Podcast appearances and mentions of Tamara Cofman Wittes

About the series: This is a critical year for the future of democracy. Half the world's population will go to the polls in 2024, at a time when citizens in America and across the globe are losing faith in democratic institutions. We often view the rollback of democracy and threats to the liberal international order as separate problems, but in reality they are closely interlinked. Through a new limited podcast series, MEI's Gonul Tol seeks to examine the interplay between democracy's domestic and international foes as well as how to counter them.   In this episode: Authoritarian populism is on the rise around the world. Political scientists and policymakers are debating what's driving this trend. Is it economic inequality, or a cultural backlash against social change that erodes trust in democratic institutions?  Dr. Daron Acemoglu and Dr. Tamara Cofman Wittes join Gonul Tol to discuss the relationship between changing economic conditions and support for democracy. 

From August 2, 2014: This week, Lawfare Editor-in-Chief Benjamin Wittes asked three of his colleagues—all from the Brookings Center on Middle East Policy—to chat about Gaza: Natan Sachs is a specialist in Israeli politics; Khaled Elgindy has served as an advisor to the Palestinian leadership on final status negotiations; and Tamara Cofman Wittes directs the center and served as deputy assistant secretary of state during the Arab Spring. (She is also, by the way, married to someone somehow connected to this site.) It's a great discussion: informative, not shrill, depressing, yet constructive.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/lawfare. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

From January 3, 2020: The American drone strike last night that killed Qassem Soleimani, the commander of the Iranian Quds Force, is a seismic event in U.S.-Iranian relations—and for the broader Middle East. We put together an emergency podcast, drawing on the resources of both Lawfare and the Brookings Institution and reflecting the depth of the remarkable collaboration between the two. Iran scholar Suzanne Maloney, terrorism and Middle East scholar Daniel Byman, Middle East scholar and former State Department official Tamara Cofman Wittes and former State Department lawyer and Baghdad embassy official Scott Anderson—who is also a Lawfare senior editor—came together the morning after the strike for a diverse discussion of the reasons for the operation, the vast repercussions of it, the legality of the strike and the role Soleimani played in the Iranian regime.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/lawfare. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

In case you missed it, here's one of our favorite conversations from season 2.  Part 1 of a Diplomatic Immunity mini-series, Diplomacy and the Arab Spring at 10 - Origins and Legacies of Revolution Tunisia: A conversation between Ambassador Gordon Gray and Youssef Cherif. Presented by Kelly McFarland and Alistair Somerville. Additional commentary from Tamara Cofman Wittes.  Listen to Part 6, A Conversation with Stephanie Williams: https://diplomaticimmunity.libsyn.com/part-6-a-conversation-with-stephanie-williams-diplomacy-and-the-arab-spring-at-10 Listen to Part 5, Syria: https://diplomaticimmunity.libsyn.com/part-5-the-tinder-is-dry-uprisings-and-repression-in-syria-diplomacy-and-the-arab-spring-at-10 Listen to Part 4, Libya: https://diplomaticimmunity.libsyn.com/part-4-uprisings-civil-war-and-hope-in-libya-diplomacy-and-the-arab-spring-at-10 Listen to Part 3, Yemen: https://diplomaticimmunity.libsyn.com/part-3-revolution-transition-and-collapse-in-yemen-diplomacy-and-the-arab-spring-at-10 Listen to Part 2, Egypt: https://diplomaticimmunity.libsyn.com/part-2-tahrir-square-and-beyond Diplomatic Immunity, a podcast from the Institute for the Study of Diplomacy at Georgetown University, brings you frank and candid conversations with experts on the issues facing diplomats and national security decision makers around the world.   Produced by Alistair Somerville and Kelly McFarland Production assistance by Jonas Heering Design by Rebecca McFarland, Jonas Heering, and Alistair Somerville Additional audio from Voice of America, the Obama White House, Julius H on Pixabay, the Free Music Archive, and Soft and Furious Supported by the Carnegie Corporation of New York  https://isd.georgetown.edu/news/diplomatic-immunity/ Originally released: April 21, 2021

