Open Auditions to Be America’s 51st State
Canada’s chronic inability to take itself seriously and the U.K.’s penchant for self-destruction have...
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Responsible Statecraft — Justin Trudeau is in No Shape to Face Trump
Ottawa risks struggling to present a credible case to Washington, particularly if domestic instability...
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The Hill — The Surprise Syrian Rebel Offensive Could Be a Mideast Turning Point
The U.S. must remain vigilant about the potential for unintended consequences and could focus on diplomatic...
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The Hill — The Sky Isn’t Falling: Trump’s Foreign Policy Won’t Be a Catastrophe
Restraint doesn’t mean abandoning the world to chaos, it means acknowledging that America’s resources...
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Responsible Statecraft — Is China's Xi Era Marked by Primacy or Something Else?
As China continues to rise, debates akin to those that took place in the U.S. in the 1940s may emerge...
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The Hill — The End of U.S. Global Dominance Presents an Opportunity for America
The age of U.S. dominance is over, but that is not a cause for alarm. It is a chance to build a more...
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The Diplomat — India and the U.S. 2024 Election
Regardless of who wins the U.S. presidential election, fundamental security interests will continue to...
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Canada Should Think Twice About AUKUS: Our Strategic Future Lies Closer to Home
Joining AUKUS wouldn’t make us a bigger player on the world stage; it would make us a bit player in someone...
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The Hill — Is Israel’s Pager Attack Prelude to a Full Invasion of Lebanon?
The theory that Israel’s campaign is paving the way for a ground offensive is bolstered by its history...
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Evaluating Canada’s Indo-Pacific Strategy: Ambitions, Realities and Prospects in the Security Domain
While the IPS opens up opportunities for enhancing Canada’s role as a partner in the Indo-Pacific, the...
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The Cost of Overreach: Canada’s Need to Refocus on the Arctic
By redirecting its focus and resources to the Arctic, Canada can make substantial contributions in areas...
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Ottawa Citizen — Canada Needs a 'Grand Strategy' That Prioritizes the Arctic
For too long, Canada has tried to punch above its weight globally. This has led to overextended promises...
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The Hill Times — Pivoting North as a Middle Power in a Multipolar Arctic
This country’s Arctic policy must be grounded in a clear understanding of its role as a North American...
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The Hill — Canada’s ‘Middle Power’ Diplomacy No Longer Works in China
Senior Washington Fellow Andrew Latham writes that "no one — and especially not Beijing — pays any attention...
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The Hill — Be Wary of Simplistic Historical Analogies for Present Crises
Senior Washington Fellow Andrew Latham writes that "ill-conceived policies based on flawed analogies...
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The Hill — Will NATO Still Exist in 25 Years?
The resources currently devoted to maintaining a cumbersome alliance structure could be better spent...
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The Hill — A ‘Concert’ For A New Era: American Power and the Multipolar Challenge
The time for clinging to the vestiges of a bygone era has passed. The 21st century demands a new approach...
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The New Middle East: Toward a Restrained and Realistic Canadian Strategy
By strategically engaging the regional security complex within a framework of restraint, Canada can navigate...
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Responsible Statecraft — What an Even Stronger Modi Might Mean for U.S.-India Relations
India may be useful to American strategists who want to balance China for now, but make no mistake, India...
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The Hill — As American Global Hegemony Ends, Multi-Alignment Rises
Major powers must transition from a zero-sum competition mindset to one that fosters more agile frameworks...
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Canada’s Core National Interests Will Have To Lie in North America
In a new piece co-published with IRPP, IPD Senior Fellow Andrew Latham argues that Ottawa won’t be a...
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Toward a Canadian Grand Strategy of Restraint
IPD Senior Fellow Andrew Latham argues that in a transformed international order Canada will have to...
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Symposium on Canada's Indo-Pacific Strategy
With the release of the Government of Canada's finalized Indo-Pacific Strategy, the Institute for Peace...

Events

MESF 2024
Middle East Strategy Forum 2024
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Panel — NATO at 75: Source of Stability or Relic of a Bygone Era?
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Panel — The Relevance of Containment for Dealing with Russia
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Panel — After Nuland: A Turning Point for U.S. Involvement in Ukraine?
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Indo-Pacific Strategy Forum 2023
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Colloquium — Canada in a Shifting International Order: Debating our National Interests
EASF 2022
East Asia Strategy Forum 2022

