Middle East - Audio

The CSIS Middle East Program and Humanitarian Agenda are pleased to host David Miliband, President and CEO of the International Rescue Committee, to discuss the current crisis in Idlib, the dangerous lessons of war, and how Syria could serve as a model for future conflicts.  Jacob Kurtzer, Interim Director of the CSIS Humanitarian Agenda, will provide welcome remarks to open the discussion. Mr. Miliband's keynote address will be followed by a Q&A moderated by Jon B. Alterman, Senior Vice President, Zbigniew Brzezinski Chair in Global Security and Geostrategy, and Director of the Middle East Program.    

View Summary   The killing of Gen. Qassem Suleimani in January 2020 sent conflicting signals about the depth of U.S. engagement in the Gulf. The United States seems intent to diminish its presence while keeping an active hand in regional affairs. Meanwhile, Russia and China are exploring ways to reshape their own presence in the region. Please join the CSIS Middle East Program for a conference to examine the Gulf region in the wake of General Qassem Suleimani's death. Two expert panels will explore security threats and new opportunities for diplomacy in the region. General Joseph L. Votel will then deliver a keynote address on Great Power competition in the Gulf, followed by a Q&A moderated by Jon B. Alterman, senior vice president, Zbigniew Brzezinski chair in global security and geostrategy, and director of the Middle East Program. The Honorable John McLaughlin, Distinguished Practitioner in Residence, Paul H. Nitze School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS), and former Acting Director of Central Intelligence The Honorable Christine Wormuth, Director, International Security and Defense Policy Center, RAND Corporation, and former Under Secretary of Defense for Policy Ambassador Anne Patterson, Former Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs, U.S. Department of State    Ambassador Douglas Silliman,President, The Arab Gulf States Institute in Washington, and former U.S. Ambassador to Iraq  Dr. Ali Vaez,Iran Project Director, International Crisis Group  General Joseph L. Votel, President and CEO, Business Executives for National Security; Distinguished Senior Fellow on National Security, Middle East Institute; and former Commander of U.S. Central Command This event is made possible by generous support from the United Arab Emirates Embassy.

Former Vice President Dick Cheney and Secretary of State Colin Powell emerged on the national scene more than thirty years ago, and it is easy to forget that they were once allies. The two men collaborated closely in the successful American wars in Panama and Iraq during the presidency of George H. W. Bush. Returning to government service under George W. Bush in 2001, they (and their respective allies within the administration) fell into deep antagonism over the role America should play in a world defined by terrorism, the invasion of Iraq, and debates about unilateralism. Why did the rift between the two respected statesmen emerge? And what does the broken partnership suggest about U.S. foreign policy? Please join Seth Center and the Project on History and Strategy for a discussion with James Mann about his new book on the intertwined careers of Dick Cheney and Colin Powell. The Great Rift: Dick Cheney, Colin Powell, and the Broken Friendship that Defined an Era  is a sweeping history of two statesmen whose rivalry and conflicting views of U.S. national security color our political debate to this day. In a wide-ranging, deeply researched, and dramatic narrative, James Mann explores each man’s biography and philosophical predispositions to show how and why this deep and permanent rupture occurred. Through dozens of original interviews and surprising revelations from presidential archives, he brings to life the very human story of how this influential friendship turned so sour and how the enmity of these two powerful men colored the way America acts in the world. This event is made possible through general support to CSIS.

Please join us for this season's next installment of the Schieffer Series, "The Syria Withdrawal and Next Steps." The Wall Street Journal's Nancy Youssef will join CSIS's Melissa Dalton, Seth Jones and Brian Katz for a discussion on the U.S. withdrawal from Syria and the implications this decision will have on Syria and the greater Middle East. Additionally, the panelists will touch on next steps for U.S. strategy in the region.   Event - 5:30 - 6:30 p.m.Pre-Event Reception - 5:00 - 5:30 p.m.   Hosted by CBS News legend and CSIS Trustee Bob Schieffer, the Schieffer Series features thoughtful panel discussions with senior officials, lawmakers, journalists, and policy experts to discuss global challenges and critical issues of national security and foreign policy. Now in its 11th consecutive year, the Schieffer Series is produced by the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) in partnership with the Bob Schieffer College of Communication at Texas Christian University (TCU) in Fort Worth, Texas.This series is made possible with the generous support of the Stavros Niarchos Foundation. For information or inquiries contact externalrelations@csis.org.

Please join CSIS for an armchair discussion with the First Lady of Afghanistan Rula Ghani. The conversation will focus on the progress of women and their role in the peace process in Afghanistan.   Women have made great economic and social strides in the past 15 years. More than 3.6 million girls are in school and women are now allowed to work, both of which are essential to peace and stability in Afghanistan. However, the work is not over. It is vital that the progress continues and that women are not forgotten in the search for peace.   We are pleased to host the First Lady of Afghanistan Rula Ghani, who has been a champion on these issues. Mrs. Ghani plays an active role as first lady, supporting efforts to fully integrate women and girls into Afghan society and into the workforce. In May 2016, she brought together prominent Afghan women from Kabul and gave them a platform to discuss women’s roles in contributing to peace. She held another symposium in 2017 to discuss the role of Afghan women as messengers of peace.  This event is made possible by general support to CSIS.  