Yemen: A conversation about the Arab Spring and its aftermath between Ambassador Jerry Feierstein and Yemeni scholar Ibrahim Jalal. Presented by Kelly McFarland and Alistair Somerville. Additional commentary from Ambassador Barbara Bodine, Tamara Cofman Wittes, and Rita Stephan. Part 3 of a Diplomatic Immunity mini-series, Diplomacy and the Arab Spring at 10 - Origins and Legacies of Revolution Listen to Part 2, Egypt: https://diplomaticimmunity.libsyn.com/part-2-tahrir-square-and-beyond Listen to Part 1, Tunisia: https://diplomaticimmunity.libsyn.com/part-1-the-tunisian-people-have-spoken-diplomacy-and-the-arab-spring-at-10 Diplomatic Immunity, a podcast from the Institute for the Study of Diplomacy at Georgetown University, brings you frank and candid conversations with experts on the issues facing diplomats and national security decision makers around the world.   Produced by Alistair Somerville and Kelly McFarland Production assistance by Jonas Heering Design by Rebecca McFarland, Jonas Heering, and Alistair Somerville Additional audio from Julius H on Pixabay, the Free Music Archive, and Surhofi Rita Stephan's new co-edited volume, Women Rising: In and Beyond the Arab Spring, is available here: https://nyupress.org/9781479846641/women-rising/

Egypt: A conversation about the Arab Spring and its aftermath between Ambassador Anne Patterson and Mohammed Soliman. Presented by Kelly McFarland and Alistair Somerville. Additional commentary from Tamara Cofman Wittes and Rita Stephan.  Part 2 of a Diplomatic Immunity mini-series, Diplomacy and the Arab Spring at 10 - Origins and Legacies of Revolution Diplomatic Immunity, a podcast from the Institute for the Study of Diplomacy at Georgetown University, brings you frank and candid conversations with experts on the issues facing diplomats and national security decision makers around the world.   Produced by Alistair Somerville and Kelly McFarland Production assistance by Jonas Heering Design by Rebecca McFarland, Jonas Heering, and Alistair Somerville Additional audio from Voice of America, Julius H on Pixabay, the Free Music Archive, and Surhofi Rita Stephan's new co-edited volume, Women Rising: In and Beyond the Arab Spring, is available here: https://nyupress.org/9781479846641/women-rising/

A conversation between Ambassador Gordon Gray and Youssef Cherif. Presented by Kelly McFarland and Alistair Somerville. Additional commentary from Tamara Cofman Wittes.  Part 1 of a Diplomatic Immunity mini-series, Diplomacy and the Arab Spring at 10 - Origins and Legacies of Revolution Diplomatic Immunity, a podcast from the Institute for the Study of Diplomacy at Georgetown University, brings you frank and candid conversations with experts on the issues facing diplomats and national security decision makers around the world.   Produced by Alistair Somerville and Kelly McFarland Production assistance by Jonas Heering Design by Rebecca McFarland, Jonas Heering, and Alistair Somerville Additional audio from Voice of America, the Obama White House, Julius H on Pixabay, the Free Music Archive, and Soft and Furious

A weekly discussion of national security and foreign policy matters hosted by Shane Harris of the Washington Post and featuring Brookings senior fellows Susan Hennessey, Tamara Cofman Wittes, and Benjamin Wittes. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Ilan Goldenberg, Michael Koplow, and Tamara Cofman Wittes present findings and recommendations from their recently published policy report, "A New U.S. Strategy for the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict." Hosted by Israel Policy Forum Board Chair Susie Gelman. Download the report here.Support the show (http://support.israelpolicyforum.org/donate)

Tamara Cofman Wittes is a co-author of a new report, a blueprint for a new policy on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict for the Biden administration  To view and download the Center for a New American Security report: https://www.cnas.org/publications/reports/a-new-u-s-strategy-for-the-israeli-palestinian-conflict To make an end-of-year donation to APN: https://peacenow.org/donate  

This week's episode includes recordings of two panels from Israel Policy Forum's virtual annual event, with Abner Goldstine, Yossi Klein Halevi, Rabbi Rick Jacobs, Tamara Cofman Wittes, Susie Gelman, and Rep. Ted Deutch, including never-before-released material not featured during the event premiere.Support the show (http://support.israelpolicyforum.org/donate)

Allison Kaplan Sommer, Don Futterman and Noah Efron discuss three topics of incomparable importance and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week. Listen to the extra segment on Patreon —An Irony Wrapped in a Prevarication Inside a Mendacity— Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu wants new elections but votes against them; Alternate Prime Minister Benny Gantz does not want new elections but votes for them. Is Israel heading back to the polls? —Remember that Name, Fakhrizadeh— Why does the assassination of the head of Iran’s nuclear weapons program seem like one thing in Jerusalem and something very different in Washington? (We are joined by special guest star, Tamara Cofman-Wittes of the socko Rational Security podcast) —Arks & Sciences— What are we to make of an archaeologist’s claim that King David was little more than the mediocre chieftain of a mediocre tribe? —Celebrating Danny Sanderson’s 70th Birthday— For our most unreasonably generous Patreon supporters, in our extra-special, special extra discussion, in honor of the 70th birthday of the great songwriter-rock-star-mensch Danny Sanderson, we play a few of our favorite songs from his astonishing, 50-year career. All that and the our own celebration of uber-mensch, rock-star Danny Sanderson’s 70th birthday!

