Middle East Focus

Middle East Institute
  • 4.6 (54)
  • POLITICS
  • UPDATED WEEKLY
Middle East Focus

Weekly discussion of Middle East policy, arts, and culture, featuring experts from the Middle East Institute in Washington, D.C.

  1. 2 DAYS AGO

    Norman T. Roule | 'Taking the Edge Off the Middle East' Ep. 6

    Middle East Focus Presents: ‘Taking the Edge Off the Middle East’ with Brian Katulis. A series of casual conversations with leading policy professionals on the most important happenings in the Middle East today - hosted by MEI’s Senior Fellow for US Foreign Policy, Brian Katulis. Norman T. Roule is a member of MEI's Iran Program Advisory Council. Roule served for 34-years in the Central Intelligence Agency, where his service included roles as Division Chief and Chief of Station at the CIA’s Directorate of Operations. He joins Brian to discuss the state of an ideologically contested Middle East, as well as the opportunities and challenges following the fall of the Assad regime.

    46 min

  2. 4 DAYS AGO

    Trump, Gaza, and the future of US policy in the Middle East

    The war in Gaza continues as the Biden administration nears its end, leaving President-elect Donald Trump with a vastly different Middle East from the one he inherited in his first term. Khaled Elgindy, Director of the Palestine & Palestinian-Israeli Affairs program at MEI, is joined by Tamara Kharroub and Daniel Levy to discuss Israel's ongoing military campaign in Gaza, the fragile cease-fire talks, and the potential shifts in US policy with Donald Trump's return to the White House. What does this mean for Palestinians and Israelis, and how might the Trump administration reshape the future of the region?

    52 min

  3. DEC 12

    End of an era: The fall of the Assad regime

    Following more than a year of turmoil and transformative changes reshaping the Middle East, the region witnessed another shock with the downfall of the Assad family’s 54-year rule over Syria last weekend. The rapid collapse was triggered by a lightning rebel offensive led by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, a former affiliate of al-Qaeda. This on-the-record briefing featured Amb. (ret.) Ryan Crocker, career diplomat with the US Foreign Service. His previous appointments included US Ambassador to Syria, Iraq, Pakistan, Kuwait, Afghanistan, and Lebanon; as well as Charles Lister, Senior Fellow and Director of MEI’s Syria and Countering Terrorism & Extremism programs. Our experts discussed what the fall of Bashar al-Assad means for Syria and the region, the international community’s assessment of the Syrian conflict, what this development portends for Iran’s “Axis of Resistance” in the Levant, the influence of regional powers in Syria, and the future of US policy toward the region.   This is a special presentation of the latest installment of our Virtual Briefing Series.  This episode was recorded on December 10, 2024.

    31 min
  4. Rethinking Democracy Ep. 5: Impact of Donald Trump’s Election on American Democracy and the World with Ruth Ben-Ghiat and Larry Diamond

    DEC 5

    Rethinking Democracy Ep. 5: Impact of Donald Trump’s Election on American Democracy and the World with Ruth Ben-Ghiat and Larry Diamond

    About the series: This is a critical year for the future of democracy. Half the world’s population will go to the polls in 2024, at a time when citizens in America and across the globe are losing faith in democratic institutions. We often view the rollback of democracy and threats to the liberal international order as separate problems, but in reality they are closely interlinked. Through a new limited podcast series, MEI’s Gonul Tol seeks to examine the interplay between democracy’s domestic and international foes as well as how to counter them. In this episode: Last month, the US electorate voted President-Elect Donald Trump back into the White House. His victory was seen by some experts as part of a global trend and a move towards anti-incumbency attitudes and populism. How will Trump’s rhetoric impact the United States domestically and internationally? Will he govern as a strongman during his second term? What can we expect to be different from his first term? Dr. Larry Diamond, Mosbacher Senior Fellow of Global Democracy at the Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies at Stanford University and author of Ill Winds: Saving Democracy from Russian Rage, Chinese Ambition, and American Complacency, and Ruth Ben-Ghiat, Professor of History and Italian Studies at New York University and author of Strongmen: Mussolini to the Present, join host Gonul Tol to discuss Trump’s election.

    49 min

  5. NOV 21

    How might US-Israeli relations evolve under the Trump administration?

    MEI Senior Fellow for Israeli Affairs Nimrod Goren and Associate Research Professor Ilai Saltzman discuss potential shifts in US policy, the outlook for Israeli politics in 2025, and the challenges to advancing peace on the Israeli-Palestinian front. Tune in for expert insights on what lies ahead. *This episode was recorded on November 13, 2024.

    33 min

  6. NOV 14

    1,000 Days of Russia's Full-Scale War Against Ukraine

    Wednesday, November 20, marks a somber anniversary for Ukraine: 1,000 days since Russia’s full-scale invasion of the country. Though the Ukrainians continue to hold out with Western assistance against Russian attacks, the past two-and-a-half years have been devastating for the country and its people. Ukraine now faces another winter at war as momentum appears to be shifting in Russia’s favor. What can the US and its allies do to ensure hostilities end as favorably as possible to Ukraine and in line with American strategic national interests? Former NATO SACEUR Gen. Philip M. Breedlove and MEI Senior Fellow Dr. Iulia-Sabina Joja join host Matthew Czekaj to discuss the state of the conflict and what’s at stake for the region and the global community. Note: This conversation was recorded Nov. 4.

    46 min

  7. NOV 13

    Steven A. Cook | ’Taking the Edge Off the Middle East’ Ep. 5

    Middle East Focus Presents: ’Taking the Edge Off the Middle East’ with Brian Katulis A series of casual conversations with leading policy professionals on the most important happenings in the Middle East today - hosted by MEI’s Senior Fellow for US Foreign Policy Brian Katulis. Steven A. Cook, Senior Fellow for Middle East and Africa Studies at the Council on Foreign Relations, sits down with Brian to discuss his latest book “The End of Ambition,” their policy outlook with the incoming Trump Administration, and deteriorating discourse in Washington policy circles.

    43 min

  8. OCT 30

    Danielle Pletka | ‘Taking the Edge Off the Middle East’ Ep. 4

    Middle East Focus Presents: ‘Taking the Edge Off the Middle East’ with Brian Katulis A series of casual conversations with leading policy professionals on the most important happenings in the Middle East today - hosted by MEI’s Senior Fellow for US Foreign Policy Brian Katulis. Danielle Pletka, Distinguished Senior Fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, sits down with Brian to discuss how she made the jump from journalism to policy, her views on the Iraq War, and the need for strong leadership in US-MENA foreign policy.

    38 min
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4.6
out of 5
54 Ratings

About

Weekly discussion of Middle East policy, arts, and culture, featuring experts from the Middle East Institute in Washington, D.C.

Information

  • Creator
    Middle East Institute
  • Years Active
    2017 - 2024
  • Episodes
    100
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Show Website
    Middle East Focus

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