In the Press

Andrew Latham on CBC News — Canada-U.S. Military Ties: Solid or Under Strain?
Andrew Latham on Background Briefing — The Resignation of Canada's Prime Minister Justin Trudeau
Andrew Latham on VOA — Canadian Prime Minister Trudeau Resigns
Andrew Latham on Global News — The Impact of Yahya Sinwar’s Death
Canada-China Brief — Freeland Weighs Ban on Chinese Cars, AUKUS in the Offing
Channel News Asia — Is the UN in the Midst of an Existential Crisis?
CORIM — Canada-China Relations Are at a Crossroads
The Hill — Ukraine’s Kursk Offensive is a Huge Strategic Error
Canada-China Brief — Canadian Navy Sails in South China Sea, Tariffs on Beijing Get Bipartisan Support
Andrew Latham on CTV News — Israel-Hamas Ceasefire Talks After Ismail Haniyeh's Assassination
Canada-China Brief — Minister Joly in Beijing: IPD Experts Weigh In
Andrew Latham on Global News — Latest on Israel-Hamas Ceasefire Talks
Andrew Latham for Inkstick — India’s Growing Global Importance
Andrew Latham for The Hill — The Idea of Total Ukrainian Victory is Delusional
Andrew Latham on Global News — The Impact of Canada’s Call for Israel-Hamas Ceasefire
Andrew Latham for The Toronto Star — Time for Canada to Shed the Middle Power Delusion
Andrew Latham for The Hill — How Should the West Respond to China’s Challenge to the Rules-Based International Order?
Andrew Latham for The National Interest — Joe Biden Can't Embrace Containment or Appeasement on China
Andrew Latham en Radio-Canada — Quels Scénarios Pour L’avenir de la Bande De Gaza?
Andrew Latham for The Conversation — Israel-Hamas War Puts China’s Strategy of ‘Balanced Diplomacy’ in the Middle East at Risk
Andrew Latham for The Hill — How Xi Jinping’s Obsession With Security Derailed China’s Rise
Andrew Latham for The Hill — How China’s Arctic Plans Went Awry
Andrew Latham for The Hill — The Old Rules of Geopolitics Return to the Persian Gulf
Andrew Latham for 1945 — How China Overreached
Andrew Latham for The Hill — The Great International Relations Debate That No Longer Matters
Andrew Latham in Newsweek — Ukraine's Counteroffensive Pushes Forward
Andrew Latham for The Hill — China: A Great Power but Not a Superpower
Andrew Latham on CBC News — Chinese President Xi Jinping's Visit to Russia
Andrew Latham in The National Interest — Understanding China’s Global Strategy: A Review of Ian Easton’s "The Final Struggle"
Andrew Latham for The Hill: China Seeks Strategic Balance, Not Global Domination
Andrew Latham on CBC News — China’s New Foreign Minister Warns of Conflict with the U.S.
Andrew Latham for New Voice of Ukraine: Will Beijing Provide Military Aid to Moscow and What Can Stop It
Andrew Latham for The Hill: The 21st Century’s Gramsci Problem
Andrew Latham on Al-Ghad TV — Chinese Air Balloons Tracked Across the U.S.
Andrew Latham in The Hill: The South Also Rises
Andrew Latham in The Hill: China Bets on Saudi Oil and Gas
Andrew Latham in the National Observer: A Grand Strategy for Canada in 2023?
Andrew Latham in The Hill: In Search of America’s Next ‘Grand Strategy’
Andrew Latham in The Hill: Ottawa Gets Tough With Beijing
Andrew Latham in Responsible Statecraft: What Accounts for This Sharp Canadian Shift Against China?
Andrew Latham in The Hill: ‘Great-Power Competition’ is the Wrong Foreign Policy Framework. Here’s What Should Replace It
Andrew Latham in The Hill: How the Ukraine War Vindicates Realism
Andrew Latham in Responsible Statecraft: What if China is Not Rising, Making It More Dangerous?
Andrew Latham in The Hill: The Limits of America’s Great Power Opportunity
Panel 4: Pathways to Manage Non-Proliferation in the Middle East (4:30 PM - 5:45 PM ET)

The Western powers have failed to effectively manage the increasing threat of proliferation in the Middle East. While the international community is concerned with Iran’s nuclear program, Saudi Arabia has moved forward with developing its own nuclear program, and independent studies show that Israel has longed possessed dozens of nuclear warheads. The former is a member of the treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT), while the latter has refused to sign the international agreement. 

On Middle East policy, the Biden campaign had staunchly criticized the Trump administration’s unilateral withdrawal from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), more commonly known as the Iran Nuclear Deal and it has begun re-engaging Iran on the nuclear dossier since assuming office in January 2021. However, serious obstacles remain for responsible actors in expanding non-proliferation efforts toward a nuclear-free zone in the Middle East. 

This panel will discuss how Western powers and multilateral institutions, such as the IAEA, can play a more effective role in managing non-proliferation efforts in the Middle East.  

