Podcasts about Middle East Policy

**Hello listeners, an earlier version of this episode contained glitches due to an upload error. If you hear breaks in the audio, please download the episode again for the corrected version. Thanks for listening, and we apologize for the mishap!** Is Trump's Middle East Policy a Break From the Past? Last week, U.S. President Donald Trump visited three countries in the Middle East—Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Qatar—on the first scheduled foreign trip of his second term. While many of the headlines from the trip focused on the 747 jetliner Qatar donated for use as Air Force One, it's probably more notable that Trump rejected decades of Western intervention in the region and declared that there would be “no more lectures” from America. Is the Trump administration re-aligning American priorities in the region? F. Gregory Gause, visiting scholar at the Middle East Institute, joins FP Live to discuss why the Gulf monarchies are rising in importance.  Suggested reading (FP links are paywall-free): Howard W. French: What Trump Got Right in the Middle East Agathe Demarais: The U.S. Economy Is Now Trump Enterprises Michael Hirsh: A New Authoritarian Era in the Mideast? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week on a special edition of Babel, Will Todman speaks with Jon Alterman, the creator of Babel and the show's host since it began in 2019. They discuss Jon's reflections on 22 years directing the CSIS Middle East Program, his analysis of how the Middle East policy ecosystem has changed during that time, and his advice to those entering the field. Jon and Will cap off the conversation by discussing the lessons Jon will take to his new CSIS role as the Brzezinski Chair in Global Security and Geostrategy. Transcript: "⁠Babel Special: Jon Alterman's Next Chapter⁠⁠," CSIS, May 22, 2025. Jon's latest work:⁠ "Scenarios That Could Define 2035⁠," CSIS, May 14, 2025. Jon's career advice: ⁠"Advice for Job Seekers in Middle East Policy⁠," CSIS.

On this week's episode of Global Digest, we are joined by Prof. Noah Midamba, Senior Associate at Global Centre for Policy and Strategy to dissect President Trump's State visit of the Middle East, lifting of sanctions against Syria's interim administration as well as EU-Nato or Trump who claim.the bragging rights for securing the elusive Russia-Ukraine ceasefire. Domestically, President Ruto's declaration that Kenya and China are the new world triggered the US Senate into reviewing Kenya-US relations

New York Times columnist David Brooks and Washington Post associate editor Jonathan Capehart join Amna Nawaz to discuss the week in politics, including President Trump's trip to the Middle East and his policy shifts in the region, Qatar’s luxury plane gift, the Supreme Court's birthright citizenship hearing, talks of an immigration reality show and the administration investigating James Comey. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

New York Times columnist David Brooks and Washington Post associate editor Jonathan Capehart join Amna Nawaz to discuss the week in politics, including President Trump's trip to the Middle East and his policy shifts in the region, Qatar’s luxury plane gift, the Supreme Court's birthright citizenship hearing, talks of an immigration reality show and the administration investigating James Comey. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

New York Times columnist David Brooks and Washington Post associate editor Jonathan Capehart join Amna Nawaz to discuss the week in politics, including President Trump's trip to the Middle East and his policy shifts in the region, Qatar’s luxury plane gift, the Supreme Court's birthright citizenship hearing, talks of an immigration reality show and the administration investigating James Comey. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

Dave DeCamp returns to the show to discuss recent developments in the Middle East. They talk about Trump's meeting with the new bin Ladenite president of Syria, the end of US operations targeting the Houthis of Yemen, Trump's negotiations with Iran, whether Trump really is turning on Netanyahu and the status of the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. They finish with a quick look at the talks between Ukraine and Russia.  Discussed on the show: “Trump Meets With Syria's Al-Qaeda Leader-Turned President, Praises His ‘Strong Past'” (Antiwar.com) “Inside Waltz's ouster: Before Signalgate, talks with Israel angered Trump” (Washington Post) “Disagreements on Iran, Gaza straining Trump-Netanyahu relationship” (NBC News) “Some Israeli Officers Admit That Gaza Is on the Brink of Starvation” (New York Times) Dave DeCamp is the news editor of Antiwar.com and the host of Antiwar News with Dave DeCamp. Follow him on Twitter @decampdave This episode of the Scott Horton Show is sponsored by: Roberts and Roberts Brokerage Incorporated; Moon Does Artisan Coffee; Tom Woods' Liberty Classroom; Libertas Bella; ExpandDesigns.com/Scott. Get Scott's interviews before anyone else! Subscribe to the Substack. Shop Libertarian Institute merch or donate to the show through Patreon, PayPal or Bitcoin: 1DZBZNJrxUhQhEzgDh7k8JXHXRjY Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

 Download Episode. Dave DeCamp returns to the show to discuss recent developments in the Middle East. They talk about Trump's meeting with the new bin Ladenite president of Syria, the end of US operations targeting the Houthis of Yemen, Trump's negotiations with Iran, whether Trump really is turning on Netanyahu and the status of the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. They finish with a quick look at the talks between Ukraine and Russia.  Discussed on the show: “Trump Meets With Syria's Al-Qaeda Leader-Turned President, Praises His ‘Strong Past'” (Antiwar.com) “Inside Waltz's ouster: Before Signalgate, talks with Israel angered Trump” (Washington Post) “Disagreements on Iran, Gaza straining Trump-Netanyahu relationship” (NBC News) “Some Israeli Officers Admit That Gaza Is on the Brink of Starvation” (New York Times) Dave DeCamp is the news editor of Antiwar.com and the host of Antiwar News with Dave DeCamp. Follow him on Twitter @decampdave This episode of the Scott Horton Show is sponsored by: Roberts and Roberts Brokerage Incorporated; Moon Does Artisan Coffee; Tom Woods' Liberty Classroom; Libertas Bella; ExpandDesigns.com/Scott. Get Scott's interviews before anyone else! Subscribe to the Substack. Shop Libertarian Institute merch or donate to the show through Patreon, PayPal or Bitcoin: 1DZBZNJrxUhQhEzgDh7k8JXHXRjY

