Taking the Edge Off the Middle East

Middle East Institute
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Taking the Edge Off the Middle East

MEI’s Senior Fellow for US Foreign Policy Brian Katulis sits down with a cast of friends, colleagues, and fellow MENA policy professionals for casual conversations on the most important happenings in the Middle East today.

Episodes

  1. 1D AGO

    Dan Shapiro | Ep. 9

    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 Brian Katulis. In this episode, Brian is joined by former U.S. Ambassador to Israel Dan Shapiro, who recently served as Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for the Middle East. They discuss the Trump administration’s early approach to the region in its second term, including its handling of Iran, Gaza, and regional normalization efforts. Drawing on his decades of experience across the NSC, State Department, and Pentagon, Dan shares his candid assessments of what’s working, what’s not, and what’s still unsettled. He also reflects on his own career path and what young people interested in U.S. foreign policy can learn from decades of peacemaking efforts.

    1h 13m

  2. MAR 4

    Ibrahim Dalalsha and Shira Efron | Ep. 8

    Ibrahim Dalalsha, founder and director of Horizon Center for Political Studies and Media Outreach, and Shira Efron, research director at the Israel Policy Forum, join host Brian Katulis to discuss policy developments in the devastating war between Israel and Hamas, and how Israelis and Palestinians can work together toward a peaceful resolution of conflict.

    1h 15m

  3. FEB 25

    Barbara A. Leaf | Ep. 7

    Barbara A. Leaf is a seasoned diplomat and expert on the Middle East, having served as the US Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs and held key positions in US embassies across the region. In this episode, Barbara joins Brian to discuss the array of “black swan” events currently unfolding in the Middle East, and how the second Trump administration may respond to these challenges. They discuss the broader implications of these developments for US foreign policy, national security, and regional stability.

    43 min

  4. FEB 25

    Norman T. Roule | Ep. 6

    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

  5. FEB 25

    Steven A. Cook | Ep. 5

    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

  6. FEB 25

    Danielle Pletka | Ep. 4

    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

  7. FEB 25

    Ben Samuels | Ep. 3

    Ben Samuels, US correspondent for Haaretz, sits down with Brian to discuss how he got into journalism, the state of politics in Israel, and the country's ongoing judicial overhaul.

    47 min

  8. FEB 25

    Richard A. Clarke | Ep. 2

    After a decade of leadership, Richard A. Clarke recently retired as chairman of the Board of Governors of the Middle East Institute. He chats with Brian about what originally got him into public service, his 30 years working in U.S. government national security agencies (including the Pentagon, the State Department, and the White House National Security Council), and his recent move into writing fiction.

    49 min

  9. FEB 25

    David Schenker | Ep. 1

    David Schenker - Director of the Program on Arab Politics at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy - sits down with Brian to discuss the beginnings of his career, his time in the Trump Administration, and the pros and cons of US-MENA policy.

    49 min
  • 9 Episodes

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    MEI’s Senior Fellow for US Foreign Policy Brian Katulis sits down with a cast of friends, colleagues, and fellow MENA policy professionals for casual conversations on the most important happenings in the Middle East today.

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