A number of major trends—including changes in climate, demographics, geopolitics, and technology—will shape the Middle East over the next two decades. In this special episode of the Brookings Cafeteria Podcast, a team of scholars examines the possible trendlines and what they presage for Israel and its neighbors in the region. Natan Sachs, a Brookings fellow and director of the Center for Middle East Policy, leads a discussion on these issues with Samantha Gross, Kevin Huggard, Shibley Telhami, and Tamara Cofman Wittes. Learn more in the new report, “Israel in the Middle East: The next two decades,” at brookings.edu. Subscribe to Brookings podcasts on iTunes, send feedback email to BCP@Brookings.edu, and follow us and tweet us at @policypodcasts on Twitter. The Brookings Cafeteria is part of the Brookings Podcast Network.

This week on People of the Pod, we sit down with Middle East experts Patrick Clawson, research director at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy, and Tamara Cofman Wittes, a senior fellow in the Center for Middle East Policy at the Brookings Institution, to talk about the rising tensions between the U.S. and Iran. Then Deborah Lauter, executive director of New York’s new Office for the Prevention of Hate Crimes, joins us to discuss efforts to curb the rash of antisemitic attacks across the city. Finally, in honor of AJC’s #JewishandProud Day, we went around New York City to ask people what makes them proud to be Jewish.

The American drone strike last night that killed Qassem Soleimani, the commander of the Iranian Quds Force, is a seismic event in U.S.-Iranian relations—and for the broader Middle East. We put together an emergency podcast, drawing on the resources of both Lawfare and the Brookings Institution and reflecting the depth of the remarkable collaboration between the two. Iran scholar Suzanne Maloney, terrorism and Middle East scholar Daniel Byman, Middle East scholar and former State Department official Tamara Cofman Wittes and former State Department lawyer and Baghdad embassy official Scott Anderson—who is also a Lawfare senior editor—came together the morning after the strike for a diverse discussion of the reasons for the operation, the vast repercussions of it, the legality of the strike and the role Soleimani played in the Iranian regime.

Last month, Tamara Cofman Wittes, senior fellow at the Brookings Institution and former deputy assistant secretary of state for Near Eastern affairs, and Brian Egan, former legal advisor to the State Department and National Security Council, participated in the Ambassador J. Christopher Stevens Memorial Lecture at the UC Hastings Law School. Ambassador Stevens, who died tragically in the attack against the U.S. special mission in Benghazi in 2012, was a proud alumnus of UC Hastings. In his memory, his family generously endowed an annual lecture on a current topic in foreign relations. This year's event featured a panel discussion with Cofman Wittes and Egan, moderated by Professor Chimène Keitner, on U.S. law and policy in the Middle East. The conversation takes a step back from current events to look at the broader strategic landscape following the U.S. withdrawal from Syria.