President Trump and his team came into the White House determined to reverse the course of American foreign policy. Most every president does. It's what President Obama wished to do vis-à-vis President Bush, President Trump vis-à-vis President Obama, and President Biden vis-à-vis President Trump. Where Biden was for, Trump would be against; where Biden was left, Trump would be right; where Biden was blue; Trump would be red. Every question of foreign policy with any relevance whatsoever to the cut and thrust of domestic American politics would henceforth be set in the opposite direction. In the Middle East, President Trump thought that his predecessor was too acquiescent to Iran, too squeamish about empowering the Israelis to protect themselves, and too untroubled by Houthi attacks. For President Trump and many of his supporters, the quintessential act of the Biden administration was the withdrawal from Afghanistan in the fall of 2021—a symbol of American weakness, incompetence, fecklessness, and delusion. With the start of his second term as president, Donald Trump set about restoring the maximum-pressure campaign on Iran. He confronted—with aggressive military force—the Houthis. He restored the American supply of materiel to Israel. And yet, these decisions do not tell the whole story of the Trump administration's conduct of American foreign policy during its first hundred days. The foreign-policy record, the disorder, the personnel, and some possible future steps of the administration seem confused. To bring forth some clarity from this confusion, and to shed light on the murky picture of the Trump administration's approach to the Middle East, Michael Doran joins this week's podcast. Doran is a senior fellow at the Hudson Institute, contributor to Mosaic, Tablet, the Wall Street Journal, and the Free Press, and the co-host, with Gadi Taub, of a new podcast called Israel Update. This conversation was recorded live for an audience of members of the Tikvah Society. If you'd like to learn more about supporting our work, and joining the Tikvah Society, please visit Tikvah.org/Society. Musical selections in this podcast are drawn from the Quintet for Clarinet and Strings, op. 31a, composed by Paul Ben-Haim and performed by the ARC Ensemble.

 Download Episode. Scott brings Max Blumenthal of The Grayzone back onto the show to discuss developments in the Middle East. They start with a recording that The Grayzone recently published in which AIPAC leaders were bragging internally about having total control over Trump's foreign policy team. That leads into a broader discussion of AIPAC's playbook when steering Washington's Middle East policy to the Israeli government's benefit. Scott and Blumenthal also discuss how a war with Iran would most likely play out, what Israel is currently doing in Syria, the health of Turkish President Erdoğan and more.    Discussed on the show: Leaked audio: AIPAC leader details control over Trump natsec team Big Israel: How Israel's Lobby Moves America by Grant F. Smith Max Blumenthal is a senior editor of the Grayzone Project and the author Goliath, Republican Gomorrah and The 51 Day War. Follow him on Twitter @MaxBlumenthal. This episode of the Scott Horton Show is sponsored by: Roberts and Roberts Brokerage Incorporated; Moon Does Artisan Coffee; Tom Woods' Liberty Classroom; Libertas Bella; ExpandDesigns.com/Scott. Get Scott's interviews before anyone else! Subscribe to the Substack. Shop Libertarian Institute merch or donate to the show through Patreon, PayPal or Bitcoin: 1DZBZNJrxUhQhEzgDh7k8JXHXRjY

Recorded on Yom Hashoa, Yaakov Lappin and I discuss the significance of this solemn day, the clear Jew-Hatred exhibited by too many new-media "influencers" and the status of the IDF's operations inside the Gaza Strip, before assessing the implications of the Trump administration's outreach to Iran and whether or not all involved in those negotiations would do well to stop courting the press. Support the showThe MirYam Institute. Israel's Future in Israel's Hands.Subscribe to our podcast: https://podfollow.com/1493910771Follow The MirYam Institute X: https://bit.ly/3jkeUyxFollow Benjamin Anthony X: https://bit.ly/3hZeOe9Like Benjamin Anthony Facebook: https://bit.ly/333Ct93Like The MirYam Institute Facebook: https://bit.ly/2SarHI3Follow Benjamin Anthony Instagram: https://bit.ly/30m6uPGFollow The MirYam Institute Instagram: https://bit.ly/3l5fvED

Sir Niall Ferguson, renowned historian and Milbank Family Senior Fellow at the Hoover Institution, joins Azeem Azhar to discuss the evolving relationship between the U.S. and China, Trump's foreign policy doctrine, and what the new global economic and security order might look like. (00:00)  What most analysts are missing about Trump (05:43)  The win-win outcome in Europe–U.S relations (11:17)  How the U.S. is reestablishing deterrence (15:50)  Can the U.S. economy weather the impact of tariffs? (23:33) Niall's read on China (29:29)  How is China performing in tech? (33:35)  What might happen with Taiwan (42:43) Predictions for the coming world order Sir Niall Ferguson's links:Substack: Time MachineBooks: War of the World, Doom: The Politics of CatastropheTwitter/X: https://x.com/nfergusAzeem's links:Substack: https://www.exponentialview.co/ Website: https://www.azeemazhar.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/azhar Twitter/X: https://x.com/azeem Our new show This was originally recorded for "Friday with Azeem Azhar" on 28 March. Produced by supermix.io and EPIIPLUS1 Ltd

Scott brings Max Blumenthal of The Grayzone back onto the show to discuss developments in the Middle East. They start with a recording that The Grayzone recently published in which AIPAC leaders were bragging internally about having total control over Trump's foreign policy team. That leads into a broader discussion of AIPAC's playbook when steering Washington's Middle East policy to the Israeli government's benefit. Scott and Blumenthal also discuss how a war with Iran would most likely play out, what Israel is currently doing in Syria, the health of Turkish President Erdoğan and more.    Discussed on the show: Leaked audio: AIPAC leader details control over Trump natsec team Big Israel: How Israel's Lobby Moves America by Grant F. Smith Max Blumenthal is a senior editor of the Grayzone Project and the author Goliath, Republican Gomorrah and The 51 Day War. Follow him on Twitter @MaxBlumenthal. This episode of the Scott Horton Show is sponsored by: Roberts and Robers Brokerage Incorporated; Tom Woods' Liberty Classroom; Libertas Bella; ExpandDesigns.com/Scott. Get Scott's interviews before anyone else! Subscribe to the Substack. Shop Libertarian Institute merch or donate to the show through Patreon, PayPal or Bitcoin: 1DZBZNJrxUhQhEzgDh7k8JXHXRjY Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