The Egyptian government seems to be using horoscopes as a new avenue for disseminating pro-regime messages.

In this episode, Bob and Andrew invite back Seth Jones, CSIS's Harold Brown Chair and Director of the Transnational Threats Project. Seth discusses the U.S. raid on Islamic State leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, and what it means for the future of the Islamic State as well as its implications on future relations between the U.S. and the Middle East. Download the full transcript here.

Russia is spreading disinformation in the Middle East, especially in Syria, in order to discredit its critics and advance its interests. This week Jon, Amber, and Will discuss the scope of the issue and its consequences. Then Eliot Higgins, founder of Bellingcat, sits down with Jon to explain how his citizen journalist platform detects and counters disinformation.   Eliot Higgins, “Chemical Weapons and Absurdity: The Disinformation Campaign Against the White Helmets,” Bellingcat, December 2018.  Mark Katz, “When the Friend of My Friends Is Not My Friend,” The Atlantic Council, May 2019. Mark Katz, “What Do They See in Him? How the Middle East Views Putin and Russia,” Russian Analytical Digest, May 3, 2018. Suzanne Spaulding, “Democracy and Justice in the Age of Disinformation,” CSIS, May 1, 2019.

Please join the CSIS International Security Program for a conversation on the findings of the Congressionally mandated Syria Study Group and a discussion assessing the impact of coercive Russian and Iranian gray zone activities on U.S. and allied interests and on the trajectory of the Syrian conflict.Event Agenda   2:00 PM - 2:30 PM: Briefing on Syria Study Group's Findings Dana Stroul, Co-Chair, Syria Study Group Michael Singh, Co-Chair, Syria Study Group 2:30 PM - 3:30 PM: Panel Discussion on Gray Zone Activities in Syria Ibrahim al-Assil, Non-Resident Scholar, Middle East Institute Jon B. Alterman, Senior Vice President, Zbigniew Brzezinski Chair in Global Security and Geostrategy, and Director, Middle East Program, Center for Strategic and International Studies Soner Çağaptay, Beyer Family Fellow and Director, Turkish Research Program, The Washington Institute for Near East Policy LTG (ret.) Charles Cleveland, Senior Fellow, Combating Terrorism Center, United States Military Academy West Point This event is made possible through CSIS general support funds.

In this episode, Bob and Andrew talk to Brian Katz, a fellow of CSIS's International Security Program and the Transnational Threats Project. Brian breaks down the situation on the ground following the U.S. decision to pull troops out of northern Syria, discusses where ISIS stands, and offers insights into Russia's stance of the unfolding situation and what it means for the region. Download the full transcript here.

In this episode, Jon Alterman talks to Aisha Jumaan about her efforts to deliver humanitarian assistance to Yemenis in need. Dr. Aisha Jumaan is an epidemiologist and the founder and president of Yemen Relief and Reconstruction Foundation. Jon, Will, and Amber also discuss how Congress is thinking about the crisis in Yemen and how it is affected by U.S. politics. Jeremy Sharp, “Yemen: Civil War and Regional Intervention,” Congressional Research Service, September 17, 2019. Tess Bridgemean, “Getting Past the Veto on Ending Yemen War: How Congress’ Next Moves Can Succeed,” Just Security, May 3, 2019. Jon Alterman, “Aid and Conflict: Pitfalls in Yemen,” CSIS, August 16, 2018. Ben Westfall, “Fire Sale,” CSIS, November 27, 2017.

In this episode, Bob and Andrew sit down with Melissa Dalton, deputy director of the CSIS International Security Program and director of the Cooperative Defense Project. Melissa discusses the current situation of the ongoing conflict in Syria and the sudden withdrawal of U.S. forces there, while analyzing Russia's role, potential U.S. strategy, and the state of Turkey's relationship with the U.S. Download the full transcript here.

In this episode, Jon Alterman discusses the prospects for Syria’s political negotiations with Syrian journalist Ibrahim Hamidi. Ibrahim Hamidi is the senior diplomatic editor at Asharq Alawsat newspaper and previously served as the senior political editor at Al-Hayat. Jon, Will, and Amber also discuss Russian diplomacy in the Middle East, and we finish with a look at a counter-radicalism rap movement that has emerged in the Levant.   Ibrahim Hamidi, “Lavrov to Asharq Al-Awsat: Putin’s visit to KSA promotes partnership to new level,” Asharq Alawsat, October 3, 2019. Ibrahim Hamidi, “Pedersen achieves the first Syrian-Syrian agreement: The constitutional committee and its reference to Resolution 2254,” Asharq Alawsat, September 24, 2019 [Arabic]. Vance Serchuk, “Russia’s Middle East power play,” National Review, September 12, 2019. “Rapping against radicalism,” CSIS, September 25, 2018. (This contains links to the rap mentioned in the mezze.)