In this special episode recorded at the IISS Manama Dialogue 2019, Kori Schake is joined by Tamara Cofman Wittes, Senior Fellow at the Center for Middle East Policy at the Brookings Institution, and Maggie Feldman-Piltch, Founder and Managing Director of #NatSecGirlSquad, for a fascinating and wide-ranging conversation.Recent popular protests in Lebanon and Iraq have shaken the Middle East. Such political turmoil suggests a deep level of dissatisfaction with the status quo in these, and many other, countries in the region. In the cases of Iraq and Syria, government mismanagement and corruption have been perpetuated by external interference by either Iran or Russia, or both. For Maggie, Tamara and Kori, such interference has been, in part, enabled by a general retreat from the region by the US that has allowed emerging powers such as Russia, Iran and even China, to flex their soft power credentials. As Maggie and Tamara argue, the rise of these revisionist powers has profound implications not only for regional governments seeking reliable partners, but it also impacts the information that everyday citizens receive and the opinions they form.Both Maggie and Tamara also talk about the vital importance of diversity and inclusivity in the creation of robust and sustainable national security and defence policy. Whether by modernising recruitment practices or empowering aspiring policymakers, all three women stress the need for greater female inclusion and ‘competent diversity' in the field of national security. This episode also includes a discussion on the re-emergence of nationalism in response to Russian and Iranian intervention in the region and the key changes required in US Middle East policy to refocus strategic thinking and reassure its allies. Reading recommendations:‘Inclusion and Diversity', The Brookings Institution (2019) ‘Tehran's strategic intent', Iran's Networks of Influence in the Middle East (London: IISS, 2019) Date of recording: 22 November 2019This episode of Sounds Strategic was recorded at the IISS Manama Dialogue in Bahrain.Theme music: ‘Safety in Numbers' by We Were Promised Jetpacks. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Over the past several weeks, popular protest movements have emerged in both Iraq and Lebanon, expressing widespread discontent with the status quo in both countries. The unrest has led to both the resignation of Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri and a public statement by Iraqi Prime Minister Adil Abdul-Mahdi of his intent to resign as soon as a successor is selected. But protestors also have been the subject of increasingly violent repression, especially in Iraq, where Iranian forces are believed to be actively combatting the demonstrators. To discuss these developments, Scott R. Anderson sat down with Randa Slim of the Middle East Institute; Rasha Al Aqeedi, managing editor of Irfaa Sawtak; and Tamara Cofman Wittes of the Brookings Institution.

This week Bombshell is blessed by the return of Tamara Cofman Wittes to help everyone understand Iran’s possible motives in the strike on an Aramco facility and what Saudi Arabia might do next. And as a bonus she sticks around to dive into Israeli elections. Then Erin, Radha, and Loren take a deep, nerve-calming breath to dive into the current White House Mayhem: the ouster of John Bolton, the arrival of Robert O’Brien, and the whistleblower-Ukraine monstrosity.  Also, Erin saw Moulin Rouge and you should too, if you can can can.   Links Aramco Attacks Stephen Kalin, "Saudi Arabia to Wait for Investigation Before Responding to Attacks: Minister," Reuters, September 21, 2019 Lara Seligman and Elias Groll, "In Muted Response to Iran Strikes, US to Send Reinforcements to Saudi Arabia," Foreign Policy, September 20, 2019 Suzanne Maloney, "Why Iran's Leadership Thinks Escalation Can Pay Off," Washington Post, September 18, 2019 Eric Schmitt, Julian E. Barnes, and David D. Kirkpatrick, "To Find Clues in Saudi Oil Attacks, US Examines Missile and Drone Parts," New York Times, September 17, 2019 Israeli Elections Jeremy Sharon, "Liberman Declines to Recommend Gantz or Netanyahu to Form Government," Jerusalem Post, September 23, 2019 Oren Libermann, "Why No One is Israel Seems Able to Win an Election," CNN, September 22, 2019 Aaron Heller, "Arab Lawmakers in Israel Endorse Gantz for Prime Minister," ABC News, September 22, 2019 New National Security Advisor John Hudson and John Wagner, "Trump Realigns National Security Team with a Low-Profile Adviser," Washington Post, September 18, 2019 John Gans, "The Dangers of a Weak National Security Adviser," Politico, September 19, 2019

This week Bombshell is blessed by the return of Tamara Cofman Wittes to help everyone understand Iran’s possible motives in the strike on an Aramco facility and what Saudi Arabia might do next. And as a bonus she sticks around to dive into Israeli elections. Then Erin, Radha, and Loren take a deep, nerve-calming breath to dive into the current White House Mayhem: the ouster of John Bolton, the arrival of Robert O’Brien, and the whistleblower-Ukraine monstrosity.  Also, Erin saw Moulin Rouge and you should too, if you can can can.   Links Aramco Attacks Stephen Kalin, "Saudi Arabia to Wait for Investigation Before Responding to Attacks: Minister," Reuters, September 21, 2019 Lara Seligman and Elias Groll, "In Muted Response to Iran Strikes, US to Send Reinforcements to Saudi Arabia," Foreign Policy, September 20, 2019 Suzanne Maloney, "Why Iran's Leadership Thinks Escalation Can Pay Off," Washington Post, September 18, 2019 Eric Schmitt, Julian E. Barnes, and David D. Kirkpatrick, "To Find Clues in Saudi Oil Attacks, US Examines Missile and Drone Parts," New York Times, September 17, 2019 Israeli Elections Jeremy Sharon, "Liberman Declines to Recommend Gantz or Netanyahu to Form Government," Jerusalem Post, September 23, 2019 Oren Libermann, "Why No One is Israel Seems Able to Win an Election," CNN, September 22, 2019 Aaron Heller, "Arab Lawmakers in Israel Endorse Gantz for Prime Minister," ABC News, September 22, 2019 New National Security Advisor John Hudson and John Wagner, "Trump Realigns National Security Team with a Low-Profile Adviser," Washington Post, September 18, 2019 John Gans, "The Dangers of a Weak National Security Adviser," Politico, September 19, 2019