- Left-Wing Terrorism Against Tesla Owners (0:00) - Mike Adams' New Song "Baby, Don't Burn My Tesla" (1:27) - Details of the Tesla Owners' Doxxing Incident (5:25) - Elon Musk's Response and Mike Adams' Perspective (8:27) - Release of the JFK Files and Mike Adams' Award (9:33) - Critique of the Trump Administration's Middle East Policy (25:38) - Mike Adams' Music and Additional Announcements (50:50) - Interview with Congressman Michael Cloud (1:22:13) - Federal Employee Complaints and Opportunity Window (1:23:46) - Elon Musk's Interview with Senator Ted Cruz (1:24:39) - President Obama's Video and Money Laundering Scheme (1:25:33) - Power of Unelected Bureaucrats and AI Deployment (1:27:05) - Public Impatience and Bureaucratic Challenges (1:29:46) - Democrats' Dependence on Money Laundering (1:32:32) - Censorship and Social Media Platforms (1:34:31) - Role of the DOJ and Criminal Referrals (1:36:28) - Song About Regulatory Overreach (1:37:04) - Texas' Role in AI and Energy Production (1:53:22) - Challenges and Opportunities in Texas (2:01:49) For more updates, visit: http://www.brighteon.com/channel/hrreport NaturalNews videos would not be possible without you, as always we remain passionately dedicated to our mission of educating people all over the world on the subject of natural healing remedies and personal liberty (food freedom, medical freedom, the freedom of speech, etc.). Together, we're helping create a better world, with more honest food labeling, reduced chemical contamination, the avoidance of toxic heavy metals and vastly increased scientific transparency. ▶️ Every dollar you spend at the Health Ranger Store goes toward helping us achieve important science and content goals for humanity: https://www.healthrangerstore.com/ ▶️ Sign Up For Our Newsletter: https://www.naturalnews.com/Readerregistration.html ▶️ Brighteon: https://www.brighteon.com/channels/hrreport ▶️ Join Our Social Network: https://brighteon.social/@HealthRanger ▶️ Check In Stock Products at: https://PrepWithMike.com

Former CIA Middle East expert Norman Roule joins the podcast to discuss President Trump's muscular approach to the Houthis in Yemen and Hamas in Gaza.

This Week's Guests: Natan Sachs The director of the Center for Middle East Policy and a senior fellow in the Foreign Policy Program at Brookings Institute. Episode 349 Natan Sachs is the director of the Center for Middle East Policy and a senior fellow in the Foreign Policy Program at Brookings. He has taught as an adjunct professor at Georgetown University's Department of Government and its Security Studies Program. Prior to joining Brookings, Sachs was a Fulbright fellow in Indonesia, a visiting fellow at Tel Aviv University's Dayan Center for Middle East and African Studies, and a Hewlett fellow at Stanford's Center on Democracy, Development, and the Rule of Law. Sachs is an expert on Israeli foreign policy, its domestic politics, and on U.S. policy toward the Middle East. His writing has appeared in such publications as Foreign Affairs, The Washington Post, The Atlantic, Foreign Policy, The New York Times Global, Yediot Ahronot, and Haaretz. His forthcoming book describes the aftermath of the Israeli-Palestinian peace process, the dangers of both a one-state agenda and “anti-solutionism,” and recommends policy for promoting a more peaceful and just relationship among Israelis and Palestinians. Sachs has provided testimony before Congress and has offered expert commentary to the New York Times, The Washington Post, The Financial Times, The Wall Street Journal, The New Yorker, Bloomberg, and many other publications. He has appeared on TV and radio with CNN, MSNBC, Fox News, the BBC, Bloomberg, Israel Channel 12, Haaretz, and Galei Tzahal, among others. Sachs is a graduate of the Amirim Excellence program at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem. He received his master's and doctorate in political science from Stanford University. Follow Live From America YouTube @livefromamericapodcast twitter.com/AmericasPodcast www.LiveFromAmericaPodcast.com LiveFromAmericapodcast@gmail.com Follow Hatem Twitter.com/HatemNYC Instagram.com/hatemnyc/ Follow Noam Twitter.com/noam_dworman #Gaza #TRUMPGAZA #GAZADEAL

Negar Mortazavi speaks to Murtaza Hussain, foreign policy correspondent at Dropsite News, and Hooman Majd, Iranian-American journalist and author, about President Trump's new Middle East policy.

US President Donald J. Trump has foreign governments, domestic constituencies, journalists, and pundits running in circles as they attempt to identify his Middle East policy.

On this edition of Parallax Views, Antiwar.Com's Dave DeCamp joins the show to discuss Trump's appointment of Michael DiMino, a former CIA analyst and fellow at the realist and restraint think tank Defense Priorities, to head up Middle East policy at the Pentagon. DiMino, if his past comments are any indication, wants U.S. involvement in the Middle East to be drastically reduced. We'll also Trump envoy Steve Witkoff (specifically in relation to Gaza and Iran), Trump redesignating Cuba as a state sponsor of terror, Trump's comments about possible military intervention to deal with Mexican drug cartels, Trump's controversial statements about Greenland and the Panama Canal, and much more.

In this week's episode of One Decision, host Christina Ruffini speaks with Democratic United States Senator Chris Van Hollen, a member of the powerful Senate Foreign Relations Committee. They spoke from his office in Washington D.C. about various foreign policy challenges, including the war in Ukraine, the future of Syria and other countries affected by the Arab Spring, and the ongoing Israel-Gaza conflict. Van Hollen says President Biden hasn't leveraged American influence effectively regarding Israel's handling of the war and shares his perspective on how the incoming Trump administration might approach Israel and Netanyahu's government. Plus, co-host and former United States Secretary of Defense and former CIA Director Leon Panetta shares memories of former US President Jimmy Carter and what his real legacy will be.