In this episode, Dan sits down with Dean Piedmont, Senior Advisor for Disarmament, Demobilization, and Reintegration (DDR) at Creative Associates, where Mr. Piedmont leads the charge in implementing DDR programs in various countries. Dan and Mr. Piedmont discuss the trends, challenges, and successes of past DDR programs, and how they can be redesigned for integration into Afghanistan. Their conversation touches on the critical role of stakeholders and builds a potential strategy for an Afghanistan program.

In this bonus episode of The Truth of the Matter, listen in on Bob Schieffer’s green room conversation with CSIS’ Jon Alterman, Seth Jones and the New York Times’ David Sanger, prior to the CSIS Schieffer Series event on the Iran situation, September 24. Download the full transcript here.

In this episode, Jon Alterman discusses U.S.-Iran negotiations with Ambassador Wendy Sherman. Amb. Sherman is a senior counselor at Albright Stonebridge Group. She led the U.S. negotiations team in developing the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) with Iran and is the author of Not for the Faint of Heart: Lessons in Courage, Power, and Persistence. Jon, Will, and Amber also discuss the role of Iranian soft power in the Middle East, and we finish with a look at religious eulogists in Iran. Jon Alterman, “U.S.-Iran Negotiations,” CSIS, September 13, 2019. Isaac Chotiner, “Q&A with Wendy Sherman: The Dangers of Trump’s Approach to Iran,” The New Yorker, June 19, 2019. Hanin Ghaddar and Dana Stroul, “Pushing Back on Iran in Syria: Beyond the Boots,” Washington Institute, January 22, 2019. “Soul Singers: Modernizing Shi`ite Eulogists” CSIS, July 12, 2018.

Many observers describe the situation in Yemen as the world’s worst humanitarian crisis. Nearly 80 percent of the country’s 28 million residents require assistance, and more than 7 million people are at risk of famine. Providing humanitarian assistance presents many challenges, as fighting and blockades frequently impede humanitarian access, and combatants divert aid supplies for political and financial gain. This discussion will examine how the dynamics of Yemen’s conflict help shape the country’s humanitarian situation, and participants will explore potential avenues to address issues of aid access. Panelists include: Dr. Aisha Jumaan, Founder and President, Yemen Relief and Reconstruction Foundation; Peter Salisbury, Consulting Senior Analyst on Yemen, International Crisis Group; Sheba Crocker, Vice President for Humanitarian Policy and Practice, CARE   Moderator: Jon B. Alterman, Senior Vice President, Zbigniew Brzezinski Chair in Global Security and Geostrategy, and Director, Middle East Program, CSIS   This event was made possible through the support of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID).

At the June 2019 Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit, when the Russian President Vladimir Putin met with Iranian President Hassan Rouhani, he remarked that the relations between the two countries were “multifaceted” and “multilateral.” The two countries have continued developing their ties despite tightened sanctions. What are the main economic and political drivers of Russia-Iran cooperation? Are there any irreconcilable differences between the two and where does Iran fit in U.S.-Russia relations?  This event is made possible by the generous support of the Carnegie Corporation of New York.   

In this episode, hosts Bob Schieffer and Andrew Schwartz interview CSIS Harold Brown Chair and Director of the Transnational Threats Project Seth Jones about the recent attack on Saudi Arabia's oil production facilities. They also discuss Jones's prescient and relevant report, "Iran’s Threat to Saudi Critical Infrastructure." Download the full transcript here.

CSIS Energy Program experts Andrew Stanley and Frank Verrastro are joined by Jon Alterman of the CSIS Middle East Program to discuss developments following the September 14 attacks on Abqaiq and Khurais in Saudi Arabia: what these events might mean for Saudi oil production and the global oil market, and where this leaves U.S. policy toward Iran and more broadly in the Middle East.

In our first episode, Jon Alterman sits down with Ambassador Bill Burns about the role of the United States in the Middle East. Amb. Burns is the president of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, the former deputy secretary of state, and the author of The Back Channel: A Memoir of American Diplomacy and the Case for its Renewal. Jon, Will, and Amber also discuss escalating tensions between Israel and Iran, and we finish with a look at how some couples are opting for a new type of gold in their wedding dowries. James McAuley, “Hezbollah downs Israeli drone in ongoing tension between Iranian-backed groups and Israel,” Washington Post, September 9, 2019. David Halbfinger, Ben Hubbard, and Ronen Bergman, “The Israel-Iran shadow war escalates and breaks into the open,” New York Times, August 28, 2019. William Burns and Jake Sullivan, “We led successful negotiations with Iran. Trump’s approach isn’t working,” Atlantic, May 16, 2019. Hannah Porter, “Fool’s gold?” CSIS, January 18, 2019.

