After decades of U.S. military assistance in the Middle East — providing expensive weapons systems and conducting military exercises — why are the military capabilities of U.S. allies in the region still lacking? Why does it matter? And what can be done to remedy the status quo?

In Rebuilding Arab Defense, Bilal Y. Saab addresses these vexing questions through four in-depth case studies: Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Lebanon, and the United Arab Emirates. Identifying the pitfalls of diverse assistance programs, Saab convincingly demonstrates the importance of institution building in efforts to achieve effective security cooperation in a region that remains of great strategic significance.

Speakers:
Bilal Y. Saab, Author
Senior Fellow and Founding Director of the Defense and Security Program, MEI

Kenneth Pollack, Discussant
Senior Fellow, American Enterprise Institute

Anne Patterson, Discussant
Kissinger Senior Fellow, Jackson Institute for Global Affairs at Yale University

Missy Ryan, Moderator
Reporter, The Washington Post