In roughly ten days, opposition forces in Syria were able to accomplish more than they did in a decade and topple the tyrannical Assad regime. But as the dust settles, Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham – the U.S. designated terrorist organization that led the march to Damascus – will have to prove that it has moved on from its anti-Western Jihadist ideology and is committed to rebuilding a Syrian state that meets the needs of its people. Why did Assad's regime collapse so quickly? And what does the future of Syrian governance look like? Hassan Hassan is the Founder and Editor-in-Chief of New Lines Magazine, an initiative of the New Lines Institute, and the founder of the institute's Human Security Unit. Previously, he was a Senior Fellow at the Program on Extremism at George Washington University and the Tahrir Institute for Middle East Policy. He is the co-author of the New York Times bestseller ISIS: Inside the Army of Terror (2016, Reagan Arts). Read the transcript here. Subscribe to our Substack here.

On December 8, Syrian rebels took control of Damascus, the nation's capital. Deposed dictator Bashar al-Assad fled to Russia, marking the end of a long civil war and his 24-year-long brutal reign, which followed his father's nearly 30-year rule. Syrians are rightfully celebrating, even as they're freeing people from notorious regime prisons and looking to transition away from decades of repression. Steven Heydemann, a nonresident senior fellow in the Center for Middle East Policy here at Brookings and the Ketcham Chair of Middle East studies at Smith College, talks about the implications of Assad's fall for the region and the world. Show notes and transcript:  https://www.brookings.edu/articles/whats-next-for-syria-and-the-region-after-assads-fall/ Follow The Current and all Brookings podcasts on Apple or Google podcasts, or on Spotify. Send feedback email to podcasts@brookings.edu.

A new U.S. administration leads to shifting priorities in Israel, the story of an Israeli grandmother held hostage by Hamas, and a musical tribute to Creation. Plus, Steve Watters on a meaningful Christmas tradition and the Tuesday morning newsSupport The World and Everything in It today at wng.org/donate.Additional support comes from Knox Theological Seminary. Reformed, flexible, integrated certificate and post-graduate degree programs designed for you and your calling in ministry. Request more information about our fully online, accredited programs at Knoxseminary.edu/world.And from Dordt University, where students strive to become all that God created them to be and thrive intellectually, socially, and spiritually – until all is made new.Advent reading resources:Jotham's Journey by Arnold YtreeideThe Mystery Hidden for Ages by Sally MichaelGood News of Great Joy by John PiperCome, Let Us Adore Him by Paul TrippLove Came Down at Christmas by Sinclair FergusonRepeat the Sounding Joy by Christopher AshRecapturing the Glory of Christmas by Albert Mohler, Jr.

NOTE: This episode is an audio version of our video interview “The Struggle to Reshape the Middle East: An Interview with Samer Shehata” from June 26, 2023. ⁠Click here to watch the original video⁠. Executive Producer of the Security in Context podcast Anita Fuentes interviews Samer Shehata about "The Struggle to Reshape the Middle East in the 21st Century" (Edinburgh University Press). Samer Shehata is an Associate Professor of Middle East Studies in the Department of International and Area Studies at the University of Oklahoma. He is the editor of recently-published book "The Struggle to Reshape the Middle East in the 21st Century." His areas of research include Middle Eastern politics, Egyptian politics, the Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood and Islamist politics, and U.S. foreign policy toward the Middle East. He is the author of "Shop Floor Culture and Politics in Egypt" (SUNY, 2009), and editor of "Islamist Politics in the Middle East: Movements and Change" (Routledge, 2012). His articles have appeared in both academic and policy journals including the International Journal of Middle East Studies, Current History, MERIP, Georgetown Journal of International Affairs, Middle East Policy, Folklore and as book chapters and encyclopedia articles. His analysis and op-ed pieces have been published in the New York Times, Boston Globe/International Herald Tribune, Salon, Slate, Arab Reform Bulletin, Al Hayat, Al Ahram Weekly and other publications. For more please visit www.securityincontext.org or follow us on Twitter @SecurityContext

Recording of our November 14, 2024 webinar. This conversation was hosted by Hadar Susskind. Along with special guest Allison McManus, we discussed what a second Trump administration may hold for Israel-Palestine peacebuilding work. We covered Trump's recent appointee nominations, the effects of potential policies on our agenda, as well as how the US-Israel relationship could shift with Trump back in the White House. Allison McManus is a managing director for the National Security and International Policy department at American Progress. Prior to joining American Progress, she was the managing director at the Freedom Initiative, where she advocated for political prisoners in the Middle East and North Africa. She also served as the research director of the Tahrir Institute for Middle East Policy from 2014 to 2019.

Rich talks welcomes Victoria Coates, former U.S. Deputy National Security Advisor and author of the upcoming book "Battle for the Jewish State," for thoughts on the Tulsi Gabbard and Mike Huckabee nominations, and whether the Trump administration can bring lasting peace to the Middle East. We also discuss Latinos voting for Trump, as well as the importance of Catholics and evangelical Christians in the presidential election, with Jenny Korn, senior advisor at the National Faith Advisory Board. Later, Jenn Kerns, GOP srategist and author of "The Real War on Women," gives her take on the '4B' feminism trend of women shaving their heads and withholding sex from men. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

On this week's episode, Israel Policy Forum Policy Advisor and Tel Aviv-based journalist Neri Zilber hosts Natan Sachs, director of the Brookings Institution Center for Middle East Policy. They discuss Donald Trump's impending return to the White House, what his early foreign policy appointments could mean for Israel and the Middle East, inherent contradictions between Trump's goals and the current policies of the Netanyahu government, what the Biden administration may seek to achieve before January 20, last week's firing of Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, and more. Explore our recent explainers here.Support the showFollow us on Instagram and Twitter/X, and subscribe to our email list here.