At the end of June, the Board of Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, approved their new “5.0” strategy for 2021-2025, with an ambitious set of priorities for this new phase. In this episode of Take as Directed, Nellie Bristol sits down with Amanda Glassman, Executive Vice President and Senior Fellow of the Center for Global Development, and Katherine Bliss, Senior Fellow with the Global Health Policy Center, to discuss these changes and their implications for the broader immunization landscape beyond 2020.

This episode examines China’s increasing engagement with countries in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA). Our guest, Dr. Jon Alterman, evaluates the main drivers of China’s growing involvement in the region, including its crude oil imports and investment in ports and infrastructure. Dr. Alterman also explains China’s non-interference policy in the region’s disputes, and why China’s relationship with MENA countries has not suffered since China’s mass detention of Uighur populations in Xinjiang. Dr. Jon Alterman is a senior vice president, holds the Zbigniew Brzezinski Chair in Global Security and Geostrategy, and is director of the Middle East Program at CSIS. He previously served as a member of the Policy Planning Staff at the U.S. Department of State and as a special assistant to the assistant secretary of state for Near Eastern affairs. In addition to his policy work, he often teaches Middle Eastern studies at the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies and the George Washington University.

5:00 p.m. - 5:30 p.m. - Pre-Event Reception 5:30 p.m. - 6:30 p.m. - Event Bookselling and signing to follow the event.  In his forthcoming memoir, Jerusalem and Washington: A Life in Politics and Diplomacy, diplomat and raconteur Zalman Shoval leads readers behind closed doors into the rooms where prime ministers and presidents made history altering decisions about the first Gulf War, the fate of Jonathan Pollard, the role of the PLO, and Israel’s responses to international criticism and hostilities. First elected to the Knesset inheriting David Ben-Gurion’s seat, Shoval served with many of the State of Israel’s founding fathers. As one of the founders of Israel’s Likud party and before that of the “Rafi” party (headed by Ben-Gurion), Shoval was an early ally of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and a two-time ambassador to the United States. Shoval deftly navigated the complicated relationships among Israel’s various ministers and political parties. But no relationship was more fraught with uncertainty than Jerusalem and Washington’s in the 1990s, when Israel’s financial dependence on the U.S. ignited tensions that threatened Shoval’s diplomatic expulsion. Since Israel’s founding seventy years ago, Shoval has championed its independence, survival, and global reputation. Shoval’s Jerusalem and Washington gives a rare glimpse behind the scenes of an extraordinary life and the dramatic events that helped shape a nation. This event is made possible through general support to CSIS.

Please join CSIS for a discussion of the U.S. Army’s recently published and long-awaited two volume history, The U.S. Army in the Iraq War, 2003-2011. The authors will outline key findings from major episodes in the war and discuss the implications for today. Peter Bergen of New America, Kim Dozier of CNN and the Daily Beast, Michael Gordon of the Wall Street Journal, and Ken Pollack of AEI will provide commentary and  analysis.  Frank Sobchak and Joel Rayburn, OIF Editors with Michael Gordon, the Wall Street Journal Moderator: Peter Bergen, Vice President, Global Studies & Fellows at New America Author: Jeanne Godfroy, OIF Study Author Commentator: Kim Dozier, Contributor at CNN and The Daily Beast Moderator: Seth Center, Director of the Project on History and Strategy at CSIS Author: Jim Powell, OIF Study Author Commentator: Ken Pollack, Resident Scholar at the American Enterprise Institute This event is made possible by the general support to CSIS.

Please join the Center for Strategic and International Studies for a discussion with Brian Hook, U.S. special representative for Iran, on President Trump's Iran policy, the impact of the U.S. withdrawal from the JCPOA, and the future of U.S.-Iran relations.Brian Hook is the U.S. Special Representative for Iran and Senior Policy Advisor to the Secretary of State. Prior to this appointment, he served as Director of the Policy Planning Staff from 2017-2018. From 2009-2017, he managed an international strategic consulting firm based in Washington, DC. He held a number of senior positions in the Bush Administration, including Assistant Secretary of State for International Organizations; Senior Advisor to the U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations; Special Assistant to the President for Policy in the White House Chief of Staff’s office; and Counsel, Office of Legal Policy, at the Justice Department. He practiced corporate law at Hogan & Hartson in Washington from 1999-2003. Before practicing law, he served as an advisor to Iowa Governor Terry Branstad and to U.S. Congressman James Leach.This event is made possible by general support to CSIS. 

