Category Archives: Abbas Dahouk

A Day at West Point: Forging Alliances, Connecting Cultures

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By

Colonel (Ret.) Abbas Dahouk

and

Paige Peterson

The United States Military Academy at West Point stands among the foremost institutions globally for cultivating leaders. Those within the esteemed Long Gray Line uphold the ethos of “Duty, Honor, Country,” leading in various spheres, whether in uniform or beyond. Beyond rigorous academic and physical challenges, West Point instills essential military proficiencies crucial for success in today’s intricate landscape of war and peace, fostering a commitment to excellence and national service among cadets as future Army officers.

Colonel (Ret.) Abbas Dahouk and I serve on the Board of Directors of the National Council on U.S.-Arab Relations. We joined fellow members from the National Council – Board Chairman John Pratt and Executive Vice President & Director of Development Patrick Mancino – for a recent visit.

We first explored the Malek Visitors Center, an essential stop when entering the Military Academy at West Point. The center features seven exhibit areas, including two movie theaters, and 20 exhibitions. A nine-minute film, West Point – The National Treasure, plays every 20 minutes.

“The Long Gray Line,” in its simplest definition, encompasses all graduates and cadets of the military academy. The phrase signifies the unique bonds connecting every graduate to those who came before and those who will follow. It symbolizes the demanding four-year journey experienced by all cadets, a period of instruction steeped in tradition and largely unchanged since its inception. The term evokes the image of the gray cadet uniforms worn by generations of young individuals, enduring the discomfort of itchy wool fabric and stiff collars—a tradition integral to West Point’s pageantry. This shared tradition is reflected in the resilience of outstanding American leaders, including two U.S. presidents, numerous generals, industry leaders, and over 80 thousand graduates who have led our Army’s soldiers as young officers.

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Looking Ahead: What to Expect in the Middle East in 2024

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On February 8, 2024, the National Council on U.S.-Arab Relations hosted a discussion titled “Looking Ahead: What to Expect in the Middle East in 2024.” The program featured former United States diplomats Ambassador (Ret.) Michael Gfoeller and Mr. David H. Rundell. It was moderated by Colonel (Ret.) Abbas K. Dahouk, with Mr. H. Delano Roosevelt, the President and CEO of the Council, joining them for the proceedings.

The specialists provided analysis on the prospects of U.S. engagement with Iran and its proxies in the region after the recent deaths of three U.S. military service members in Jordan in an attack by the Iran-backed Popular Mobilization militia. The specialists also discussed the war in Gaza and prospects for a ceasefire agreement, looking in particular at U.S. diplomacy and Secretary of State Antony Blinken’s fifth visit to the region since the events of October 7, 2023.

 

 

Joining the program were:

Featured Specialists:

Moderator:

  • Colonel (Ret.) Abbas K. Dahouk, National Council on U.S.-Arab Relations Board of Directors Member; Former U.S. Department of State Senior Military Advisor; Former U.S. Embassy in Saudi Arabia Defense and Army Attache; HyphenPoint LLC President.

Introduction:

The discussion can be viewed on the National Council’s YouTube channel.

Geopolitical Crossroads in Yemen: Unraveling Yemen’s Future Amidst Trade Routes and Conflict

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On December 14, 2023, the Washington Center for Yemeni Studies and the National Council on U.S.-Arab Relations hosted a discussion exploring the India-Middle East-EU trade route against the backdrop of regional conflicts and competing interests in the Bab al-Mandab Strait. The specialists addressed the potential impact of the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict on negotiations between the Houthi rebels and Saudi Arabia, and the growing Houthi threat to maritime security in the Red Sea. They delved into the potential impact of the recent development on the conflict in Yemen, and the prospects for lasting peace and sustainable development.

 

 

Joining the program were:

Featured specialists:

  • Mr. Sami Hamdi, Managing Director and Head of Political Risk of the International Interest.
  • Colonel (Ret.) Abbas K. Dahouk, National Council on U.S.-Arab Relations Board of Directors Member; Former U.S. Department of State Senior Military Advisor; Former U.S. Embassy in Saudi Arabia Defense and Army Attache; HyphenPoint LLC President.

