The former Under Secretary of Defense for Policy (2001-2005) Douglas Feith; American Enterprise Institute Resident Scholar, Dr. Michael Ledeen; and Congressman Jim Saxton (R-NJ) will all deliver major addresses to the Zionist Organization of America (ZOA)’s Washington Mission on Wednesday-Thursday, June 25-26 this week. Also, Senators Joseph Lieberman (D-CT), Daniel Inouye (D-HI) and Ben Cardin (D-MD), as well as Republican Minority Leader John Boehner (R-OH), Minority Whip Roy Blunt (R-MO), former Democratic presidential candidate Dennis Kucinich (D-OH) and almost 40 other Congresspeople will also address the ZOA Mission at its Congressional Luncheon.

The ZOA Mission Congressional Luncheon will be held at the Rayburn House Office Building in Rayburn B-338 and B-339, commencing at 12.15 PM on Thursday, June 26.

Douglas Feith previously served as Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Negotiations Policy and as Middle East specialist on the National Security Council and is a recipient of the Distinguished Public Service Medal, the highest Defense Department civilian award. He is now a Professor and Distinguished Practitioner in National Security Policy at Georgetown University and the author of the recently-published War and Decision: Inside the Pentagon at the Dawn of the War on Terrorism. Mr. Feith has appeared on numerous television and radio programs and has been published in the New York Times, Wall Street Journal and other major publications. Former Secretary of Defense, Donald Rumsfeld, has said of Mr. Feith that he “is without question, one of the most brilliant individuals in government – he’s just a rare talent.”

Mr. Feith will deliver the keynote address to the ZOA Mission on the Middle East, Iraq, Iran and the Arab war against Israel on Thursday, June 26, at 3.30 PM in the Thurgood Marshall Southwest Room at the Marriott Wardman Park Hotel, 2660 Woodley Rd., NW. 

Dr. Michael Ledeen, who is also a contributing editor to National Review, and once served as Special Adviser to Secretary of State Alexander Haig, is the author of The Iranian Time Bomb, dealing with the burgeoning threat of the Iranian regime obtaining nuclear weapons. Dr. Ledeen was a founding member of the Jewish Institute for National Security Affairs (JINSA) and serves on the JINSA Board of Advisors.  He is the author of more than a dozen books, is an internationally recognized expert on U.S. foreign policy and frequently appears on radio and television. Dr. Ledeen will be speaking on the threat posed by the Iranian regime to the U.S., Israel and the Middle East generally.

U.S. Congressman Jim Saxton (R-NJ) is a 13-term congressman who is a member of the House Armed Services Committee and Terrorism/Unconventional Threats Subcommittee.  He is one of the strongest supporters of Israel in the entire U.S. Congress and was among the few who foresaw the dangers to Israel posed by the Oslo process and who recognized that Yasser Arafat was no peace partner. Cong. Saxton will speak on “The Arab-Israeli Conflict – What’s Next?”  

Both Dr. Ledeen and Cong. Saxton will address the ZOA Mission Dinner on Wednesday, June 25, which commences at 6.30PM. The Dinner will be held in the Thurgood Marshall South Room at the Marriott Wardman Park Hotel, 2660 Woodley Road, NW. Zionist Organization of America (ZOA) National President Morton A. Klein will deliver opening remarks at the ZOA Mission Dinner.

ZOA delegates from 15 states around the country will be participating in this year’s ZOA Mission, holding over 100 meetings with Members of Congress and their senior staffers, educating them on the nature of the Arab and Iranian on-going war against Israel. Josh London and Dan Pollak, leaders of the ZOA’s Government Relations office in Washington, D.C., will be extensively briefing the delegates.

The press is invited to attend these events. If you wish to attend or require further information, please contact the ZOA Office: (212) 481 1500.