The CSIS Middle East Program invites you to join Dr. Jon Alterman and Senator Tammy Duckworth for a convervsation on the United States and Iraq. Dr. Alterman will discuss the current U.S. strategy in Iraq with Senator Duckworth, who will reflect on her experience serving in that country. Senator Tammy Duckworth is a U.S. senator for Illinois and retired U.S. Army Lieutenant Colonel who deployed to Iraq in 2004 as a Blackhawk helicopter pilot. Prior to her election to the Senate, Senator Duckworth represented the Eighth District of Illinois in the U.S. House of Representatives for two terms—from 2013 to early 2017. Before that, she served as Assistant Secretary of Veterans Affairs under President Barack Obama as well as Director of the Illinois Department of Veterans' Affairs from 2006 to 2008. This event is made possible by general support to CSIS. 

On April 23, 2019, the Aerospace Security Project at the Center for Strategic and International Studies will be hosting a discussion on pre-existing and emerging threats to U.S. space systems. The event will kickoff with a keynote from Steve Kitay, DASD for Space Policy. Following Mr. Kitay's remarks, an expert panel will discuss recent global counterspace developments. This event highlights the Aerospace Security Project’s new report, Space Threat Assessment 2019, and the Secure World Foundation’s new report, Global Counterspace Capabilities. Following the discussion, please join us for a screening of a new documentary, Commanding Space: The Story Behind the Space Force, produced by the CSIS Andreas C. Dracopoulos iDeas Lab. To celebrate the launch of both the new report and the documentary, we invite you to stay after the screening for a networking reception.This event is made possible through general support to CSIS. 

Join CSIS's Burke Chair in Strategy for a discussion with Dr. Munqith Dagher, who will present findings from a major series of public opinion surveys and analyses of Iraqi public opinion on the country's political and social landscape 16 years after the invasion. His presentation covers critical issues like the level of national unity versus polarization and divisions by region, party, ethnicity, and sect. He address level of support for the new government, reactions to the fighting, and goals for the future. These are critical inputs to U.S. policy in addressing its future relations with a key strategic partner, and in understanding the level of U.S., Iranian,and other outside competition for influence and support in Iraq. Dr. Dagher is the Chairman of the Al Mustakilla Research Groups (IIACSS), and a leading Iraqi expert on polling and public opinion analysis. Hosted by Anthony Cordesman, Dr. Cagher's presentation will explore the current Iraqi landscape, what it means for Iraq's immediate future, and the prospects of progress towards near-term stability. This event was made possible by general support to CSIS.

2018 Eisenhower Fellow Wafaa AlAshwali, CEO and Co-Founder of Serviis, a Saudi Arabia-based digital platform and local marketplace, talks to host Beverly Kirk about how her company and others like it are opening up new opportunities for women entrepreneurs in her country. She also discusses the Saudi Vision 2030 plan and efforts to include more women in the workforce.

The CSIS Transnational Threats Project cordially invites you to a book launch event for Eli Berman, Joseph H. Felter & Jacob N. Shapiro's newly released Small Wars, Big Data: The Information Revolution in Modern Conflict (Princeton University Press).    Moderated bySeth G. Jones Harold Brown Chair Director, Transnational Threats Project Senior Adviser, International Security Program  WithJacob N. Shapiro Professor of Politics and International Affairs at Princeton University   The way wars are fought has changed starkly over the past sixty years. International military campaigns used to play out between large armies at central fronts. Today's conflicts find major powers facing rebel insurgencies that deploy elusive methods, from improvised explosives to terrorist attacks. Small Wars, Big Data presents a transformative understanding of these contemporary confrontations and how they should be fought. The authors show that a revolution in the study of conflict--enabled by vast data, rich qualitative evidence, and modern methods—yields new insights into terrorism, civil wars, and foreign interventions. Modern warfare is not about struggles over territory but over people; civilians—and the information they might choose to provide—can turn the tide at critical junctures. The authors draw practical lessons from the past two decades of conflict in locations ranging from Latin America and the Middle East to Central and Southeast Asia. Building an information-centric understanding of insurgencies, the authors examine the relationships between rebels, the government, and civilians. This approach serves as a springboard for exploring other aspects of modern conflict, including the suppression of rebel activity, the role of mobile communications networks, the links between aid and violence, and why conventional military methods might provide short-term success but undermine lasting peace. Ultimately the authors show how the stronger side can almost always win the villages, but why that does not guarantee winning the war.Small Wars, Big Data provides groundbreaking perspectives for how small wars can be better strategized and favorably won to the benefit of the local population.This event is made possible through general support to CSIS.

Please join the CSIS Humanitarian Agenda as it hosts the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) Executive Director Henrietta Fore for a keynote address and armchair discussion. Executive Director Fore's address will outline the challenges that humanitarian organizations like UNICEF face in gaining access to the women, children, and young people living through conflict and crises. She will describe UNICEF's approach to overcoming access barriers in countries like Yemen, South Sudan, Afghanistan, and Syria. She will also discuss how UNICEF is working in fragile contexts not only to serve immediate needs, but also to support communities' resilience as they build lasting health, nutrition, water, and education systems for long-term prosperity. For over four decades, Executive Director Fore has worked to champion economic development, education, health, humanitarian assistance, and disaster relief. Her impressive career includes being appointed as the first female Administrator of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) from 2007 – 2009 and serving on the boards of the Overseas Private Investment Corporation and the Millennium Challenge Corporation. We look forward to your attendance and participation for this event.  

