Trouble reading this HTML email? Read it on-line at: http://www.ncusar.org/email_graphics/announcements/08-auspc-announcement3.html The National Council on U.S.-Arab Relations is pleased to invite you to the 17th Annual Arab-U.S. Policymakers Conference Transitioning the White House: Challenges and Opportunities for Arab-U.S. Relations October 30 - 31, 2008 Ronald Reagan Building & International Trade Center 1300 Pennsylvania Ave., NW, Washington, D.C. CLICK HERE FOR A CONFERENCE REGISTRATION FORM CLICK HERE FOR CONFERENCE SPONSORSHIP INFORMATION Special Keynote Address By: Sheikha Lubna Al Qasimi Minister for Foreign Trade, United Arab Emirates Sheikha Lubna Al Qasimi has been one of the most easily recognizable government officials of the United Arab Emirates, primarily because of her numerous groundbreaking achievements in both the public and private sectors. Prior to serving as a high-ranking government official, Sheikha Lubna held important positions at the General Information Authority and Dubai Ports Authority, and was CEO of Tejari, which she guided to become the premier electronic business-to-business marketplace for emerging markets. In November 2004 Sheikha Lubna was appointed Minister of Economy and Planning, a historic event for the UAE as she became the first woman ever in the country to assume a cabinet position. Sheikha Lubna led the UAE's Ministry of Economy during one of the country's most economically prosperous periods in history while also serving as Chairperson of the Board of Directors of the UAE's Securities & Commodities Authority. In February 2008 Sheikha Lubna was appointed to another highly sensitive post as Minister for Foreign Trade. Few if any Arab policymakers have as rich and varied firsthand experience dealing directly with Arab public and private sector trade and investment issues or sovereign wealth funds, of which her country has the world's largest. Few also can match her expertise regarding how best to navigate the legal and regulatory frameworks as well as other policy-related challenges stemming from Arab investments in the United States and elsewhere, and vice versa. For these reasons and the resultant global acknowledgement of her pioneering leadership in furthering the international commercial components of Arab modernization and development, Shaikha Lubna is one of the world's most sought-after speakers. Conference Sponsors Include: Recently Confirmed As A Conference Speaker: General Wesley K. Clark (USA, Ret.) During thirty-four years of service in the United States Army Wesley K. Clark rose to the rank of four-star general as NATO's Supreme Allied Commander, Europe. After his retirement in 2000, he became an investment banker, author, commentator, and businessman. In September 2003 he answered the call to stand as a Democratic candidate for President of the United States, where his campaign won the state of Oklahoma and launched him to national prominence before he returned to the private sector in February 2004. General Clark's awards and honors include the Presidential Medal of Freedom, The State Department Distinguished Service Award, the US Department of Defense Distinguished Service Medal (five awards), The US Army Distinguished Service Medal (two awards), The Silver Star, the Bronze Star (two awards), the Purple Heart, and Honorary Knighthoods from the British and Dutch governments. He is the author of the bestselling books Waging Modern War: Bosnia, Kosovo and the Future of Combat (Public Affairs, New York, NY 2001) and Winning Modern War: Iraq, Terrorism and the American Empire (Public Affairs, New York, NY 2003). Additional Confirmed Conference Speakers Include: America's Global Oil and Gas Leaders America's global oil and gas leaders have once again agreed to address a featured session on the energy component of U.S.-Arab relations. Come experience this one-of-a-kind opportunity to interact with the most senior representatives of the world's largest energy companies. (L to R) The Hon. Clay Sell, United States Department of Energy; Dr. Mohammed Y. Al-Qahtani, Aramco Services Company; Mr. Michael J. Dolan, ExxonMobil; Mr. John D. Hofmeister, Shell Oil Company; Mr. Gary R. Heminger, Marathon Oil Company; and Mr. Sigmund L. Cornelius, ConocoPhillips;, discuss the energy dimension of the Arab-U.S. relationship at the National Council's 2007 Policymakers Conference The Hon. Ford M. Fraker U.S. Ambassador to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia The Hon. Ford M. Fraker was sworn in on April 11, 2007 as U.S. Ambassador to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Ambassador Fraker has served as a banker in the Middle East for more than thirty years. At the time of his nomination by President George W. Bush, Ambassador Fraker was serving as Chairman of the Trinity Group Limited, a private