Moderator:

  • Ms. Marwa J. Ghumrawi, Operations and Communications Manager of the Washington Center for Yemeni Studies.

The discussion can be viewed on YouTube.

[Preview] Geopolitical Crossroads in Yemen: Unraveling Yemen’s Future Amidst Trade Routes and Conflict – December 14, 2023

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The Washington Center for Yemeni Studies and the National Council on U.S.-Arab Relations invite you to:

Geopolitical Crossroads in Yemen: Unraveling Yemen’s Future Amidst Trade Routes and Conflict

Tune in for a thought-provoking exploration of the India-Middle East-EU trade route and its potential impact on Yemen’s economy. Against the backdrop of the Israel-Hamas conflict and maritime threats in the Red Sea, specialists will delve into the regional competition over the Bab al-Mandab Strait, and the prospects for lasting peace and sustainable development.

Speakers:

  • Sami Hamdi, Managing Director and Head of Political Risk of the International Interest.
  • Colonel (Ret.) Abbas K. Dahouk, Member of the Board of Directors of the National Council on U.S. Arab Relations, Founder and President of HyphenPoint LLC.

Moderator:

  • Marwa J Ghumrawi, Operations and Communications Manager of the Washington Center for Yemeni Studies.

 

🔍 Key Focus

  • Implications for Yemen’s Economy
  • Geopolitical Challenges Unveiled
  • Prospects for Lasting Peace and Sustainable Development

 

🗓️ Date & Time:

December 14, 2023, 2:30 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)

 

🌐 Virtual Venue:

Zoom Meeting

https://zoom.us/j/9294347323?omn=97332166419

Meeting ID: 929 434 7323

خور عبدالله الكويتي: بين التحديات الإقليمية والنظام الدولي

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On September 26, 2023, National Council on U.S.-Arab Relations Board of Directors Member, former Senior Military Advisor to the U.S. Department of State, former U.S. Defense and Army Attaché to Saudi Arabia, and HyphenPoint LLC Founding Principal Colonel (Ret.) Abbas Dahouk took part in an online discussion about strategic ramifications for relations in the Gulf with reference to Dorra Gas Field and the the Khor Abdullah waterway. (Program in Arabic.)

 

Pivot or Remain in Place? Examining the U.S. Military Presence in Arabia and the Gulf

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On June 29, 2023, the National Council convened an online briefing program “Pivot or Remain in Place? Examining the U.S. Military Presence in Arabia and the Gulf.” The conversation analyzed the military and economic dimensions, geopolitical implications, and knock-on effects of the proclaimed American pivot to Asia.

 

 

Joining the program were:

Featured Specialists:

  • Sheikh Nawaf Al-Thani, National Council on U.S.-Arab Relations Distinguished International Defense Affairs Fellow; former Defense Attaché of Qatar to the United States; former Official Spokesperson for Qatar’s Ministry of Defense
  • Ms. Kirsten Fontenrose, National Council on U.S.-Arab Relations Senior Gulf Affairs Fellow; President of Red Six International, an advisory firm providing U.S. government approved technical expertise to partner nations on defeating drones
  • Colonel (Ret.) Abbas Dahouk, National Council on U.S.-Arab Relations Board of Directors Member; Former Senior Military Advisor to U.S. Department of State; Former U.S. Defense and Army Attaché to Saudi Arabia; HyphenPoint LLC Principal

Moderator and Discussant:

  • Colonel (Ret.) David Des Roches, U.S. Department of Defense National Defense University Near East/South Asia Center for Strategic Studies Associate Professor; National Council on U.S.-Arab Relations Senior International Affairs Fellow

Context Provider:

  • Dr. John Duke Anthony, National Council on U.S.-Arab Relations Founding President and CEO

A video recording of the program is available above.