Please join us to celebrate World Humanitarian Day with Administrator Mark Green of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID). World Humanitarian Day is an international celebration that commemorates both the accomplishments and sacrifices of humanitarian aid personnel who work in difficult and dangerous environments. Without their dedication to humanity, the delivery of life-saving aid and technical support to millions across the globe would not be possible. The discussion will focus on the future of humanitarian assistance, evolving challenges in the aid community, and U.S. leadership within this sector moving forward. We look forward to your attendance and participation to celebrate this special day.  

The world faces complex challenges posed by a growing and aging population, forced migration, persistent poverty, urbanization, and a series of technological disruptions impacting labor. The world needs 600 million new jobs over the next 15 years just to keep up with current demand. If channeled correctly, population growth could lead to a demographic dividend. Otherwise, this wave of human energy will be lost. The adage remains true: the best social program (and best national security policy) is a job. Institutions like the International Labor Organization (ILO) have many roles to play in this changing world: agenda setter, capacity builder, convener, and trusted partner. A tri-partite organization made up of government, labor, and the private sector, the ILO seeks to bridge differences and build a common approach. The ILO was stood up in the belief that societies are interdependent and that labor unions need thriving businesses that, in turn, want clear rules of the game and a productive and happy workforce. As the ILO approaches 100 years of service, it has formed a Global Commission on the Future of Work. The Global Commission has convened several national dialogues seeking to understand the future of work and the changing roles of diverse stakeholders in society. Please join us for a discussion with Guy Ryder, the Director-General of the ILO as we discuss the role of the ILO in this changing context.  This event is made possible by generous support from the International Labor Organization.

Please join us for a public panel discussion on the importance role of USAID's foreign service nationals. Foreign service nationals (FSNs) are local, non-U.S. citizens employed by USAID and the State Department. Many USAID FSNs are extremely qualified, having received advanced degrees in their respective fields and having worked at the most senior levels in government, business or civil society before coming to USAID. They are the largest component of USAID's workforce and an integral part of USAID’s in-country missions because they speak the local languages and have contacts throughout the country enabling the U.S. Embassy to advance its agenda. Many even go on to hold political offices in their countries as Ministers of Health or other elected positions. The State Department uses FSNs differently, rarely in senior positions. As these agencies move closer and closer together, the differences between how the two agencies use FSNs should be addressed, with lessons to be learned from both approaches. Please join us for this important discussion on June 1st.  This event was made possible through general support to CSIS.

After following the path of migrants from sub-Saharan Africa in part one, we now join them as they try to navigate life in the Maghreb where different countries have different strategies for welcoming their new arrivals. With Haim Malka. Hosted by Colm Quinn. Check out Haim’s report here: Destination Maghreb: Changing Migration Patterns in North Africa. Music credit: “Sidi Habibi” is from the Tsikago album by Lamajamal, a Chicago-based music ensemble, and published by Intercultural Music Production. Subscribe to our new podcast on all things North Korea, The Impossible State.

Please join the CSIS Human Rights Initiative, Charity and Security Network, and The Humanitarian Forum for the launch of a series of country case studies on de-risking in conflict zones. Global financial institutions are increasingly terminating or restricting relationships with U.S. nonprofit organizations (NPOs), financial intermediaries, and local organizations in various regions of the world, a trend called “de-risking.” This practice, combined with a complex terror environment, poses enormous challenges to organizations working to deliver aid in areas that need it most, as well as to government policies centered around financial institutions. As work progresses towards finding solutions for NPOs' financial access difficulties, it is integral to ensure that these solutions have a global reach. At the same time, efforts are being made to document the consequences of de-risking of foreign NPOs and their beneficiaries. During this event, expert panelists will discuss the findings of the country case studies, with a focus on Syria, Yemen, Somalia, and Palestine. This event is made possible through general support to CSIS.

In this episode, Jon Alterman is joined by Dr. Steffen Hertog, an associate professor in comparative politics at the London School of Economics. Steffen discusses the goals and long-term prospects of the UAE’s national service program in the context of shifting relations between Gulf militaries, governments, and societies. He considers how the UAE’s experiment in conscription as a nationbuilding tool could accelerate a broader effort by Gulf leaders to redefine the contract between citizens and the state—and also raises important questions about the challenges such efforts may face.

