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This week, Max sat down for a public conversation with Hanna Notte and Jon B. Alterman to discuss how the governments of Russia and Iran have strengthened their political, economic, and security collaboration since the launch of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
CSIS's Jon B. Alterman joins the podcast to discuss the complex set of options that Israel and the United States are facing to secure peace in the Middle East.
What does a shift in the balance of power mean for the world? For much of the last 100 years, Western countries have dominated the global order. But now, with many nations vying for power, new regional partnerships and middle powers are on the rise. Economically, strategic alliances like BRICS are bolstering the influence of non-Western countries. And in a world that's more digitally connected than ever, the global rise of pop culture heavyweights like Bollywood, dizi and K-pop means there's more soft power in the hands of countries outside the historical superpowers. At the same time, conflict is on the rise globally. Last year, the UN said there were more ongoing conflicts than at any point since World War II. Now, more than ever, it's crucial to think about who should lead. Students, recent graduates and expert speakers—Jon B. Alterman, Sawsan Chebli and Wadah Khanfar—come together for this Doha Debates town hall event that breaks down today's most urgent issues, examines the impact of shifting global powers and answers the question: Who should lead in a multipolar world? This town hall was moderated by journalist Femi Oke and produced in partnership with Doha Forum.
With violence between Palestinians and Israelis at its highest levels in decades, voices have risen again in favor of a two-state solution. Reviving the idea will require redefining some terms, including "two," "state," and "solution." A new audio brief from the CSIS Middle East Program. Jon Alterman, "A Different Two-State Solution," CSIS, January 10, 2024. Jon Alterman, "Audio Brief: A Different Two-State Solution with Jon B. Alterman," CSIS, February 2, 2024. For more spoken word summaries from CSIS experts about their latest reports, white papers, and commentaries, please listen to the CSIS podcast Audio Briefs.
PM Narendra Modi is all set to visit the UAE on 13-14 February to launch a Hindu temple in its capital Abu Dhabi. It's a moment of profound significance, diplomatically and geopolitically. Editor-in-Chief Shekhar Gupta explains in Ep 1392 of Cut The Clutter.----more----‘New India finds old role in changing Middle-East': C. Raja Mohan, Foreign Policy https://foreignpolicy.com/2021/10/29/india-modi-middle-east-quad-israel-uae-geopolitics/----more----‘Modi's three foreign policy wins': Ashley Tellis, Carnegie Endowment/Economic Times https://carnegieendowment.org/2019/03/24/modi-s-three-foreign-policy-wins-pub-78675----more----‘India's new Middle-East policy takes shape': Kabir Taneja, Foreign Policy https://foreignpolicy.com/2023/11/17/india-modi-israel-netanyahu-uae-saudi-middle-east-strategy-takes-shape/----more----CSIS conversation between Jon B. Alterman and C. Raja Mohan https://www.csis.org/analysis/indias-middle-east-strategy----more----Cut The Clutter on India-Middle-East-Europe Economic Corridor: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0D6qg7Twelo
China has established itself as an essential partner in Gulf states' energy transitions. However, Western governments have been reluctant to compete head-to-head with Chinese enterprises in the renewables sector in the Gulf. A new audio brief from the CSIS Middle East Program. Faris Al-Sulayman and Jon Alterman, "China's Essential Role in the Gulf States' Energy Transitions," CSIS, December 11, 2023. Jon Alterman, "'China's Essential Role in the Gulf States' Energy Transitions': Audio Brief with Jon B. Alterman," CSIS, December 11, 2023. For more spoken word summaries from CSIS experts about their latest reports, white papers, and commentaries, please listen to the CSIS podcast Audio Briefs.
What does a shift in the balance of power mean for the world? For much of the last 100 years, Western countries have dominated the global order. But now, with many nations vying for power, new regional partnerships and middle powers are on the rise. Economically, strategic alliances like BRICS are bolstering the influence of non-Western countries. And in a world that's more digitally connected than ever, the global rise of pop culture heavyweights like Bollywood, dizi and K-pop means there's more soft power in the hands of countries outside the historical superpowers. At the same time, conflict is on the rise globally. Earlier this year, the UN said there are more ongoing conflicts than at any point since World War II. Now, more than ever, it's crucial to think about who should lead. Join us, along with students, recent graduates and expert speakers—Jon B. Alterman, Sawsan Chebli and Wadah Khanfar—for a town hall event that breaks down today's most urgent issues, examines the impact of shifting global powers and answers the question: Who should lead in a multipolar world? This Doha Debates town hall was moderated by journalist Femi Oke and produced in partnership with Doha Forum. It was filmed at Qatar National Library in Doha, Qatar on December 9, 2023.