President-elect Donald Trump has now appointed his new foreign policy team. How will the new appointments impact Washington's policy in the Middle East? KAN's Mark Weiss spoke with Professor Eytan Gilboa, an expert on US-Israel relations from Bar- Ilan university. (Photo: Reuters)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jim Jeffrey, the director of the Middle East Program at the Wilson Center and former Syria Envoy under the first Trump administration, says in his new term Trump could pull US forces out of Syria.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this episode of the More Freedom Foundation Podcast, Rob and Ruairi dive deep into Jared Kushner's latest Twitter masterpiece, where he declares September 27th as the most important day in the Middle East since the Abraham Accords. With his trademark arrogance, Kushner, the architect and likely future guide of Trump's Middle East policy, offers sweeping geopolitical analysis and military insights, but how much of it holds up to scrutiny? We'll unpack the grandiose claims, explore the reality behind his bold declarations, and poke fun at the disconnect between his words and the complex Middle Eastern landscape. Tune in as we separate fact from fantasy in Kushner's Twitter diplomacy! ⁠⁠⁠⁠Patreon⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Website⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Books⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Twitter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠TikTok

On Oct. 6 of last year, the Biden administration was hammering out a grand Middle East bargain in which Saudi Arabia would normalize relations with Israel in exchange for a Palestinian state. And even after Hamas's attack the following day, the U.S. hoped to keep that deal alive to preserve the conditions for some kind of durable peace. But that deal is now basically unviable. The war is expanding. Israel may be on the verge of occupying Gaza indefinitely and possibly southern Lebanon, too. So why was President Biden ineffective at achieving his goals? In the past year, has the U.S. been able to shape this conflict at all?Franklin Foer recently wrote a piece in The Atlantic trying to answer these questions. And he starts with the Biden administration's attempts to de-escalate tensions in the Middle East — an effort that began well before Oct. 7. In this conversation, Foer walks through his reporting inside the diplomatic bubble of the conflict and the administrations of other Middle Eastern states that have serious stakes in Israel's war in Gaza.Book Recommendations:Our Man by George PackerSea Under by David GrossmanCollected Poems by Rita DoveThoughts? Guest suggestions? Email us at ezrakleinshow@nytimes.com.You can find transcripts (posted midday) and more episodes of “The Ezra Klein Show” at nytimes.com/ezra-klein-podcast. Book recommendations from all our guests are listed at https://www.nytimes.com/article/ezra-klein-show-book-recs.This episode of “The Ezra Klein Show” was produced by Annie Galvin. Fact-checking by Michelle Harris, with Mary Marge Locker and Kate Sinclair . Our senior engineer is Jeff Geld, with additional mixing by Efim Shapiro, Isaac Jones and Aman Sahota. Our senior editor is Claire Gordon. The show's production team also includes Rollin Hu, Elias Isquith and Kristin Lin. Original music by Isaac Jones. Audience strategy by Kristina Samulewski and Shannon Busta. The executive producer of New York Times Opinion Audio is Annie-Rose Strasser. Special thanks to Emma Ashford, Shira Efron, Natasha Hall, Richard Haass, Michael Koplow, Selcuk Karaoglan and Switch and Board Podcast Studio. Soon, you'll need a subscription to maintain access to this show's back catalog, and the back catalogs of other New York Times podcasts, on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Don't miss out on exploring all of our shows, featuring everything from politics to pop culture. Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts.

From October 11, 2023: This past Saturday, the terrorist group Hamas launched an unprecedented raid from the Gaza Strip into southern Israel that left more than 1000 people – most of them Israeli civilians, many of them women, children, and the elderly – brutally murdered. Dozens more were taken as hostages back into Gaza. A shocked Israel has in turn responded with missile attacks into Gaza that have killed more than 800 Palestinians there, and is planning a broader offensive there. And as people search for more information on what's transpired, there are concerns that events may yet spiral out into a broader regional war – one that, among other consequences, might derail efforts at normalization in the Israeli-Saudi relationship that have been a major focus of the United States in recent weeks.To discuss these tragic events and their potentially seismic consequences, Lawfare Senior Editor Scott Anderson sat down with a panel of leading experts: Natan Sachs, Fellow at the Brookings Institution and director of our Center for Middle East Policy; Dan Byman, from the Center for Strategic & International Studies as well as Lawfare's foreign policy editor; Ghaith al-Omeri of the Washington Institute for Near East Policy; and Lawfare's own Editor-In-Chief Benjamin Wittes. They discussed the ripple effects the attack is having throughout the region, the role that Iran and other actors may have played, and what it may yet mean for the region and the broader world.Please note that this episode contains content that some people may find disturbing. Listener discretion is advised.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/lawfare. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Since October 7, 2023, many have feared that the conflict between Israel and Hamas would bloom into a wider war that would consume the Middle East. Today, we are dangerously close to that reality. In just the last month, Israel carried out several attacks against the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah, which, like Hamas, is backed by Iran. Israel is widely believed to be behind the remote detonation of pagers and communications devices that were implanted with explosives, killing and injuring scores of Hezbollah members. Israel assassinated the Hezbollah leader, Hassan Nasrallah, and systematically killed much of its other leadership. It has launched a ground invasion of Lebanon—its first in nearly 20 years. It has bombed the Iranian consulate in Syria. Iran retaliated this week by launching nearly 200 missiles at Israel. In the Middle East, no stranger to warfare, this may be the most treacherous moment for interstate conflict since the Arab-Israeli War of 1967. Natan Sachs, director of the Center for Middle East Policy at Brookings, is today's guest. We begin by visiting each theater of the Middle East conflict: Lebanon, Gaza, Iran. We talk about Israel's strategy, Gaza's humanitarian crisis, and Iran's next steps. We talk about the odds that today's conflict will tip over into a full-blown regional war—and what that war might look like. And we talk about the United States, what the Biden White House is trying to achieve through private and public channels, and what levers Biden has left to influence the Middle East in his final weeks in office. If you have questions, observations, or ideas for future episodes, email us at PlainEnglish@Spotify.com. Host: Derek Thompson Guest: Natan Sachs Producer: Devon Baroldi Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Representative: Massachusetts Seth Moulton discusses what's going on in the Middle East and what's next. Moulton spoke with Bloomberg's Joe Mathieu and Kailey Leinz.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The rapidly escalating conflict between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon prompted a strong reaction from the Chinese government this week. Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi met with his Lebanese counterpart Abdallah Bou Habib on Monday at the UN in New York and condemned Israel's actions as “indiscriminate attacks against civilians." It's notable, though, that neither Wang nor other Chinese officials made any mention of Hezbollah's missile strikes on targets in Israel, including those that hit civilian areas. The deteriorating security environment in the Middle East is a critical time for China, which is transitioning from a strategy of "hedging" to one that is increasingly focused on "wedging." Jonathan Fulton and Michael Schuman, senior nonresident scholars at The Atlantic Council in Washington, D.C., join Eric & Cobus to discuss their new report on China's Mideast strategy and Beijing's new regional priorities. SHOW NOTES: The Atlantic Council: China's Middle East policy shift from “hedging” to “wedging” by Jonathan Fulton and Michael Schulman: https://tinyurl.com/286pyh3o Subscribe to The China-MENA Newsletter by Jonathan Fulton: https://chinamenanewsletter.substack.com/ Subscribe to The China-MENA Podcast on Spotify: https://tinyurl.com/256tdywu JOIN THE DISCUSSION: X: @ChinaGSProject | @eric_olander | @stadenesque Facebook: www.facebook.com/ChinaAfricaProject YouTube: www.youtube.com/@ChinaGlobalSouth FOLLOW CAP IN FRENCH AND ARABIC: Français: www.projetafriquechine.com | @AfrikChine Arabic: عربي: www.alsin-alsharqalawsat.com | @SinSharqAwsat JOIN US ON PATREON! Become a CGSP Patreon member and get all sorts of cool stuff, including our Week in Review report, an invitation to join monthly Zoom calls with Eric & Cobus, and even an awesome new CGSP Podcast mug! www.patreon.com/chinaglobalsouth