The history of U.S.-Iranian relations is dominated by the 1979 Iranian revolution and the ensuing hostage crisis at the America embassy in Tehran. However, there is more to the relationship than a single flash-point. In his new book, Losing Hearts and Minds: American-Iranian Relations and International Education during the Cold War, Dr. Matthew Shannon tells the story of thousands of Iranian students sent to study at American universities during the Cold War and how, in a twist of irony, a program designed to bolster the Shah’s government and its relationship with the United States provided a space for youthful dissidents to organize against the Pahlavi regime. Join us as we welcome Dr. Shannon to discuss his book, the students who presaged the Iranian revolution, and what they can teach us about U.S.-Iranian relations in the Cold War and beyond. This event was made possible by generous support for the Project on Military and Diplomatic History.

In this episode, Jon Alterman takes a broader view of conscription with Elisabeth Braw, a NATO expert and nonresident senior fellow at the Atlantic Council. Elisabeth is a former journalist who has observed Nordic armies closely throughout her career. She discusses the evolving approaches towards conscription of some European nations that have maintained a military draft. She also explains key aspects of the Finnish model, which the UAE studied carefully while designing its own program. Though the UAE program differs in critical respects, Elisabeth highlights lessons the Finnish experience may hold for the UAE and others.

As the United States sends mixed messages on its Syria policy, we take a look at what an American troop exit from Syria would mean and the wider issue of stabilizing a post-conflict country. With CSIS Senior Fellow Melissa Dalton. Hosted by Colm Quinn. Listen to CSIS's latest limited series "Citizens in Training" on Apple Podcasts and everywhere else.

Yemen’s unprecedented humanitarian crisis cannot be understood in isolation from the country’s complex political and economic dynamics, International Rescue Committee (IRC) president and CEO David Miliband and other experts agreed at an event on “The Humanitarian Crisis in Yemen” on April 5, 2018 hosted by the CSIS Humanitarian Agenda in partnership with the CSIS Middle East Program. Yemen’s humanitarian emergency is both a product and a potential driver of political instability, Miliband argued. Political and diplomatic actors share an urgent responsibility to address the drivers of that instability.  A subsequent panel discussion analyzed the context for Yemen’s humanitarian emergency and the consequences of its persistence. The participants were Barbara Bodine, director of Georgetown University’s Institute for the Study of Diplomacy and former U.S. ambassador to Yemen, Peter Salisbury, senior consulting fellow with Chatham House’s Middle East and North Africa Program, and Abdulrahman al-Eryani, a Yemeni international economist and development specialist.  The speakers agreed that Yemen is a relatively low priority for global powers but argued it should not remain so. Should Yemen’s humanitarian crisis be left to deteriorate, they warned, the consequences will be far-reaching and long-lasting. Charting a constructive path forward requires sustained diplomatic engagement to facilitate aid provision and conflict resolution and to draw a broad base of Yemenis into a process to forge a framework for the future.   In its complexity, its protracted nature, and its devastating toll on civilians, the conflict plaguing Yemen since 2015 embodies what Miliband called some of the most perilous patterns in modern wars. As al-Eryani noted, Yemen’s preexisting fragility was a factor in lowering Yemen’s resilience to the impacts of conflict. Yet, a convergence of factors have made the conflict more harmful to civilians and more complex to resolve. Miliband argued, “This is a manmade conflict with very deep roots and very, very acute consequences.” One factor, the speakers held, is the failure of warring parties to uphold rules of war that protect civilians. Miliband cited information collected by the Yemen Data Project that since the start of Yemen’s conflict, essential infrastructure has been hit by at least 4,500 air strikes, while 342 strikes have hit educational buildings and 68 have hit hospitals and health clinics. Miliband also framed the blocking of aid delivery as not merely a logistical issue, but also a political one. “The problem is strangulation, not access,” he argued. He further asserted that a stable humanitarian supply chain rests on the “permanent” opening of ports to humanitarian and commercial shipments including food, fuel, and medicine. Second, the complex and fragmented nature of Yemen’s conflict has complicated its resolution. It is a gross oversimplification, the speakers agreed, to characterize the war as merely a two-sided contest between the government of Yemeni President Abed Rabbo Mansour Hadi and Houthi rebels, nor is it principally a proxy war between a Saudi-led coalition that supports Hadi and Iran, which supports the Houthis. In reality, sub-conflicts are playing out along local, national, regional, and increasingly global axes, and parties often switch sides opportunistically.  Even actors ostensibly allied with each other possess a wide range of agendas and priorities and sometimes come into direct competition with one another, explained Salisbury. He described tensions within the Saudi-led coalition between a “tribal military faction” in the North that has aligned with Islah, Yemen’s leading Islamist party, and a subset of forces backed by the United Arab Emirates in the South that is broadly hostile to Islah. The Houthis are also far from a monolith, Salisbury argued. The political wing leading the negotiations has waning...

