Fort McNair –
On 3-6 November, The College of International Security Affairs (CISA), National Defense University (NDU), hosted a group of 13 Iraqi faculty and students (rank of Brigadier and higher) from the National Defense College of Iraq. The group was led by Lt. General Abbas Fezea, and the visit was funded by the Iraqi government.
Over the course of four days at CISA, the group took part in a series of briefings on topics such as "Irregular Warfare", "Developing National Security Strategy”, “Role of Religious Leadership in Fighting Daesh", and an "Overview of the U.S. Professional Military Education System". CISA also hosted a panel of policy makers, which included Brigadier Michael Fantini, Principal Director for Middle East, Office of the Secretary of Defense for Policy, and Mr. Joseph Pennington, Iraq Office Director, Department of State. CISA alumni from Jordan and Iraq also provided briefings on humanitarian and security challenges facing the Middle East. Finally, the group took part in a wargaming exercise led the NDU Center for Applied Strategic Learning that focused on counterinsurgency.
Following the academic sessions at NDU/CISA, the Iraqi delegation spent a day at the U.S. Army War College, the Pentagon, and attended the Veteran’s Day ceremony at Arlington Cemetery.