For much of the past thirty years, since the end of the Cold War, the United States has been largely unrivaled in its power in the Middle East and the Persian Gulf. Today, that is no longer the case as the U.S. faces new challenges both from regional powers like Iran and Saudi Arabia as well as international competitors, including China and Russia. This transition to multipolarity is transforming the region and served as the thesis of a special edition of the academic journal Middle East Policy that came out earlier this year. Three of the journal's editors on this project, Andrea Ghiselli from Fudan University in Shanghai, University of Naples China scholar Enrico Fardella, and Durham University international relations professor Anoushiravan Ehteshami, join Eric to discuss how the different countries in the region are adapting to the Sino-U.S. rivalry. SHOW NOTES: Download the Spring 2024 edition of Middle East Policy (you'll need institutional access or have to pay a small fee): https://bit.ly/3XvvLUm JOIN THE DISCUSSION: X: @ChinaGSProject | @eric_olander | @stadenesque Facebook: www.facebook.com/ChinaAfricaProject YouTube: www.youtube.com/@ChinaGlobalSouth FOLLOW CAP IN FRENCH AND ARABIC: Français: www.projetafriquechine.com | @AfrikChine Arabic: عربي: www.alsin-alsharqalawsat.com | @SinSharqAwsat JOIN US ON PATREON! Become a CGSP Patreon member and get all sorts of cool stuff, including our Week in Review report, an invitation to join monthly Zoom calls with Eric & Cobus, and even an awesome new CGSP Podcast mug! www.patreon.com/chinaglobalsouth

For much of the past thirty years, since the end of the Cold War, the United States has been largely unrivaled in its power in the Middle East and the Persian Gulf. Today, that is no longer the case as the U.S. faces new challenges both from regional powers like Iran and Saudi Arabia as well as international competitors, including China and Russia. This transition to multipolarity is transforming the region and served as the thesis of a special edition of the academic journal Middle East Policy that came out earlier this year. Three of the journal's editors on this project, Andrea Ghiselli from Fudan University in Shanghai, University of Naples China scholar Enrico Fardella, and Durham University international relations professor Anoushiravan Ehteshami, join Eric to discuss how the different countries in the region are adapting to the Sino-U.S. rivalry. SHOW NOTES: Download the Spring 2024 edition of Middle East Policy (you'll need institutional access or have to pay a small fee): https://bit.ly/3XvvLUm JOIN THE DISCUSSION: X: @ChinaGSProject | @eric_olander | @stadenesque Facebook: www.facebook.com/ChinaAfricaProject YouTube: www.youtube.com/@ChinaGlobalSouth FOLLOW CAP IN FRENCH AND ARABIC: Français: www.projetafriquechine.com | @AfrikChine Arabic: عربي: www.alsin-alsharqalawsat.com | @SinSharqAwsat JOIN US ON PATREON! Become a CGSP Patreon member and get all sorts of cool stuff, including our Week in Review report, an invitation to join monthly Zoom calls with Eric & Cobus, and even an awesome new CGSP Podcast mug! www.patreon.com/chinaglobalsouth