Host Evan Gottesman speaks with Tamara Cofman Wittes of the Brookings Institution about how Israeli annexation of West Bank territory would play out with other Middle East governments.Support the show (http://support.israelpolicyforum.org/donate)

For our most extremely generous Patreon supporters, we discuss in our extra-special, special extra segment a remarkable new Brookings Institute Policy Brief called “Is Israel in Democratic Decline?” by Tamara Cofman Wittes and Yael Mizrahi-Arnaud. In a moment of I-happen-to-have-Marshall-Mcluhan-right-here, Mizrahi-Arnaud joins us to say, “You understand nothing of our work, how you ever got a podcast is beyond me!”

Allison Kaplan Sommer, Noah Efron and Don Futterman discuss three topics of incomparable importance and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week. What Just Happened?!? The votes are counted. What the hell just happened? The Via Media Given the alternative, is a coalition of the center and the Likud really such a bad idea after all? Getting Out of Bed in the Morning The Likud has led Israel for 30 of the past 42 years, and more are ahead. What reason does an Israeli leftist have to get out of bed? Is Israel Experiencing a Decline in the Quality of Its Democracy? For our most extremely generous Patreon supporters, we discuss in our extra-special, special extra segment a remarkable new Brookings Institute Policy Brief called “Is Israel in Democratic Decline?” by Tamara Cofman Wittes and Yael Mizrahi-Arnaud. In a moment of I-happen-to-have-Marshall-Mcluhan-right-here, Mizrahi-Arnaud joins us to say, “You understand nothing of our work, how you ever got a podcast is beyond me!” Music The viral positivity of Tazazo: Kuli Ahava, with Mazzal Damsia Mona Lisa, with Tzemer Insomnia Halivai Ani

Is Israel becoming increasingly illiberal? On the eve of Israeli elections, host Evan Gottesman puts the question to Tamara Cofman Wittes and Yael Mizrahi-Arnaud, authors of the new Brookings Institution study "Is Israel in Democratic Decline?" (read the study here).Support the show (http://support.israelpolicyforum.org/donate)

Join Bombshell for a rousing discussion of the fathomless train wreck that is Brexit and the increasing lack of predictability of the upcoming Israeli elections. Believe it or not, China trade talks are not going as well as they might, as we discuss in "It's Aghast." In White House mayhem, President Trump issued a tremendous press release on the fourth or fifth defeat of ISIL with some bombast and a little general life advice, while recognizing the generally illegal Israeli annexation of the Golan Heights, crapping on his own North Korea policy, and putting out a DOA defense budget. We're all fine here, how are you?   Links Ana Swanson, "Trump Administration Strikes Tougher Stance Ahead of China Talk," New York Times, March 22, 2019 Ian Austen, "What's Going on Between Canada and China? Our Experts Share Their Thoughts," New York Times, March 22, 2019 Yen Nee Lee, "A Trade Deal Could Come in Weeks, But it Won't Remove 'Contentious' Issues, Says Former US Diplomat," CNBC, March 24, 2019 Audit of the Department of the Treasury Forfeiture Fund's Financial Statements for Fiscal Years 2018 and 2017 Kathy Gilsinan, "The 'Caliphate' Is Dead, but Americans Might Not Be Any Safer," Atlantic, March 23, 2019 Tamara Cofman Wittes and Ilan Goldenberg, "Trump's Golan Fiasco: Recognizing the Disputed Territory Won't Help Israel. But It Will Reverberate All Over the World," Politico, March 22, 2019   Produced by Tre Hester

