Good evening, everybody. Im bradley graham, coowner of politics and prose along with my wife, lissa muscatine, and on behalf of her but here welcome your think you very much for coming. We are very y pleased to have pl richter with us here this evening. Paul and i crossed paths a lot when i was a journalist with the Washington Post covering the pentagon and he was reporting for the Los Angeles Times based in washington. Over several decades paul wrote about National Security and Foreign Policyy on both the pentagon and then the state department beat come and heal other important assignments for the times before leaving the paper about four years ago. Paul was seen as one of the journalistic prose of reporting in this city on National Security affairs and in his new book, the ambassadors, he applies his Extensive Knowledge of americas National Security establishment to highlighting the valuable roles played by some veteran diplomats. He singles out four in particular, ryan crocker, robe
A persistent cough. Its reached the very top of u. K. Government Prime Minister Abbas Johnson and his Health Secretary have both tested positive. And south africa announces its 1st deaths its police and the military some forcing a 3 week long. Welcome to the news all the death toll from the outbreak of quote a virus of italy has surged by 919 in a single day that is the highest daily increase recorded anywhere earlier spain announced its highest day the fatality figure the british Prime Minister us johnson has tested positive he and his Health Secretary whos also infected and also news on social media saying their symptoms are mild while the u. S. House of representatives has just approved a 2. 2 trillion dollar economic rescue package the epicenter of the u. S. Outbreak new york state is seeing hospital admissions double every 4 days now here is our team this hour rory chalons is in southeastern englands tracking all of the u. K. Developments chris and salumi will tell us more about n
We also welcome distinguished Board Members and selfless fund of middle east programs here at Atlantic Council john de blasio. Finally we welcome u. S. Government officials, private companies and nonprofits. I predict a rich and substantive question and answer session following the discussion on the stage. Open to everyone. This richins of the discussion will be enhanced by the absolutely superlative interviewer who will draw the kernels of wisdom out of nabeel today. Tom friedman needs no introduction but simply for fun i will remind you can read his analysis of Foreign Affairs in the new york times, analysis for which he has thrice won the pulitzer prize. Tom is the author of several books and one of which was a textbook as an undergraduate. His full bio is available for you and is printed at. Let us turn to our man of the hour nabeel khoury. Hes a nonbrexit senior fellow fellow at the atlantic counsels christopher middle east are in addition to his work on our website you can read o
Thank you very much for coming. We are very pleased to have paul with us here this evening and was reported from the Los Angeles Times and writing about Foreign Policy with the pentagon and the state department and other important assignment along assignments it with that paper four years ago. As one of those journalistic pros on National Security affairs. To have that knowledge of National Security. And then ryan crocker. Of how senior skills state Department Officers and those intelligence communities like iraq and syria and pakistan olivia one libya to combat terrorism. Have declineo testify. We will be in conversation here with someone else who knows the way around atheir way around thn and state department but as an insider. He spent 29 years in the navy specializing in Public Affairs and rose to become the navys top spokesman and chief spokesman for the department of defense. After retiring from the military in 2015 with the rank of rear admiral, he shifted to the state departmen
In washington over several decades he wrote about National Security and foreignpolicy on both the pentagon and state department and he held other important assignments for the times before leaving the paper about four years ago. Paul was seen as one of the journalistic prose in this cityy on the National Security affairs and in his new book he applies his Extensive Knowledge of americas National Security establishment to highlight the valuable role played by some veteran diplomats. He singles out for in particular, ryan crocker, and patterson and Chris Stevens. How significant officers these days folks work with our military and intelligence communities in such countries of afghanistan, iraq, serious, pakistan and libya to combat terrorism and manage the challenging situations. At a time when the u. S. Diplomatic corps is being downsized and disparaged, pauls book is a reminder of the vital contributions made by some of the state departments finest, the risks they sometimes had to take