The beauty of Arabia & Muslims

الملكي المملكة الأردنية الهاشمية والمملكة المغربية

الإمارات العربية المتحدة ومملكة البحرين

Chef Marti served, boots in the sand, on numerous missions in the desert region of Southwest Asia and received combat pay for boots in the sand (and air/ocean submerged and surface ops) from the 1. Gulf War (Operation Southern Watch), 2. Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) and Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF). Despite needing an operation after being told he could die in as little as eight hours in the desert, he requested to remain in the theater after, and return to duty.  He was flown to the USS Saipan to be operated on-off the Horn of Africa and recalls seeing hundreds of dolphins wishing him well from the helicopter - while on his way.  He earned the nickname, "The Terminator," when he returned. 

 
طاه مارتي خدم، والأحذية في الرمال، في العديد من البعثات في منطقة صحراء جنوب غرب آسيا وحصل على أجر لمكافحة الأحذية في الرمال (وغمرت الهواء / المحيطات والتقاط سطح) من حرب الخليج 1.، 2. عملية حرية العراق (OIF) وعملية الحرية الدائمة (عملية الحرية الدائمة). على الرغم من حاجة إلى عملية جراحية بعد أن قال انه يمكن ان يموت في اقل من ثماني ساعات في الصحراء، وقال انه طلب منه البقاء في المسرح بعد، والعودة إلى العمل. نقل جوا إلى حاملة الطائرات سايبان الى أن تعمل على قبالة القرن الافريقي ويتذكر رؤية مئات الدلافين متمنيا له التوفيق من المروحية - بينما كان في طريقه. حصل على لقب "المنهي"، عندما عاد. 

"I first came to understand and study the Arabic language, and the Muslim people of Southwest Asia, when I was at Camp David.  After being ordered to prepare for a visit by King Hassan II of Morocco with the President, I started to cook for the King - in preparation thereof. I began by studying Tagines (a clay pot featured herein) which also is a dish served in the pot, orange flower water, couscous, sweet mint tea, and hummus. One of the most famous tagines is the tagine of chicken, potatoes, and olives. Moroccan cuisine is influenced by Berber and Mediterranean cooks and the royal kitchens of Fes, Meknes, Marrakech, Rabat, and Tetouan. Flavorings include lemon pickle, cold-pressed, unrefined olive oil, and dried fruits. Some claim it is heavily spiced, or more than Middle Eastern food. When I later went to Jordan many times, a business colleague of mine, Emad Al Jayah, and his trusty partner taught me basic Arabic."

"جئت لأول مرة إلى فهم ودراسة اللغة العربية، والشعب المسلم في جنوب غرب آسيا، عندما كنت في كامب ديفيد. بعد أن أمر للتحضير لزيارة يقوم بها الملك الحسن الثاني ملك المغرب مع الرئيس، لقد بدأت لطهي ل الملك - في إطار التحضير له بدأت من خلال دراسة الطواجن (وعاء من الفخار المميز فوق الجلالة له أعلاه) الذي هو أيضا طبق خدم في وعاء والماء زهرة البرتقال والكسكس والشاي بالنعناع والحمص واحدة من الاكثر شهرة. الطواجن هي طاجن الدجاج والبطاطا والزيتون. ويتأثر المطبخ المغربي من قبل البربر وطهاة البحر الأبيض المتوسط ​​والمطابخ الملكية في فاس، مكناس، مراكش، الرباط وتطوان. وتشمل النكهات مخلل الليمون وزيت الزيتون الباردة ضغط، غير المكرر والفواكه المجففة . ويزعم البعض أنه متبل بشدة، أو أكثر من المواد الغذائية في الشرق الأوسط ".

President Clinton invited His Majesty King Hassan II of Morocco to Washington for a State Visit on March 15, 1995. The two leaders discussed ways of strengthening bilateral ties and expanding cooperation between the United States and Morocco. They focused on the situation in the Middle East, particularly Morocco's important role in the peace process and progress following the Middle East/North Africa Economic Summit in Casablanca in 1994. In light of His Majesty King Hassan II's position as then President of the Summit of the Organization of Islamic Countries, they also discussed the role of Islamic nations in world affairs. This was the first meeting between President Clinton and His Majesty King Hassan II.  Chef Marti's studies became valuable after the Camp David portion of the visit was canceled, and instead, was conducted in Washington only.  "I enjoyed cooking for King Hassan and so did all of my friends (and shipmates) who ended up eating his majesty's food!  I had wished he would have slept a few nights at the Camp David Resort - as I was so psyched about his impending and wonderful visit.  Morocco is well known as one of the strongest allies in Africa and the Med."  

دعا الرئيس كلينتون جلالة الملك الحسن الثاني ملك المغرب إلى واشنطن لزيارة دولة يوم 15 مارس 1995. 

وناقش الزعيمان سبل تعزيز العلاقات الثنائية وتوسيع التعاون بين الولايات المتحدة والمغرب. ركزوا على الوضع في الشرق الأوسط، ولا سيما دور المغرب الهام في عملية السلام والتقدم في أعقاب مؤتمر القمة الاقتصادية للشرق الأوسط / شمال أفريقيا في الدار البيضاء عام 1994. وفي ضوء موقفه جلالة الملك الحسن الثاني في ذلك الحين رئيسا للقمة ، أنها ناقشت منظمة الدول الإسلامية أيضا دور الدول الإسلامية في الشؤون العالمية. وكان هذا أول لقاء بين الرئيس كلينتون وجلالة الملك الحسن الثاني. أصبحت الدراسات طاه مارتي في قيمة بعد أن تم إلغاء الجزء كامب ديفيد للزيارة، وبدلا من ذلك، أجريت في واشنطن فقط. "لقد استمتعت الطهي للملك الحسن وكذلك فعل كل من أصدقائي (وزملاء الملاح) الذي انتهى تناول الطعام جلالته كنت قد تمنى انه كان ينام بضع ليال في منتجع كامب ديفيد -! كما كنت psyched جدا حول له شيكة وزيارة رائعة. المغرب كما هو معروف واحدة من أقوى حلفاء في أفريقيا والبحر المتوسط ​​".

