The October 1973 War Redux: Lessons for Today’s Middle East Policy Challenges

The October 1973 war was a seismic event in modern Middle East history, marking the last major multistate Arab-Israeli conflict, the most significant use of oil boycotts for political purposes, the dawn of modern peacemaking, and America’s emergence as the indispensable third party in peace diplomacy. To discuss the war’s long-term impact and lessons for national security fifty years later, The Washington Institute is pleased to announce a series of virtual events October 3-5.

Tuesday

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Sadat: A Man of Decision

A brief exchange with Anwar E. El Sadat, nephew of the late President Sadat and former Egyptian member of parliament, hosted by Robert Satloff, Segal Executive Director, The Washington Institute. Immediately following this conversation, the Institute convened a panel discussion:

Implications of the October War: From Warfighting to Peacemaking

• Efraim Halevy, former head of the Mossad (Israel)
• Abdel Monem Said Aly, director, Regional Center for Strategic Studies (Egypt)
• Martin Indyk, distinguished fellow, Council on Foreign Relations (USA)
• Moderator: David Makovsky, Ziegler Distinguished Fellow, The Washington Institute

Wednesday

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Strategic Surprise: Are Governments Better Prepared Today Than in 1973?

• John McLaughlin, former acting director, CIA; distinguished practitioner-in-residence, Johns Hopkins SAIS (USA)
• HRH Prince Turki al-Faisal bin Abdulaziz al-Saud, former chief of intelligence and ambassador to the United States; chairman, King Faisal Center for Research and Islamic Studies (Saudi Arabia)
• Samantha Ravich, former vice chair, President’s Intelligence Advisory Board; chair, Center on Cyber and Technology Innovation, Foundation for Defense of Democracies (USA)
• Amos Yadlin, former head, IDF military intelligence; founder and president, Mind Israel; former director, Institute for National Security Studies (Israel)
• Moderator: Robert Satloff, Segal Executive Director, The Washington Institute

Thursday

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The Oil Weapon: What Power Do Energy Exporters Wield in 2023?

• Bob McNally, founder/president of Rapidan Energy Group; White House energy advisor, George W. Bush administration; author of Crude Volatility: The History and the Future of Boom-Bust Oil Prices
• Brenda Shaffer, international energy specialist and faculty member, U.S. Naval Postgraduate School
• Michael Ratner, energy policy specialist, Congressional Research Service
• Moderators: Simon Henderson, Baker Fellow, and Andrew Tabler, Martin J. Gross Fellow, The Washington Institute

The Policy Forum series is made possible through the generosity of the Florence and Robert Kaufman Family.