Panelists:

Peggy Mason: Canada’s former Ambassador to the UN for Disarmament

Mark Fitzpatrick: Associate Fellow & Former Executive Director, International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS)

Ali Vaez: Iran Project Director, International Crisis Group

Negar Mortazavi: Journalist and Political Analyst, Host of Iran Podcast

David Albright: Founder and President of the Institute for Science and International Security

 

Closing (5:45 PM – 6:00 PM ET)

Panel 3: Trade and Business Diplomacy in the Middle East (3:00 PM - 4:15 PM ET)

What is the current economic landscape in the Middle East? While global foreign direct investment is expected to fall drastically in the post-COVID era, the World Bank reported a 5% contraction in the economic output of the Middle East and North African (MENA) countries in 2020 due to the pandemic. While oil prices are expected to rebound with normalization in demand, political instability, regional and geopolitical tensions, domestic corruption, and a volatile regulatory and legal environment all threaten economic recovery in the Middle East. What is the prospect for economic growth and development in the region post-pandemic, and how could MENA nations promote sustainable growth and regional trade moving forward?

At the same time, Middle Eastern diaspora communities have become financially successful and can help promote trade between North America and the region. In this respect, the diaspora can become vital intermediaries for advancing U.S. and Canada’s business interests abroad. Promoting business diplomacy can both benefit the MENA region and be an effective and positive way to advance engagement and achieve foreign policy goals of the North Atlantic.

This panel will investigate the trade and investment opportunities in the Middle East, discuss how facilitating economic engagement with the region can benefit Canadian and American national interests, and explore relevant policy prescriptions.

Panelists:

Hon. Sergio Marchi: Canada’s Former Minister of International Trade

Scott Jolliffe: Chairperson, Canada Arab Business Council

Esfandyar Batmanghelidj: Founder and Publisher of Bourse & Bazaar

Nizar Ghanem: Director of Research and Co-founder at Triangle

Nicki Siamaki: Researcher at Control Risks

Panel 2: Arms Race and Terrorism in the Middle East (12:00 PM - 1:15 PM ET)

The Middle East continues to grapple with violence and instability, particularly in Yemen, Syria and Iraq. Fueled by government incompetence and foreign interventions, terrorist insurgencies have imposed severe humanitarian and economic costs on the region. Meanwhile, regional actors have engaged in an unprecedented pursuit of arms accumulation. Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates have imported billions of both Western and Russian-made weapons and funded militant groups across the region, intending to contain their regional adversaries, particularly Iran. Tehran has also provided sophisticated weaponry to various militia groups across the region to strengthen its geopolitical position against Saudi Arabia, UAE, and Israel. 

On the other hand, with international terrorist networks and intense regional rivalry in the Middle East, it is impractical to discuss peace and security without addressing terrorism and the arms race in the region. This panel will primarily discuss the implications of the ongoing arms race in the region and the role of Western powers and multilateral organizations in facilitating trust-building security arrangements among regional stakeholders to limit the proliferation of arms across the Middle East.

 

Panelists:

Luciano Zaccara: Assistant Professor, Qatar University

Dania Thafer: Executive Director, Gulf International Forum

Kayhan Barzegar: Professor and Chair of the Department of Political Science and International Relations at the Science and Research Branch of Azad University

Barbara Slavin: Director of Iran Initiative, Atlantic Council

Sanam Shantyaei: Senior Journalist at France24 & host of Middle East Matters

Panel 1: Future of Diplomacy and Engagement in the Middle East (10:30 AM-11:45 AM ET)

The emerging regional order in West Asia will have wide-ranging implications for global security. The Biden administration has begun re-engaging Iran on the nuclear dossier, an initiative staunchly opposed by Israel, while also taking a harder line on Saudi Arabia’s intervention in Yemen. Meanwhile, key regional actors, including Qatar, Iraq, and Oman, have engaged in backchannel efforts to bring Iran and Saudi Arabia to the negotiating table. From a broader geopolitical perspective, with the need to secure its energy imports, China is also expected to increase its footprint in the region and influence the mentioned challenges. 

In this evolving landscape, Western powers will be compelled to redefine their strategic priorities and adjust their policies with the new realities in the region. In this panel, we will discuss how the West, including the United States and its allies, can utilize multilateral diplomacy with its adversaries to prevent military escalation in the region. Most importantly, the panel will discuss if a multilateral security dialogue in the Persian Gulf region, proposed by some regional actors, can help reduce tensions among regional foes and produce sustainable peace and development for the region. 

Panelists:

Abdullah Baabood: Academic Researcher and Former Director of the Centre for Gulf Studies, Qatar University

Trita Parsi: Executive Vice-President, Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft

Ebtesam Al-Ketbi: President, Emirates Policy Centre​

Jon Allen: Canada’s Former Ambassador to Israel

Elizabeth Hagedorn: Washington correspondent for Al-Monitor

Panel 4: Humanitarian Diplomacy: An Underused Foreign Policy Tool in the Middle East (4:30 PM - 5:30 PM ET)

Military interventions, political and economic instabilities, and civil unrest in the Middle East have led to a global refugee crisis with an increasing wave of refugees and asylum seekers to Europe and Canada. Moreover, the COVID-19 pandemic has, in myriad ways, exacerbated and contributed to the ongoing security threats and destabilization of the region.