National Council on U.S.-Arab Relations Fellow Nawaf Al-Thani Visits the Virginia Military Institute

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Last month, National Council Distinguished International Defense Affairs Fellow Sheikh Nawaf Al-Thani visited the Virginia Military Institute in Lexington, Virginia (VMI), with a delegation of Council leaders. During the visit, Sheikh Nawaf spoke to academy cadets about dynamics of small state security, and he met with VMI faculty, cadets, and leadership. Joining Sheikh Nawaf in the Council delegation were Council Founding President and CEO Dr. John Duke Anthony, who has a long association with VMI; Board Member Colonel (Ret.) Abbas Dahouk, a former Senior U.S. Department of Defense official serving in the GCC region; together with Council Executive Vice President Patrick Mancino.

(Left) National Council Distinguished International Defense Affairs Fellow Sheikh Nawaf Al-Thani with Virginia Military Institute Superintendent Retired Major General Cedric Wins. (Right) Sheikh Nawaf Al-Thani speaks to VMI cadets about small state security dynamics.

Sheikh Nawaf is the former Senior Defense Official and Defense Attaché of Qatar to the United States, Mexico, and Canada in the rank of Brigadier General as well as the former Official Spokesperson for Qatar’s Ministry of Defense. In recognition of his service, he has received numerous distinguished commendations and citations from the Qatar Armed Forces along with several NATO militaries and multinational organizations. Sheikh Nawaf joined the National Council as a Fellow last fall and was a featured speaker at the Council’s 31st Annual Arab-U.S. Policymakers Conference.

(Left to Right) National Council Founding President and CEO Dr. John Duke Anthony, Distinguished International Defense Affairs Fellow Sheikh Nawaf Al-Thani, and Board Member Abbas Dahouk meet with Virginia Military Institute leadership in Lexington, Virginia.

Dr. Anthony is a 1962 graduate of VMI where he received his Bachelor’s Degree in History. He attended on a four-year, all-expenses State Cadetship Award after the completion of his U.S. Army active duty military service. At VMI, Dr. Anthony was elected president of his class all four years in addition to serving as president of the Corps of Cadets’ governing bodies during his First Class (Senior) Year. In 2012, he served as Dean’s Visiting Chair in International Studies and Political Science, where he taught VMI’s first-ever course on “Politics of the Arabian Peninsula.”

Weathering Chinese and Russian Competition in Arabia and the Gulf: Implications for United States Interests, Policies, and Strategy

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On March 8, 2023, the National Council convened an online briefing program on “Weathering Chinese and Russian Competition in Arabia and the Gulf: Implications for United States Interests, Policies, and Strategy.” The program explored implications for the region and the United States of evolving relationships between Russia, China, and countries in Arabia and the Gulf. The specialists examined how shifting strategic dynamics can be viewed through different sets of lenses.

 

 

Joining the program were:

Context Provider:

  • Dr. John Duke Anthony, National Council on U.S.-Arab Relations Founding President and CEO; Author, inter alia, of Arab States of The Lower Gulf: People, Politics, Petroleum.

Featured Specialists:

  • Mr. David H. Rundell, Author of Vision or Mirage: Saudi Arabia at the Crossroads, Former Chief of Mission at the United States Embassy in Saudi Arabia, and National Council on U.S.-Arab Relations International Advisory Board Member.
  • Ambassador (Ret.) Michael Gfoeller, Former United States Diplomat, and Consultant on Foreign Affairs and International Security.

Moderator:

  • Colonel (Ret.) Abbas K. Dahouk, National Council on U.S.-Arab Relations Board of Directors Member; Former U.S. Department of State Senior Military Advisor; Former U.S. Embassy in Saudi Arabia Defense and Army Attache; HyphenPoint LLC President.

Audio and video recordings of the program are available above and below, and on YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and elsewhere.

“Weathering Chinese and Russian Competition in Arabia and the Gulf: Implications for United States Interests, Policies, and Strategy” podcast (.mp3)