The Cleveland Committee on Foreign Relations (CCFR) is exclusive to Under 35, Diplomat, and Ambassador members and their guests. An email with registration information will be sent to eligible members prior to the event.

CCFR is glad to host Mohammed Soliman, author of West Asia: A New American Grand Strategy in the Middle East, for a timely discussion on how the U.S. may need to fundamentally alter its approach to the Middle East as the region undergoes structural change.

Our discussion will center around Mr. Soliman’s thesis that the traditional Middle East is disappearing, replaced by a “West Asia” that is increasingly defined by its ties to the East. Power is being reorganized around AI infrastructure, trade corridors, energy transition, and migration flows rather than the ideological rivalries and external interventions of the past. As the Gulf positions itself as a global hub for technology, capital, and connectivity, the region is becoming a central player in the shifting international order. What does this reorientation mean for global power dynamics, and what does it mean for America to pivot from “nation-building” to “order-building” in a space increasingly shaped by Asian powers and a tech-driven Gulf?

The Cleveland Committee on Foreign Relations is a dinner and dialogue series that provides unparalleled access to top experts and diplomats for candid discussions of today’s most pressing international issues. Participation is exclusive to Diplomat and Ambassador members and their guests. To join, renew, or upgrade your membership, please click here(opens in new tab).