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SUMMARY:FCDOA Online talk by General Sir Simon Mayall: De-coding the Modern Middle East
DESCRIPTION:FCDOA Online Talk with\n General Sir Simon Mayall KBE CB\nwith the title \nDe-coding the Modern Middle East\n7 July\, 11:00 (Zoom) \nTicket: £5 \nModerated by Nick Hopton \n\nWe are pleased to welcome General Sir Simon Mayall KBE CB for an in‑depth online talk on the current state of the Middle East. Drawing on more than 40 years of senior military and diplomatic experience\, General Mayall will offer his highly respected analysis of a region marked by persistent change\, conflict\, and profound uncertainty. \nGeneral Mayall’s long career has taken him across many of the key countries in the Middle East\, where he has worked closely with political and military leaders and helped shape elements of the UK’s engagement and policy. His insights into the dynamics of the region—including his widely regarded analysis of the revolution in Iran—bring clarity to some of the most complex and consequential issues in global affairs. \nIn this talk\, he will explore: \n\nthe historical\, political\, and religious forces shaping the region\nthe relationships and rivalries driving today’s conflicts\nthe implications for regional stability and global security\nwhat the coming decade may hold for the Middle East\n\nKnown for his ability to explain complex situations in an accessible and engaging way\, General Mayall offers an informed and human perspective on a region whose developments will continue to influence global affairs for years to come. \n\nLieutenant General (Retired) Sir Simon Mayall KBE CB \nSir Simon Mayall was commissioned into the British Army in 1979 after graduating from Balliol College\, Oxford\, where he read Modern History. Over the course of a distinguished career spanning several decades\, he served in Germany\, Belgium\, the United Kingdom\, and Oman\, and was deployed on operations in Northern Ireland\, Cyprus\, the Balkans\, and the Middle East. He commanded troops at every level and held a succession of increasingly senior staff appointments within the Ministry of Defence\, including Assistant Chief of the General Staff\, Deputy Chief of the Defence Staff (Operations)\, and Defence Senior Adviser for the Middle East. \nAlongside his military service\, Sir Simon pursued academic study\, completing a Defence Fellowship at St Antony’s College\, Oxford\, and earning an MA in International Relations from King’s College London. He was knighted in 2014 and retired from the Army in 2015. \nSince retirement\, Sir Simon has combined his academic interest in history with his extensive professional experience in the Middle East to develop a recognised expertise in this complex and volatile region. He is frequently sought after for commentary and analysis\, drawing on his deep understanding of history and religion to provide context and insight into contemporary events across the wider Middle East. \nIn 2020\, he published Soldier in the Sand: A Personal History of the Modern Middle East\, which uses a three-generation family narrative to explore the history of the region since the end of the First World War. In 2024\, he published The House of War: The Struggle between Christendom and the Caliphate\, examining the 1\,300-year interaction between the Christian and Islamic worlds through ten pivotal sieges and battles\, from the early medieval period to the collapse of the Ottoman Empire in 1918. \n\nJoin us for what promises to be a compelling and thought‑provoking session.
URL:https://fcdoa.org.uk/event/fcdoa-online-talk-by-general-sir-simon-mayall/
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://fcdoa.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/simon.png
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