After leaving the White House Military Office (WHMO) in 1996 (Marti initially was recruited in 1992) cooking US State Dinners, being the Executive Chef of Camp David, and managing the resort - he reported to the USS Springfield (SSN 761) a hunter-killer, advanced 688 class nuclear submarine where the crew won the NEY AWARD and silver cup for the world in 1998 - and then, Commander Submarine Group Seven in Yokosuka, Japan. Living in Japan he learned quite a bit of Japanese, but his Admiral, Joseph J. Krol, Jr. asked him if he could also learn some Arabic and assume the role of Public Affairs Officer (PAO). Commonly being held by a commissioned line officer, his role would be to pave the way with several visits by the Royal family of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan to meet military Americans onboard our nuclear fleet of submarines. Along with Vice Admiral Charles W. Moore, the Jordan–United States Free Trade Agreement would be established with King Abdullah II. 

A crew and their chefs would be the first to visit under Marti's purview with their submarine and crew, the USS Scranton. They had no idea the PAO for half of the world was also a Chef! Cultural relations and food are fundamental in this part of the earth. The Jordan–United States Free Trade Agreement would become a success for America and Jordan. Utilizing the strategic port of Al Aqaba (featured in Lawrence of Arabia) became a massive goal for the two countries. It connects Jordan to the world. Marti attended over 20 dinners sitting on the floor with newspaper and dining with hundreds of business people across Jordan, he attended a Mosque (at his request) to learn about the Muslim faith properly and respectfully and prayed on his carpet and knees (he also was gifted a green carpet, keffiyeh, and agal which he retains to this day). Today Chef Marti and Stormy teach many Arab delicacies in their classes.

The United States–Jordan Free Trade Agreement was signed on 24 October 2000 by President Bill Clinton and His Majesty King Abdullah II and was the first free trade agreement (FTA) the United States signed with an Arab country (and the fourth FTA overall behind Israel, Canada, and Mexico). Products have to be composed of a minimum of 35% Jordanian content to be eligible for trade benefits. Furthermore, the Qualifying Industrial Zones (QIZs) established in 1996 under President Bill Clinton allowed products manufactured in Israel, Jordan, Egypt, or the West Bank and Gaza to enter the United States duty-free. This was a long-term dream project of President Clinton and Marti's new role as Public Affairs Officer in Jordan was momentous. To be contributing to President Clinton's team from across the world was unique and a real honor. 

The U.S. House of Representatives ratified the FTA on 31 July 2001, and the U.S. Senate ratified it on 7 December 2001; both were by voice vote, an indication of its widespread support. Former President George W. Bush signed the United States–Jordan Free Trade Area Implementation Act into law on 28 September 2001. It was implemented by both countries on 17 December 2001. Unlike many trade agreements, the U.S.–Jordan Free Trade Agreement enjoyed widespread, bipartisan, and multisectoral support. Proponents pointed to the reduction of customs duties and other trade barriers as a boon for exports. More importantly, the U.S. government looked to the political gains to make the FTA worthwhile; economic benefits for U.S. businesses, if any, were expected to be small. Ideally, the "economic linkages" generated by the FTA would "normalize strained relationships and offer institutional mechanisms to resolve and prevent political disputes." This, in turn, would act as the "turning point in which hope begins to replace the despair on which violent extremists breed," as Assistant Secretary for the Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs William Burns put it. The assumption was that in the course of jointly controlling and evaluating rules of origin, Jordanian and Israeli customs officers would engage in interpersonal interactions resulting in understanding, if not friendship. In other words, the U.S. government has adopted a neoliberal worldview that believes stronger economic relations will bring about peace and stability in the Middle East.

For this reason, the chefs have continued to follow His Majesty King Abdullah II, his wife Queen Rania al Abdullah, and named their daughter after her (Rania Isabella Mongiello). They advocate tolerance in world religion and teach Arab foods. They have attempted to also help Queen Rania through the Jordan River Foundation with limited success.  We hope for better breakthroughs in the future. Marti published two articles for the US Navy as Public Affairs Officer with Commander Naval Forces Japan (CNFJ), Commander Fleet Activities Yokosuka (CFAY), Commander Submarine Group Seven, and Commander Task Force 54 on these visits and the historic FTA. Additional work of his was utilized in Jordanian and US newspapers.  Journey deep into the rose-red city of Petra, with Chef Marti here. Over 2,000 years ago, the Nabataeans created Petra—the city of stone. Journey behind the iconic facade from the movies, and discover one of the great wonders of the world, forgotten by time itself.

The first nuclear submarine to visit The Royal Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, with Marti as PAO for CTF-54, was the USS Scranton.  The second, which Marti escorted, was named after the former King of Hawaii. Read the stories he published on the USS Kamehameha and the USS Scranton (downloadable in Adobe .pdf format). 

Marti has visited Dubai, Al Fujairah, across the UAE, Amman, and Aqaba of Jordan, and Bahrain.