Protesters, politicians, and the pope are calling for a ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas war, but the US and Israeli governments remain opposed. Vox's Jonathan Guyer and Jon B. Alterman from the Center for Strategic and International Studies explain what happens next. This episode was produced by Avishay Artsy and Isabel Angell, edited by Matt Collette, fact-checked by Laura Bullard, engineered by David Herman, and hosted by Sean Rameswaram. Transcript at vox.com/todayexplained Support Today, Explained by making a financial contribution to Vox! bit.ly/givepodcasts Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
In this episode of the ChinaPower Podcast, we are joined by Dr. Jon B. Alterman to unpack the relationship between China and the Middle East. Dr. Alterman begins with an overview of China's role in the region, detailing China's varied individual relationships with different countries. He states that China's growing presence in the region is mostly motivated by Chinese self-interest and China is not willing to commit large sacrifices to deepen its relations with the region or with particular countries like Iran. Dr. Alterman concludes that the future of China-Middle East relations is unpredictable, and the United States should not overestimate China's power in the region. Dr. Jon B. 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. Prior to joining CSIS in 2002, he 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, and from 2009-2019 he served as a member of the Chief of Naval Operations Executive Panel.
This week on Babel, Jon talks with Ghassan Salamé, a Paris-based academic and former UN mediator with over three decades of experience moving between academia and public policy. They talk about how he started his UN career, the role and limitations of the United Nations as a conflict mediator, and how his experiences as a practitioner inform the way that he teaches international affairs. Then, Jon, Will Todman, Danny Sharp talk about how their own academic backgrounds prepared them for careers in foreign policy. Stephanie Williams and Ghassan Salamé “Why There's Hope for Libya,” Newlines Magazine, April 22, 2021. "An Interview with Dr. Jon B. Alterman," New Perspectives in Foreign Policy, 2015. Transcript, "In and Out of the Ivory Tower" CSIS, December 7, 2021.
Teneo's global team of experts join Kevin Kajiwara, Co-President of Political Risk Advisory, for an important discussion on critical issues to watch in key regions around the world in 2022. We are pleased to be joined by Jon B. Alterman, Teneo Senior Advisor and Director of the Middle East Program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS); Antonio Barroso, Teneo Managing Director and expert on Europe; Anne Frühauf, Teneo Managing Director and expert on Southern Africa; Bob Herrera-Lim, Teneo Managing Director and expert on Southeast Asia; Nicholas Watson, Teneo Managing Director and expert on Spanish-speaking Latin America; and Gabriel Wildau, Teneo Senior Vice President and expert on China.
On this episode of the DefAero Report Daily Podcast, sponsored by Bell, Dr. Jon B. Alterman, the Zbigniew Brzezinski Chair in Global Security and Geostrategy at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) and Ilan Berman of the American Foreign Policy Council discuss discuss the latest conflict between Israel and Hamas and the implication for US-Israel relations, regional stability and a future two-state solution with Defense & Aerospace Report Editor Vago Muradian.
Jon B. Alterman, Teneo Senior Advisor and Director of the Middle East Program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), Anne Frühauf, Teneo Managing Director and expert on Southern Africa, Carsten Nickel, Teneo Managing Director and expert on Western Europe, Nicholas Watson, Teneo Managing Director and expert on Spanish-speaking Latin America, and Gabriel Wildau, Teneo Senior Vice President and expert on China, join Kevin Kajiwara, Co-President of Political Risk Advisory, for an important discussion on critical issues to watch in key regions around the world in 2021.
“The Chinese model is we will advance your economy, we will make you rich, and we’re not going to talk about human rights, we’re not going to talk about democratization, we’re going to talk about changing the role of women. We will just do business with you. It will be win-win, and let’s let the Americans do what they want, let the Americans annoy people. We will be your partner.” On today’s program, we are talking China and we are talking the Middle East. We may not picture the Middle East when we think of Chinese foreign policy, but our guest Jon Alterman has some insights as to why we should be. With China having to allegiance to human rights, women’ issues, or democracy, many Arab states in the Middle East are fertile ground for China to expand their economic footprint. What is China doing in the Middle East? Why are there 250,000 Chinese living in the UAE? What role is— as always— oil playing in all this? Jon Alterman is here to tell us. Jon B. 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. Prior to joining CSIS in 2002, he 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, and from 2009-2019 he served as a member of the Chief of Naval Operations Executive Panel. 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. Earlier in his career, Alterman was a scholar at the U.S. Institute of Peace and at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy and a legislative aide to Senator Daniel P. Moynihan (D-NY) responsible for foreign policy and defense. From 1993 to 1997, Alterman was an award-winning teacher at Harvard University, where he received his Ph.D. in history. Alterman has lectured in more than 35 countries on five continents on subjects related to the Middle East and U.S. policy toward the region. He is the author or coauthor of four books on the Middle East and the editor of five more. In addition to his academic work, he is sought out as a consultant to business and government and is a frequent commentator in print, on radio, and on television. His opinion pieces have appeared in the New York Times, Washington Post, Wall Street Journal, Financial Times, and other major publications. He is a former international affairs fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations, where he is now a life member. He received his A.B. from Princeton University's School of Public and International Affairs and now serves as vice chair of Shepherd’s Table, an organization that serves 120,000 meals per year to the food insecure in Silver Spring, Maryland. -------------------------------------- www.talkingbeats.com Please consider supporting Talking Beats with Daniel Lelchuk via our Patreon: patreon.com/talkingbeats In addition to early episode access, bonus episodes, and other benefits, you will contribute to us being able to present the highest quality substantive, long-form interviews with the world's most compelling people. We believe that providing a platform for individual expression, free thought, and a diverse array of views is more important now than ever.