It's Thursday, September 5th, A.D. 2024. This is The Worldview in 5 Minutes heard on 125 radio stations and at www.TheWorldview.com.  I'm Adam McManus. (Adam@TheWorldview.com) By Jonathan Clark Sudanese conflict has displaced 8 million International Christian Concern reports the body of Christ continues to suffer in Sudan, Africa after civil war broke out in the country last year. The conflict has displaced over eight million civilians, including many religious minorities. Christians are a minority in the northeastern African country and have faced persecution for decades. Both sides in the civil war have targeted Christians through attacks on churches and even killing religious leaders.  The Tahir Institute for Middle East Policy noted, “Muslims who converted to Christianity continued to be prosecuted and tortured, even though the ‘crime' of apostasy officially no longer existed in the statute books.”   Sudan is ranked eighth on the Open Doors' World Watch List of nations where it is most dangerous to be a Christian.  14-year-old Georgia student killed 2 students and 2 teachers A 14-year-old student named Colt Gray opened fire at a Georgia high school and killed four people on Wednesday morning, sending students scrambling for shelter in their classrooms — and eventually to the football stadium — as officers swarmed the campus and parents raced to find out if their children were safe, reports the Associated Press. The dead were identified as two students and two teachers at Apalachee High School in Winder, about an hour's drive from Atlanta. At least nine other people — eight students and one teacher — were taken to hospitals with injuries. Barrow County Sheriff Jud Smith became emotional as he spoke during the briefing. SMITH: “I never imagined that I would be speaking to the media in my career over something that happened today, the pure evil that happened today. “This hits home for me. I was born and raised here. I went to school in this school system. My kids go to this school system. I'm proud of this school system. “My heart hurts for these kids. My heart hurts for our community, but I want to make it very clear that hate will not prevail in this county. Love will prevail over what happened today.” The gunman is in custody. African Methodist Episcopal keeps ban against homosexual “marriage” The African Methodist Episcopal Church held its General Conference in Columbus, Ohio last month.  The historically-black denomination, also known as the AME Church, has districts in the U.S. and Africa.  At the recent conference, AME voted to keep its ban on faux homosexual marriage. In contrast, the United Methodist Church voted in favor of such vile passion relationships earlier this year. Since Roe overturned, attacks on pro-life centers have increased The U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade back in 2022. Since then, state governments have been increasing their attacks on pro-life groups. Daniel Schmid with Liberty Counsel told The Christian Post, “We saw attacks on pro-life centers significantly occur across the country after Dobbs, and now it has transitioned from criminals who are engaging in vandalism and threats to state efforts, government-backed efforts, to suppress the speech and views and sheer existence of the crisis pregnancy centers.” Pro-life groups are now having to fight for their free speech in states like New York and Massachusetts.  U.S. abortions are up Meanwhile, the number of abortions in the U.S. are up since the overturning of Roe v. Wade. The pro-abortion group Society of Family Planning released their latest data. The average number of abortions per month between January and March of this year was 98,990. Chemical abortions are on the rise through virtual visits, allowing doctors to ship abortion kill pills to other states. These so-called “telehealth abortions” averaged nearly 20,000 per month between January and March. In Matthew 15:19-20, Jesus reminds us, “For from the heart come evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, sexual immoralities, thefts, false testimonies, slander. These are the things that defile a person.” Kamala leads in Wisconsin and Michigan; Trump leads in Arizona CNN released a new poll of voters in six battleground states ahead of the presidential election. Vice President Kamala Harris leads in Wisconsin and Michigan. Former President Donald Trump leads in Arizona. The two candidates are nearly tied in Georgia, Nevada, and Pennsylvania. However, many voters are undecided. Fifteen percent of respondents across the battleground states said they have not firmly decided their choice for president. Americans are getting more isolated and lonely The Survey Center on American Life released a report on social isolation in the U.S. The report noted Americans are losing touch with their social networks as loneliness and isolation increase. Americans are generally not involved in social groups with the exception of religious ones. Religious organizations draw from both the less educated and the college-educated. Although, those with less education are becoming increasingly unattached.  Also, young adults are also becoming unattached from the church. Only 28% are members of a religious organization compared to 43% of seniors.  Thief steals kids' lemonade stand money And finally, two children from Virginia have become a national example of forgiveness, reports CBN News. Over the heat of summer, 10-year-old Rebecca Caldwell and her 8-year-old brother Joshua opened a lemonade stand in front of their house in Chesapeake.  Sadly, a man dropped by seemingly for a drink, only to make off with the children's earnings of $40.  As the story spread, the Caldwells used it as an opportunity to talk about forgiveness. REPORTER: “Why did you pray for the man who stole your money?” JOSHUA: “Because I wanted him to become a Christian.” Rebecca had this thought. REBECCA: “I just think it's better to forgive than to just to always be mad at the guy, because then you're just always going to think back on the day and be like, ‘Oh, I'm so mad at that guy.'” And their mother, Mrs. Caldwell, weighed in about the importance of forgiveness. MRS. CALDWELL: “We've talked a lot about forgiveness in our interviews, Some people have asked why we choose to forgive. If God can do all this through a lemonade stand, he can do it through anything. He can do the impossible. “We just want people to know that God forgave us. So, we can forgive other people.” In response, the community organized a lemonade event that raised over $6,000 for the kids.  The youngest of 7 siblings, Rebecca and Joshua are giving some to their eldest sibling to fund her missionary trip to Asia.  In Mark 11:25, Jesus said, “And whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against anyone, so that your Father also who is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses.” Close And that's The Worldview on this Thursday, September 5th, in the year of our Lord 2024. Subscribe by Amazon Music or by iTunes or email to our unique Christian newscast at www.TheWorldview.com. Or get the Generations app through Google Play or The App Store. I'm Adam McManus (Adam@TheWorldview.com). Seize the day for Jesus Christ.

When you're siding with John Bolton on whether to bomb Iran, you're as insanely hawkish as it gets. Reading by Tim Foley.

What is Kamala Harris' Middle East Policy?In What is Kamala Harris' Middle East Policy?, we take a deep dive into the Vice President's evolving role in shaping U.S. foreign policy in the Middle East. From navigating complex diplomatic relationships to addressing regional conflicts and security concerns, this podcast unpacks her stance on key issues like the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, Iran's nuclear ambitions, the U.S.'s military presence, and partnerships with Gulf states. This show offers listeners a nuanced look at how Kamala Harris is influencing America's approach to one of the world's most volatile regions.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is in Washington, D.C., today to address a joint session of Congress. On Tuesday, hundreds of demonstrators opposed to the war in Gaza staged a sit-in at a congressional office building. Thousands more are expected to demonstrate today during Netanyahu's speech. Inside the Capitol, nearly two dozen Democratic lawmakers say they will not attend the joint session. At the same time, both Vice President Kamala Harris and Sen. Patty Murray of Washington declined to preside over Netanyahu's address. The Israeli prime minister is expected to meet with Harris and President Biden separately on Thursday. As Harris begins her presidential campaign in earnest, Politico national security reporter Eric Bazail-Eimil explains what a Harris foreign policy might look like.And in headlines: The head of the U.S. Secret Service resigned, convicted New Jersey Sen. Robert Menendez announced he'd resign next month, and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer endorsed Harris's campaign for president. Show Notes:Read and Subscribe to the What A Day Newsletter – https://tinyurl.com/bdzcrj7aWhat A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastFollow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

