Monday, February 12, 7:30 pm
Reba and Sam Sandler Family Campus
Aaron David Miller, vice president for New Initiatives and Distinguished Scholar at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars will discuss the future of the U.S. involvement in a volatile Middle East as uncertainty plagues the new administration. The Community Relations Council of the United Jewish Federation of Tidewater and community partners, with special thanks to AIPAC, continues the 2017-2018 Israel Today series with Miller’s appearance.
In a conversation with the Community Relations Council, Miller recently discussed his view on leadership in the Middle East and America’s future role as it relates to the region. In the broader sense of American foreign policy, Miller spoke to the civic responsibilities that Americans can do with respect to their own politics.
“First, don’t get your news from any single source, organization, embassy, or newspaper,” says Miller. “Why would you choose a news channel that validates your own prejudices? We need to stretch beyond our own bubble and analyze,” Miller continues. “Second, civility—when engaged in conversations with people you don’t agree with, you should listen. Something they say could help inform your view or help you to continue the conversation. Listen, and really hear what they are saying. Finally, study history. It’s incumbent on people to create some sort of perspective when analyzing problems.”
Miller is a well-known scholar on U.S. foreign policy and served for two decades as a State Department analyst, negotiator, and adviser on Middle East issues.
Longtime follower of Miller’s work, Betsy Karotkin looks forward hearing him speak as part of Israel Today. “Scholar, writer, analyst—his insights on Israel, the Middle East, and America will deepen your understanding of the dynamics and the future of Israel, its relationship to the U.S. and the hope for peace,” says Karotkin.
Miller has traveled the country giving his perspective on the future of the Middle East. This event is free and open to the community. For more information or to RSVP (required), visit JewishVA.org/IsraelToday or contact 757-965-6107.