In his keynote address at the Middle East Institute's 60th Annual Conference, US Secretary of Energy Samuel W. Bodman discussed the need for diversifying energy sources in order to sustain global growth. Without diversification, developing nations will struggle to access increasingly costly fuel and environmental degradation will worsen. The private sector and government play a critical role in providing new energy solutions. In addition, states must transcend their narrow national interests and create cooperative solutions to overcome today's energy challenges.

In the “Exiting Iraq” panel of the Middle East Institute’s 60th Annual Conference, Jay Garner, Brian Katulis, David Satterfield, Qubad Talabani and moderator Bing West discussed various ways to improve the situation in Iraq and to find a comprehensive and successful way out of the current quagmire for US forces.

Assistant Secretary of State for Political-Military Affairs John Hillen laid out a new security architecture for US relations with the Gulf Cooperation Council. He stressed the need for multilateral cooperation in seven key areas in order to face new challenges involving Iraq and Iran.