While these challenges pose serious risks to Canadian security, Ottawa will also have the opportunity to limit such risks and prevent a spillover effect vis-à-vis effective humanitarian initiatives in the region. In this panel, we will primarily investigate Canada’s Middle East Strategy’s degree of success in providing humanitarian aid to the region. Secondly, the panel will discuss what programs and initiatives Canada can introduce to further build on the renewed strategy. and more specifically, how Canada can utilize its policy instruments to more effectively deal with the increasing influx of refugees from the Middle East. 

 

Panelists:

Erica Di Ruggiero: Director of Centre for Global Health, University of Toronto

Reyhana Patel: Head of Communications & Government Relations, Islamic Relief Canada

Amir Barmaki: Former Head of UN OCHA in Iran

Catherine Gribbin: Senior Legal Advisor for International and Humanitarian Law, Canadian Red Cross

Panel 3: A Review of Canada’s Middle East Engagement and Defense Strategy (3:00 PM - 4:15 PM ET)

In 2016, Canada launched an ambitious five-year “Middle East Engagement Strategy” (2016-2021), committing to investing CA$3.5 billion over five years to help establish the necessary conditions for security and stability, alleviate human suffering and enable stabilization programs in the region. In the latest development, during the meeting of the Global Coalition against ISIS, Minister of Foreign Affairs Marc Garneau announced more than $43.6 million in Peace and Stabilization Operations Program funding for 11 projects in Syria and Iraq.

With Canada’s Middle East Engagement Strategy expiring this year, it is time to examine and evaluate this massive investment in the Middle East region in the past five years. More importantly, the panel will discuss a principled and strategic roadmap for the future of Canada’s short-term and long-term engagement in the Middle East.

Panelists:

Ferry de Kerckhove: Canada’s Former Ambassador to Egypt

Dennis Horak: Canada’s Former Ambassador to Saudi Arabia

Chris Kilford: Former Canadian Defence Attaché in Turkey, member of the national board of the Canadian International Council (CIC)

David Dewitt: University Professor Emeritus, York University

Panel 2: The Great Power Competition in the Middle East (12:00 PM - 1:15 PM ET)

While the United States continues to pull back from certain regional conflicts, reflected by the Biden administration’s decision to halt American backing for Saudi Arabia’s intervention in Yemen and the expected withdrawal from Afghanistan, US troops continue to be stationed across the region. Meanwhile, Russia and China have significantly maintained and even expanded their regional activities. On one hand, the Kremlin has maintained its military presence in Syria, and on the other hand, China has signed an unprecedented 25-year strategic agreement with Iran.

As the global power structure continues to shift, it is essential to analyze the future of the US regional presence under the Biden administration, explore the emerging global rivalry with Russia and China, and at last, investigate the implications of such competition for peace and security in the Middle East.

Panelists:

Dmitri Trenin: Director of Carnegie Moscow Center

Joost R. Hiltermann: Director of MENA Programme, International Crisis Group

Roxane Farmanfarmaian: Affiliated Lecturer in International Relations of the Middle East and North Africa, University of Cambridge

Andrew A. Michta: Dean of the College of International and Security Studies at Marshall Center

Kelley Vlahos: Senior Advisor, Quincy Institute

Panel 1: A New Middle East Security Architecture in the Making (10:30 AM -11:45 AM ET)

The security architecture of the Middle East has undergone rapid transformations in an exceptionally short period. Notable developments include the United States gradual withdrawal from the region, rapprochement between Israel and some GCC states through the Abraham Accords and the rise of Chinese and Russian regional engagement.

With these new trends in the Middle East, it is timely to investigate the security implications of the Biden administration’s Middle East policy. In this respect, we will discuss the Biden team’s new approach vis-à-vis Iran, Yemen, Saudi Arabia, and Israel. The panel will also discuss the role of other major powers, including China and Russia in shaping this new security environment in the region, and how the Biden administration will respond to these powers’ increasing regional presence.

 

Panelists:

Sanam Vakil: Deputy Director of MENA Programme at Chatham House

Denise Natali: Acting Director, Institute for National Strategic Studies & Director of the Center for Strategic Research, National Defense University

Hassan Ahmadian: Professor of the Middle East and North Africa Studies, University of Tehran

Abdulaziz Sagar: Chairman, Gulf Research Center

Andrew Parasiliti: President, Al-Monitor