Join Bombshell for a rousing discussion of the fathomless train wreck that is Brexit and the increasing lack of predictability of the upcoming Israeli elections. Believe it or not, China trade talks are not going as well as they might, as we discuss in "It's Aghast." In White House mayhem, President Trump issued a tremendous press release on the fourth or fifth defeat of ISIL with some bombast and a little general life advice, while recognizing the generally illegal Israeli annexation of the Golan Heights, crapping on his own North Korea policy, and putting out a DOA defense budget. We're all fine here, how are you?   Links Ana Swanson, "Trump Administration Strikes Tougher Stance Ahead of China Talk," New York Times, March 22, 2019 Ian Austen, "What's Going on Between Canada and China? Our Experts Share Their Thoughts," New York Times, March 22, 2019 Yen Nee Lee, "A Trade Deal Could Come in Weeks, But it Won't Remove 'Contentious' Issues, Says Former US Diplomat," CNBC, March 24, 2019 Audit of the Department of the Treasury Forfeiture Fund's Financial Statements for Fiscal Years 2018 and 2017 Kathy Gilsinan, "The 'Caliphate' Is Dead, but Americans Might Not Be Any Safer," Atlantic, March 23, 2019 Tamara Cofman Wittes and Ilan Goldenberg, "Trump's Golan Fiasco: Recognizing the Disputed Territory Won't Help Israel. But It Will Reverberate All Over the World," Politico, March 22, 2019   Produced by Tre Hester

American Middle East policy has focused on forging security and economic ties between Israel and its Arab neighbors. In a new report (http://www.washingtoninstitute.org/reclamation), Joseph Braude documents growing opportunities for reclaiming cultural space for Arab-Israeli reconciliation. In this episode, Joseph joins Brookings Institution scholar Tamara Cofman Wittes to discuss the possibilities and obstacles facing this new cultural opening, and how U.S. policy can encourage it. Near East PolicyCast: Conversations on Middle East issues from the Washington Institute for Near East Policy.

As the Trump administration prepares to withdraw from Syria, former US ambassador to Syria Robert Ford and Tamara Cofman Wittes, former deputy assistant secretary of state for near East Affairs, join this week's Deep Dish podcast to dissect the withdrawal's implications for US-Syria policy. 

For this end-of-the-year episode of the Lawfare Podcast, we wanted to hear from you and get your voice on the podcast. You called us with questions, you tweeted your questions using #LawfareAMA, and Benjamin Wittes, Scott Anderson, Bob Bauer, Bobby Chesney, Susan Hennessey, Matthew Kahn, Alina Polyakova, David Priess, and Tamara Cofman Wittes all came together to answer them. We talked about everything from the 25th Amendment, to cyberwarfare, to what's happening in the Middle East. Thank you for your questions. And as always, thank you for listening.

This week, President Trump made the unexpected announcement that he was immediately withdrawing U.S. troops from Syria, ending their involvement in the counter-ISIS campaign that the United States has led there for the last four years. As the week went on, it became clear that the decision on Syria was just the tip of the iceberg. To help us make sense of all that has happened over the last 72 hours, Lawfare's Scott R. Anderson sat down on Friday with a panel of Middle East experts at the Brookings Institution: Dan Byman, a senior fellow; Tamara Cofman Wittes, a senior fellow and former State Department official; and Mara Karlin, a nonresident senior fellow, professor at the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies, and former Pentagon official. They talked about the Syria withdrawal, what it means for U.S. policy in the Middle East moving forward, and about Defense Secretary James Mattis's resignation.

This week Tamara Cofman Wittes joins the Bombshell ladies to discuss the fallout of the Khashoggi assassination and the future of US-Saudi relations. We get further bogged down in Afghanistan and try to understand the migrant caravan moving north from Central America. Then Radha tries to cheer us up by explaining the intricacies of the Universal Postal Union. For icing on the cake, we dive deep into the INF treaty and wonder if the Defense Department really being asked to cut its budget.   Saudi Emma Ashford, "The U.S.-Saudi alliance was in trouble long before Jamal Khashoggi's death," War on the Rocks Keeping up Foreign Relations Caravan Delphine Schrank, "Thousands of caravan migrants take shelter in southern Mexico," Reuters Afghanistan Dan Lamothe, "U.S. general wounded in attack in Afghanistan," Washington Post Thomas Ruttig, "The Killing of Razeq: Removing the Taleban's strongest foe in Kandahar, an indirect hit at elections," Afghanistan Analysts Network Ashley Jackson, "The Taliban Just Won a Key Battle for Afghanistan's Future," Foreign Policy Matthieu Aikins, "The Master of Spin Boldak," Harper's Maija Liuhto, "Regional leaders are defying Afghanistan's president. The latest is a police chief who was once a close U.S. ally," LA Times It's Aghast  Jen Kirby, "Here's why Trump threatened to pull out of a 144-year-old postal treaty," Vox Daniel W. Drezner, "The Trump administration's brinkmanship with *checks notes* the Universal Postal Union," Washington Post White House Mayhem INF Treaty Amy F. Woolf, "Russian Compliance with the Intermediate Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty: Background and Issues for Congress," Congressional Research Service Jacob Heim, "Missiles for Asia? The Need for Operational Analysis of U.S. Theater Ballistic Missiles in the Pacific," RAND Julian Borger and Martin Pengelly, "Trump says US will withdraw from nuclear arms treaty with Russia," Guardian Steven Pifer, "The Trump administration is preparing a major mistake on the INF Treaty," Brookings Budget Aaron Mehta, "Trump appears to call for defense spending cuts," Defense News Pop-Culture Caroline Hallemann, "Everything We Know About the New Masterpiece PBS Adaptation of Les Miserables," Town & Country "Death Comes to Pemberley," PBS   Music by Future Teens Produced by Tre Hester