This week, Jon, Will, and McKinley talk about who joins militant jihadi groups and why. Then, Jon talks with Elisabeth Kendall, an Oxford University-based scholar of Arabic literature who has focused on poetry among Yemeni jihadis. They discuss poetry in Yemen, what makes “good” jihadi poetry, and differences between al Qaeda and ISIS poetry. Jon B. Alterman, Religious Radicalism After the Arab Uprisings, Center for Strategic and International Studies, 2015. Elisabeth Kendall, “Militant Jihadist Poetry and the Battle for Hearts and Minds,” The Anglo-Omani Society, 2019. Elisabeth Kendall, “Contemporary Jihadi Militancy in Yemen: How is the Threat Evolving,” Middle East Institute, July 2018.
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.
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.
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.
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).
With rising regional tension, Iran’s economic future and relationship with the United States remain uncertain. Cliff Kupchan (Eurasia Group) joins Frank Verrastro (CSIS) and Jon B. Alterman (CSIS) to discuss the current state of affairs in Iran, the fate of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), Russia’s growing influence in the Middle East, and the implications of the tumultuous U.S.-Iranian bilateral relationship on energy investment in Iran.
A geoeconomic contest is underway to shape Asia’s future. Regional powers are putting forward ambitious plans for building roads, railways, pipelines, and other hard infrastructure - changes that have the potential to dramatically alter the flow of goods, people, and ideas within and between countries. Please join Reconnecting Asia, a CSIS initiative that maps Asia's new linkages - roads, railways, and other infrastructure - for a discussion with CSIS's leading regional experts on how these developments could re-shape the future of the super-continent.Featuring a panel discussion with:Jon B. Alterman Senior Vice President, Zbigniew Brzezinski Chair in Global Security and Geostrategy, and Director, Middle East ProgramBulent Aliriza Director and Senior Associate, Turkey Project Heather A. Conley Senior Vice President for Europe, Eurasia, and the Arctic; and Director, Europe ProgramMichael J. Green Senior Vice President for Asia and Japan Chair Christopher K. Johnson Senior Adviser and Freeman Chair in China StudiesOlga Oliker Senior Adviser and Director, Russia and Eurasia ProgramRichard M. Rossow Senior Adviser and Wadhwani Chair in U.S.-India Policy StudiesAmy Searight Senior Adviser and Director, Southeast Asia ProgramModerated by:Matthew P. Goodman William E. Simon Chair in Political Economy and Senior Adviser for Asian Economics
With a special introduction by:Jon B. Alterman Senior Vice President, Zbigniew Brzezinski Chair in Global Security and Geostrategy, and Director, Middle East Program Moderated by: Bob Schieffer Panelists:Thomas L. Friedman Columnist, The New York Times David Ignatius Columnist, The Washington Post Nancy Youssef Senior National Security Correspondent, The Daily Beast The TCU Bob Schieffer College of Communication and CSIS cohost a monthly series of dialogues hosted by award-winning journalist Bob Schieffer to discuss the most pressing foreign and domestic issues of the day. The CSIS- Schieffer Series Dialogues are made possible by the generous support of the Stavros Niarchos Foundation.
The Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) and TCU's Schieffer School of Journalism hosted the next session of The CSIS-Schieffer Series Dialogues on “Redefining the Front Lines: Anthony Shadid and Foreign Reporting in the 21st Century.” Moderated by: Bob Schieffer Chief Washington Correspondent, CBS News; Anchor, CBS News' "Face the Nation" Panelists: Jon B. Alterman Zbigniew Brzezinski Chair in Global Security and Geostrategy and Director, Middle East Program, CSIS Rajiv Chandrasekaran Senior Correspondent and Associate Editor, The Washington Post Robert F. Worth Writer, The New York Times Magazine Anthony Shadid's recently published book House of Stone will be available for purchase. The TCU Schieffer School of Journalism and CSIS cosponsor a monthly series of dialogues hosted by award-winningjournalist Bob Schieffer to discuss the most pressing foreign and domestic issues of the day.