On May 9 President Bush proposed a Middle East Free-Trade Area to encourage more openness, integration, and development in one of the world’s most economically closed regions. The proposal would build on the success of the 2001 U.S.-Jordan Free-Trade Agreement, which has helped to spur a dramatic increase in trade between the two nations. Speakers will discuss the importance of trade in promoting individual liberty, development, and international cooperation in the war on terrorism, including the impact of increasing trade and investment in Jordan, a strategic nation in the heart of the Middle East.