This week Tamara Cofman Wittes joins the Bombshell ladies to discuss the fallout of the Khashoggi assassination and the future of US-Saudi relations. We get further bogged down in Afghanistan and try to understand the migrant caravan moving north from Central America. Then Radha tries to cheer us up by explaining the intricacies of the Universal Postal Union. For icing on the cake, we dive deep into the INF treaty and wonder if the Defense Department really being asked to cut its budget.   Saudi Emma Ashford, "The U.S.-Saudi alliance was in trouble long before Jamal Khashoggi's death," War on the Rocks Keeping up Foreign Relations Caravan Delphine Schrank, "Thousands of caravan migrants take shelter in southern Mexico," Reuters Afghanistan Dan Lamothe, "U.S. general wounded in attack in Afghanistan," Washington Post Thomas Ruttig, "The Killing of Razeq: Removing the Taleban's strongest foe in Kandahar, an indirect hit at elections," Afghanistan Analysts Network Ashley Jackson, "The Taliban Just Won a Key Battle for Afghanistan's Future," Foreign Policy Matthieu Aikins, "The Master of Spin Boldak," Harper's Maija Liuhto, "Regional leaders are defying Afghanistan's president. The latest is a police chief who was once a close U.S. ally," LA Times It's Aghast  Jen Kirby, "Here's why Trump threatened to pull out of a 144-year-old postal treaty," Vox Daniel W. Drezner, "The Trump administration's brinkmanship with *checks notes* the Universal Postal Union," Washington Post White House Mayhem INF Treaty Amy F. Woolf, "Russian Compliance with the Intermediate Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty: Background and Issues for Congress," Congressional Research Service Jacob Heim, "Missiles for Asia? The Need for Operational Analysis of U.S. Theater Ballistic Missiles in the Pacific," RAND Julian Borger and Martin Pengelly, "Trump says US will withdraw from nuclear arms treaty with Russia," Guardian Steven Pifer, "The Trump administration is preparing a major mistake on the INF Treaty," Brookings Budget Aaron Mehta, "Trump appears to call for defense spending cuts," Defense News Pop-Culture Caroline Hallemann, "Everything We Know About the New Masterpiece PBS Adaptation of Les Miserables," Town & Country "Death Comes to Pemberley," PBS   Music by Future Teens Produced by Tre Hester

Today on The Smell of Victory Podcast, Bob Hein and Phil Walter sat down with Tamara Cofman Wittes of The Brookings Institution and the Divergent Options Strategic Advisory Board to discuss human rights and national security. This hour-long discussion touched on: – Cold War human rights policies of Nixon and Kissinger – Jeane Kirkpatrick's article “Dictators...

The Trump administration is cutting $200 million in aid meant for the Palestinians. The move comes on the heels of previous cuts to U.S. funding for projects in the Palestinian territories. We sat down with Tamara Cofman Wittes, Senior Fellow at the Brookings Institution and former Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs at the U.S. State Department, to analyze what impact the cut will have and what it reveals about the administration’s strategy. Our second guest is Josh Glancy, a correspondent for the British publication The Sunday Times. Glancy recently wrote a searing indictment of Jeremy Corbyn in The New York Times following the latest anti-Semitic scandal involving Corbyn where a 2013 video that was discovered showed him questioning whether ‘Zionists’ were truly British. Josh Glancy’s article: https://www.nytimes.com/2018/08/27/opinion/jeremy-corbyn-anti-semitism-labour-britain.html John McCain’s speech at AJC Global Forum 2014: https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=183&v=uHcr2baBftE