In this episode, Jon Alterman speaks to Dr. Calvert Jones, assistant professor at the University of Maryland, College Park in the department of government and politics and the author of Bedouins Into Bourgeois: Remaking Citizens for Globalization. Calvert reflects on the UAE’s military conscription program through the prism of wider efforts to cultivate a new type of UAE citizen for a future that is less dependent on oil. She highlights how social engineering efforts can sometimes produce unexpected—or unintended—consequences. In particular, she discusses a paradox she dubbed the “entitled patriot” that she observed when studying the effects of nationalism education in the UAE.

The collapse of Islamic State control in Syria has been hailed in both Russia and the United States as a victory over terrorism. Both credit their country’s military involvement with victory. But the war that continues in Syria also lays bare Moscow and Washington’s conflicting definitions and approaches when it comes to terrorism, insurgency, and combat operations. Moreover, even if a path to stabilization in that country is found, America and Russia will continue to face terrorism and terrorists at home and abroad. The ways in which these two crucial countries respond as the threat evolves will shape both their own polities and the world as a whole. Please join us on Friday, March 30 for an expert discussion of what we can expect from the end game in Syria and after; emerging trends in terrorism and violent extremism; and the evolution and implications of U.S. and Russian policies and roles. Moderated by Dr. Olga Oliker.  This event is organized in partnership with EastWest Institute.

Join CSIS's Burke Chair in Strategy for a discussion with Dr. Munqith Dagher, who will present findings from a major series of public opinion surveys and analyses of Iraqi public opinion on the country's 2018 parliamentary elections in May. Dr. Dagher is the CEO of the Independent Institute for Administration and Civil Society Studies (IIACSS), and a leading Iraqi expert on polling and public opinion analysis. Hosted by Anthony Cordesman, Dr. Dagher's presentation will explore the various scenarios that could play out in the election, the influence of regional and super powers in the election, and how the outcome will affect the balance of power in the region. This event was made possible by general support to CSIS.

Current social movements have focused an overdue spotlight on the disadvantages faced by women and girls around the world. Join us for a discussion of both the challenges of persistent gender inequality and the inspiring strength and resilience of women and girls, especially vis-à-vis their contributions to food and nutrition security in unstable environments. Natural and manmade disasters often reinforce and even augment gender disparities, undermining women’s prospects for recovery. The long-term and intergenerational consequences of malnutrition are also disproportionately borne by women. In light of compelling evidence that gender-sensitive investments yield impressive returns in agricultural and nutrition programming, are development stakeholders sufficiently focused on women’s empowerment? How can we better harness and leverage the strength of women as change agents in both the humanitarian and development context? This dialogue is part of the joint CSIS Global Food Security Project and Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, Liaison Office for North America speaker series on agricultural development.

In this episode, Jon Alterman speaks to Dr. Kristin Smith Diwan, senior resident scholar at the Arab Gulf States Institute in Washington. Kristin situates the UAE’s conscription program in the context of a “new nationalism” in Gulf Arab countries that seeks in part to galvanize citizens to contribute more actively to the state. Kristin also discusses how more specific identities—gender, socioeconomic class, and local affiliations—may shape how Emiratis and other Gulf citizens experience these efforts to foster nationalism.

In this episode, Jon Alterman speaks to Dr. F. Gregory Gause, professor of international affairs and head of the international affairs department at the Bush School of Government and Public Service at Texas A&M University. Greg assesses the durability of the United Arab Emirates' (UAE) conscription project, its potential to spread beyond the UAE, and what the program reveals about the strategic thinking of the UAE's leadership. The UAE’s choices—not least the use of a military model for social engineering—will have important implications for Emiratis and any who seek to follow the UAE’s example.

Please join the Human Rights Initiative for a discussion about civil society resiliency and sustainability. The current phenomenon of closing civic space prompts civil society actors to explore alternative programmatic and funding models and approaches to sustain their work. It also urges donors to find ways that mutually respond to the challenges confronted by civil society organizations and to their funding priorities. During this event, experts will discuss adaptability challenges both donors and civil society organizations face within restrictive environments, and how best to address them. Panelists will also present on recent reports published through the International Consortium on Closing Civic Space.This event is made possible by support from the Oak Foundation and the Mott Foundation.

In this edition of Russian Roulette, Jeff sits down with Maxim Suchkov, editor of Al-Monitor’s Russia-Mideast coverage and a non-resident expert at Russian International Affairs Council (RIAC). They discuss the conflict in Syria and Russia’s diplomacy towards finding a resolution to that conflict, Russia’s bilateral relationship with Turkey and other Mideast state and non-state actors, and much more.   To hear more from Maxim, check out his recent publications, here: https://www.al-monitor.com/pulse/authors/maxim-suchkov.html   As always, keep sending us mailbag questions! If you would like to have your question answered on the podcast, send it to us! Email rep@csis.org and put “Russian Roulette” in the subject line. And, if you have one, include your Twitter handle, so we can notify you publicly when we answer your question (or, if you don’t want us to, tell us that). We look forward to hearing from you.