investment banking firm in the United Kingdom and as consultant for Intercontinental Real Estate Corporation in Boston, MA. CLICK HERE FOR AMBASSADOR FRAKER'S FULL BIOGRAPHY General Joseph Paul Hoar (USMC, Ret.) General Joseph Paul Hoar retired from the United States Marine Corps in 1994 after a long and distinguished career. During the last three years of his active service, General Hoar was the commander in chief, U.S. Central Command, the unified command that has the planning and operational responsibilities for 19 countries of the Middle East, South Asia and the horn of Africa. Following his retirement from the military, Hoar formed the consulting firm of J.P. Hoar & Associates, which is engaged in business development in the Middle East and Africa. He is a director of Quantum Group, Inc., in San Diego, Calif., and a trustee of Suffolk University in Boston and the Center for Naval Analysis in Washington, D.C. He is also chairman of the board of the national security studies program at the Maxwell School of Public Administration, Syracuse University. Dr. Anthony H. Cordesman Arleigh A. Burke Chair in Strategy, Center for Strategic & International Studies Dr. Anthony H. Cordesman holds the Arleigh A. Burke Chair in Strategy at the Center for Strategic & International Studies (CSIS) and is also a national security analyst for ABC News. His analysis has been featured prominently during the Gulf War, Desert Fox, the conflict in Kosovo, the fighting in Afghanistan, and the Iraq War. During his time at CSIS, he has been director of the Gulf Net Assessment Project and the Gulf in Transition Study and principle investigator of the Homeland Defense Project. He also directed the Middle East Net Assessment Project and was codirector of the Strategic Energy Initiative. He has led studies on the Iraq War, Afghan conflict, armed nation building and counterinsurgency, national missile defense, asymmetric warfare and weapons of mass destruction, global energy supply, and critical infrastructure protection. Dr. Cordesman is the author of a wide range of reports on U.S. security policy, energy policy, and Middle East policy, which can be downloaded from the Burke Chair section of the CSIS Web site: www.csis.org/burke/. CLICK TO ACCESS:

About the Conference Since their inception in 1991, these annual one and a half-day Arab-U.S. Policymakers Conferences have convened distinguished American and Arab public and private sector leaders tasked with formulating and implementing an array of key policy objectives in the Arab and Islamic world. The Conferences have regularly received extensive media coverage. C-SPAN, America's premier satellite television network for educational and other national policy-related matters, provided live coverage of the entire 2006 Conference, enabling the proceedings to be viewed and analyzed by millions of Americans. Over 50 broadcast and print media representatives attended and reported on last year's Conference. About the National Council Founded in 1983, the National Council is an educational, non-profit, non-governmental organization dedicated to improving American knowledge and understanding of the Arab world. The Council's vision is a relationship between the United States and its Arab friends that rests on a solid, enduring foundation. Such a foundation would embody strong strategic, economic, political, commercial, and defense cooperation in addition to heightened contacts and exchanges of American and Arab present as well as emerging leaders. The Council's mission is educational. It seeks to enhance American awareness and appreciation of the multi-faceted and innumerable benefits the United States has long derived from its relations with the Arab countries, the Middle East, and the Islamic world. It endeavors to do this through leadership development, people-to-people programs, academic seminars, the Council's Annual Arab-U.S. Policymakers Conference, specialized publications, a free electronic newsletter, and the participation of American students and faculty in Arab world study abroad and Arabic language learning experiences. In pursuit of its mission, the Council serves as a U.S.-Arab relations programmatic, informational, and human resources clearinghouse. In so doing, it provides cutting edge information, insight, and analyses to national, state, and local grassroots organizations, media, public policy research institutes, and select community civic, religious, business, and professional associations. The National Council has been granted public charity status in accordance with Section 501(c)(3) of the U.S. Internal Revenue Code. All contributions are tax-deductible to the fullest extent allowed by U.S. law.

National Council on U.S.-Arab Relations, 1730 M St., NW, Washington, DC 20036 Phone: 1-202-293-6466 - Fax: 1-202-293-7770 www.ncusar.org