In August 2006, the Middle East Center organized and hosted with the assistance of Education for Peace in Iraq Center an extraordinary off-the-record, day long conference bringing together military officers from the 358th Civil Affairs Brigade and chief representatives of international NGOs working in Iraq to discuss outstanding issues of concern and engage in dialogue in order to communicate better their respective missions. This followed two day long workshops held for the officers in August and September 2005 on politics and society in Iraq and issues of corruption and regional politics in the post-war era.