In this episode, Tamara Cofman Wittes, senior fellow with the Center for Middle East Policy at Brookings, and Steven Heydemann, nonresident senior fellow at Brookings and Janet Wright Ketcham ’53 Chair of Middle East Studies at Smith College, break down the difficult questions of how and when external actors should engage in reconstruction efforts in Syria without legitimizing the repressive regime of Bashar al-Assad. Show notes: https://www.brookings.edu/podcast-episode/the-politics-of-reconstruction-in-syria/  With thanks to audio producer Gaston Reboredo, Chris McKenna, Brennan Hoban, and Fred Dews for additional support. Send feedback email to intersections@brookings.edu, and follow us and tweet us at @policypodcasts on Twitter. Intersections is part of the Brookings Podcast Network

The strength of the U.S.-Israel relationship has long been rooted in bipartisan support for an alliance based on shared interests and values. But is the bipartisan consensus on Israel fading away? In this episode of AJC Passport, we speak with Tamara Cofman Wittes, Senior Fellow in the Center for Middle East Policy at The Brookings Institution. Tamara, who previously served as Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs in the Obama Administration, recently co-authored an essay in The Atlantic that examines polling data and probes this question. Our second guest is Dr. Steven Bayme, AJC's Director of Contemporary Jewish Life, who discussed present-day American Jewish attitudes towards Israel. *The views and opinions expressed by guests do not necessarily reflect the views or position of AJC.

As we wrap up 2017, we wanted to listen to you, our listeners. In this year-end episode of the Lawfare Podcast, Lawfare contributors took your questions by voicemail and answered them on the show. Susan Hennessey, Tamara Cofman Wittes and Scott Anderson joined Benjamin Wittes in the Jungle Studio, with Josh Blackman joining from afar, to answer questions on subjects ranging from the Islamic State to presidential pardons. Thanks to our listeners, new and old, for listening to the Lawfare Podcast this week and every week. See you in 2018.

Dr. Tamara Cofman Wittes, senior fellow at the Brookings Institute, talks about the impacts of female leadership in foreign diplomacy and overcoming personal doubts and fears.​​

At the Third Triple Entente Beer Summit, the usual Rational Security gang (Shane Harris, Benjamin Wittes, Tamara Cofman Wittes, and Susan Hennessey) joins up with Stewart Baker and Michael Vatis of the Steptoe Cyberlaw Podcast to discuss airstrikes in Syria, the misadventures of Devin Nunes, and Steve Bannon's ouster from the National Security Council. Plus, in Object Lessons, Stewart recommends Secondhand Time by Svetlana Alexievich and Shane does some sleuthing.   

This week on the podcast, we’re bringing you some post-Thanksgiving food for thought on the uncertain state of the Arab world. On November 21, Madeleine Albright, Tamara Cofman Wittes, Stephen Hadley, and Amr Hamzawy sat down at the Brookings Institution to discuss a new report on “Real Security: Governance and Stability in the Arab World." What lead to the breakdown of governance across Arab countries? What can be done to establish more stable governance and increase security? And what role does the United States have in all of this?

Today on The Gist, Tamara Cofman Wittes of the Brookings Center for Middle East Policy offers insight into the threat of ISIS in Iraq and President Obama’s selective humanitarian efforts. Then, famed horserace announcer Tom Durkin takes a partial break from calling a race in Sarasota to reflect on his storied career as a horserace announcer. In honor of Durkin’s retirement this month, we’ll remember some of his best calls of all time and his appearance on the TV show Match Game. For the Spiel, who gets to speak about women’s body image? Get The Gist by email as soon as it’s available: slate.com/GistEmail Subscribe to the podcast in iTunes: itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/slate…id873667927?mt=2 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Benjamin Wittes discusses the ongoing crises in Gaza with Brookings scholars Natan Sachs, Khaled Elgindy, and Tamara Cofman Wittes. 

Hudson Institute senior fellow Lee Smith moderated a panel with Hillel Fradkin, Adam Garfinkle, Robert Satloff, and Tamara Cofman Wittes which discussed whether or not the Obama White House has a real strategy for the Middle East.

Hudson Institute senior fellow Lee Smith moderated a panel with Hillel Fradkin, Adam Garfinkle, Robert Satloff, and Tamara Cofman Wittes which discussed whether or not the Obama White House has a real strategy for the Middle East.