In Episode 369 of Hidden Forces, Demetri Kofinas speaks with Jeffrey Sachs, a world-renowned economist, bestselling author, and professor at Columbia University, where he was the former director of The Earth Institute. He is also one of the most reputable critics of U.S. foreign policy and the ‘Deep State', especially as it pertains to the ongoing war in Ukraine and U.S. relations towards Moscow since the end of the Cold War. Demetri developed an extensive outline for this conversation, the scope of which vastly exceeded the time allotted for it. Dr. Sachs will be coming back on to complete this discussion because it is arguably one of the most important conversations that any policymaker, politician, and media pundit should be having at this moment. In the first hour of this multi-part conversation, Kofinas asks Jeffrey Sachs about his career in public policy, including his unique experience working directly with the most important foreign policy figures of the late 20th century. These figures include fmr. Soviet Premier Mikhail Gorbachev, U.S. President Bill Clinton, and UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan. The two have an opportunity to touch on the 'deep state' (or national security state as it's also known), the history of the CIA, including any potential role it may have had in J.F.K.'s assassination, and Jeffrey Sachs' central critique of U.S. foreign policy, both during the Cold War and after the fall of the U.S.S.R. Part II of this conversation, which Demetri hopes to release soon, will dig deeper into the deep state and its influence on contemporary U.S. foreign policy. Demetri also hopes to discuss U.S. policy vis-à-vis post-Soviet Russia in the 1990s and the years leading up to both the 2014 and 2022 invasions of Ukraine. American policy toward China, America's Middle East Policy, Industrial Policy, the continued threat of Terrorism, and the steps Jeffrey Sachs believes that we should take to reform the U.S. government, revitalize our economy, and reformulate our foreign policy will be topics of discussion as well. You can subscribe to our premium content and access our premium feed, episode transcripts, and Intelligence Reports at HiddenForces.io/subscribe. If you want to join in on the conversation and become a member of the Hidden Forces Genius community, which includes Q&A calls with guests, access to special research and analysis, in-person events, and dinners, you can also do that on our subscriber page at HiddenForces.io/subscribe. If you enjoyed listening to today's episode of Hidden Forces, you can help support the show by doing the following: Subscribe on Apple Podcasts | YouTube | Spotify | Stitcher | SoundCloud | CastBox | RSS Feed Write us a review on Apple Podcasts & Spotify Subscribe to our mailing list at https://hiddenforces.io/newsletter/ Producer & Host: Demetri Kofinas Editor & Engineer: Stylianos Nicolaou Subscribe and Support the Podcast at https://hiddenforces.io Join the conversation on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter at @hiddenforcespod Follow Demetri on Twitter at @Kofinas Episode Recorded on 06/26/2024

On this episode of The Time of Monsters, David Klion joins Jeet Heer to discuss the President's mix of hawkish policy and moderate rhetoric.Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

From August 17, 2020: In a surprise announcement last week, the United Arab Emirates and Israel are normalizing relations, and Israel is putting on hold its plans for annexation of West Bank territory. To discuss the announcement and its diverse implications for various actors, Benjamin Wittes spoke with Lawfare senior editor Scott Anderson; Suzanne Maloney, an Iran specialist who is acting head of the Foreign Policy Program at Brookings; Natan Sachs, the director of the Brookings Center for Middle East Policy; and Hady Amr, a non-resident senior fellow at Brookings who served as the United States deputy special envoy for Israeli-Palestinian negotiations. They talked about what the deal covers; its implications for the domestic politics of Israel, Iran and the United States; how it might affect the larger regional dynamics and what it means for the Palestinians.To receive ad-free podcasts, become a Lawfare Material Supporter at www.patreon.com/lawfare. You can also support Lawfare by making a one-time donation at https://givebutter.com/c/trumptrials.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/lawfare. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Natan Sachs is the Director of the Center for Middle East Policy at the Brookings Institution. He joined Lawfare's Editor in Chief, Benjamin Wittes, to discuss the resignation of Israeli war cabinet member Benny Gantz, the fate of Benjamin Netanyahu's right-wing government, and Israeli perceptions of the Gaza war.To receive ad-free podcasts, become a Lawfare Material Supporter at www.patreon.com/lawfare. You can also support Lawfare by making a one-time donation at https://givebutter.com/c/trumptrials.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/lawfare. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today, with Gaza protests spreading across the country and around the world, we dive deep into what's actually happening on the ground in the war between Israel and Hamas—and how this war might actually end, or lead to a broader conflict. The status quo in Gaza is horrendous in every conceivable way. Following an attack that killed more than a thousand Israelis on October 7, Israel has retaliated with a bombing campaign more destructive than the most aggressive World War II fire-bombings in Germany. 80 percent of buildings in north Gaza have been damaged or destroyed. Tens of thousands of Gaza civilians have been killed, according to various estimates. Millions are displaced and hungry, and many are camped near Rafah, where Israel is considering a new military campaign to root out Hamas leaders. Today's guest is Natan Sachs, the director of the Center for Middle East Policy at Brookings. I asked Natan to come back on the show because, while the entire media is covering the campus protests in excruciating detail, I felt like the news cycle was losing its grip on the actual war itself. Today, I asked Natan my biggest questions about the war as it stands, including whether Israel's military strategy has already failed; whether Hamas's top leadership actually wants the kind of ceasefire that campus protesters are calling for; and whether anything about this war would actually change if the U.S. immediately halted military aid to Israel. If you have questions, observations, or ideas for future episodes, email us at PlainEnglish@Spotify.com. Host: Derek Thompson Guest: Natan Sachs Producer: Devon Baroldi Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

From December 2, 2020: The top Iranian nuclear scientist has been killed, apparently in an Israeli strike. Mohsen Fakhrizadeh, who has long been the mastermind of the Iranian nuclear program, was gunned down in an attack with a remote control machine gun. Iranian reprisals are expected, although their timing and nature is not clear. It also puts the incoming Biden administration, which is looking to bring back the Iran nuclear deal, in a bit of a pickle.To chew it all over, Benjamin Wittes sat down with Scott R. Anderson, international law specialist and Lawfare senior editor; Suzanne Maloney, the vice president and director of the Foreign Policy Program at the Brookings Institution and an Iran scholar; and Natan Sachs, director of the Center for Middle East Policy at Brookings where he focuses on Israeli policy. They talked about why the Israelis would conduct this operation, how effective its killing of Iranian nuclear scientists has been, whether any of it is legal and what it means for the future of U.S.-Iran relations.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/lawfare. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.