The Potomac Institute for Policy Studies'  International Center for Terrorism Studies hosted a luncheon seminar, Inevitable Last Resort: Syria or Iran First? on Tuesday, September 11, at the Institute.  Co-sponsors of this event included the Inter-University Center for Terrorism Studies and the Inter-University Center for Legal Studies of the International Law Institute. Panelists asked whether the expanding civil war in Syria and its grave humanitarian crisis call for immediate international intervention, whether Iran’s potential crossing of a nuclear weapon “red line” will inevitably trigger unilateral or multilateral military strikes, and whether diplomacy still offers urgent “honorable exit” options to avoid “doomsday” scenarios in the Middle East. Click below to watch a video of the event.

Please note: The views of guest speakers are the speakers' alone and do not represent the views of the Potomac Institute for Policy Studies or its staff.  The Potomac Institute is a non-partisan, not-for-profit research organization dedicated to the free exchange of ideas for the purpose of informing public policy.

Program:  

Opening Remarks:

Michael S. Swetnam
CEO and Chairman, Potomac Institute for Policy Studies

Moderator:

Prof. Yonah Alexander
Director, International Center for Terrorism Studies, Potomac Institute for Policy Studies

Panelists:

Ambassador (Ret.) James F. Jeffrey
Former U.S. Ambassador to Iraq and Turkey; Visiting Fellow, The Washington Institute for Near East Policy

Barbara Slavin
Senior Fellow, South-Asia Center, The Atlantic Council; Author of “Bitter Friends, Bosom Enemies: Iran, the U.S. and the Twisted Path to Confrontation”

Ambassador (Ret.) Theodore Kattouf
Former U.S. Ambassador to Syria; President and CEO, AMIDEAST

Closing Remarks:
Gen Al Gray, USMC (Ret.)
Twenty-Ninth Commandant of the United States Marine Corps; Senior Fellow and Chairman of the Board of Regents, Potomac Institute for Policy Studies

RSVP is required for general audience and press attendance.  Please provide name and affiliation to Evan Lundh, Research Coordinator, at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or 703-562-4522.