12:30 PM – 2:00 PM
Hussein Ibish will discuss how a career in Washington on Middle Eastern topics can be successfully built, and how and why, despite all the knowledge and experience available on these topics, US foreign policy seemingly invariably misses the mark in the Arab world. He'll explain lessons learned about dealing with other think tanks and NGOs, academia, the government, and media at the highest levels. He'll also discuss what his experiences demonstrate about how the policy-framing conversation in Washington often fails to recognize the core realities and pitfalls confronting US Middle East policy. Dr. Ibish will provide rare insights on how Washington works (or doesn't) on Middle East issues, what careers can be built in that field, and what lessons can be drawn from 20 years of maneuvering in the DC swamp.