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PODCAST

Babel: Translating the Middle East

Center for Strategic and International Studies

Babel will take you beyond the headlines to discuss what’s really happening in the Middle East and North Africa. It features regional experts who explain what’s going on, provide context on pivotal developments, and highlight trends you may have missed. Jon Alterman, Zbigniew Brzezinski Chair in Global Security and Geostrategy at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, hosts the podcast along with his colleagues from the Middle East Program. This podcast is made possible through the

government news commentary

All Episodes

43:02

Hasan Alhasan: The Strategies of Gulf States

Babel: Translating the Middle East ·

2024/07/23

This week on Babel, Jon Alterman speaks with Dr. Hasan Alhasan, a research fellow at the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) based in Manama, Bahrain. Prior to joining IISS, he served for five years on the staff of the Crown Prince of Bahrain as a senior analyst on foreign policy and national security. Together, they compare Gulf states’ foreign policies and their underlying strategies. Then, Jon continues the conversation with Will Todman and Leah Hickert to discuss how Gulf states

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5:49

Analysis: Iran's Presidential Election

Babel: Translating the Middle East ·

2024/07/16

Masoud Pezeshkian recently won the runoff election to replace Iran's late president, Ebrahim Raisi. This week, Leah Hickert speaks with Jon Alterman, director of the Middle East Program at CSIS, about Pezeshkian and the election's impact on regional politics. A new Analysis from the CSIS Middle East Program.Jon Alterman, "The Impacts of Raisi's Death," CSIS, May 20, 2024.

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41:03

Karim Haggag: Egypt's Balancing Act

Babel: Translating the Middle East ·

2024/07/09

This week on Babel, Jon Alterman speaks with Ambassador Karim Haggag. After an Egyptian diplomatic career that spanned more than 25 years, Amb. Haggag is now a professor of practice at the American University in Cairo's School of Global Affairs and Public Policy, the director of the university’s Middle East Studies Center, and a non-resident visiting scholar with Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government. Together, they compare the war in Gaza to other crises in Egypt’s history, discuss

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2:18

A Mezze: The Voice Inside AI's Head Speaks English

Babel: Translating the Middle East ·

2024/07/02

On March 20, Saudi Arabia announced that it planned to invest $40 billion into AI development. This move comes on the heels of the UAE's creation of two large language models developed within the last year. However, as these Arabic-speaking nations race for AI supremacy, they are starting behind the pack.Josh Phillips, "The Voice Inside AI's Head Speaks English," CSIS, June 18, 2024.

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31:07

Karim Elgendy: Climate Diplomacy in the Middle East

Babel: Translating the Middle East ·

2024/06/25

This week on Babel, Jon Alterman speaks with Karim Elgendy, an expert on climate and energy policy in the Middle East and North Africa. Elgendy is the associate director at Buro Happold, an associate fellow at Chatham House, and a senior non-resident scholar at the Middle East Institute. They talk about the geopolitics of climate change, the challenges hindering climate diplomacy, and the factors driving energy production in the region. Then, he continues the conversation with Will Todman and Leah

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6:28

Analysis: Lebanon's Dangerous Campaign against Refugees

Babel: Translating the Middle East ·

2024/06/18

Recently, the Lebanese government developed a plan to deport Syrian refugees who were not registered with the United Nations, which accounts for almost half of all refugees in Lebanon. Although Lebanon’s sovereignty is important, so are its humanitarian obligations and its role in regional security. A new Analysis from the CSIS Middle East Program.Natasha Hall and Will Todman, “Lebanon’s Dangerous Campaign against Refugees,” CSIS, June 4, 2024.

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39:29

Jonathan Rynhold: Israel's Divided Politics

Babel: Translating the Middle East ·

2024/06/11

This week on Babel, Jon Alterman speaks with Professor Jonathan Rynhold, the head of the Department of Political Studies at Bar Ilan University and a senior researcher at the Begin-Sadat Center for Strategic Studies. Together, they talk about how Israeli public opinion has evolved since October 7th, the divisions within Israeli politics, and Israeli attitudes towards President Biden. Then, Jon continues the conversation with Will Todman and Leah Hickert to discuss the dynamics in Israeli strategic

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3:19

Analysis: Environmental Politics in Postrevolutionary...

Babel: Translating the Middle East ·

2024/06/04

Since the revolution, Tunisia has had 12 different governments. Amid chronic political instability, Tunisian institutions lack the legitimacy necessary to implement policies. Environmental policies have taken a particularly hard hit. A new Analysis from the CSIS Middle East Program.Mohamed Omar Kardous, "Political Instability and Environmental Politics in Postrevolutionary Tunisia, CSIS, April 9, 2024.

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37:43

Sanam Vakil: Iran's Trajectory after Raisi

Babel: Translating the Middle East ·

2024/05/29

This week on Babel, Jon Alterman speaks with Dr. Sanam Vakil, director of the Middle East and North Africa program at Chatham House and a lecturer at Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies for almost 20 years. They talk about the fallout from President Raisi’s death, how Gulf states are likely to react, and the feasibility of U.S. policy options going forward. Then, Jon continues the conversation with Natasha Hall and Leah Hickert to discuss what’s next for Iranian foreign

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4:02

Analysis: The Impacts of Raisi's Death

Babel: Translating the Middle East ·

2024/05/21

This week, Leah Hickert speaks with Jon Alterman, director Middle East Program at CSIS, about the impacts of Iranian president Ebrahim Raisi's death in a helicopter crash, and how it will affect Iran's foreign and domestic policy. A new Analysis from the CSIS Middle East Program.Jon Alterman, "The Impacts of Raisi's Death," CSIS, May 20, 2024.

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30:04

Nicholas Blanford: Hezbollah’s Struggle Against Israel

Babel: Translating the Middle East ·

2024/05/14

This week on Babel, Jon Alterman speaks with Nicholas Blanford, a Beirut-based security consultant, the author of two books on Lebanon, and a non-resident senior fellow at the Atlantic Council. They talk about Hezbollah’s evolution, its ties to other actors in the region, and the role the group is playing in the current Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Then, Jon continues the conversation with Will Todman and Leah Hickert to discuss Hezbollah’s deep roots in Lebanese society and the organization’s

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2:19

A Mezze: The Bonds of Marriage between Syria and Iraq

Babel: Translating the Middle East ·

2024/05/07

Desperate for stability and lured by promises of a life of luxury, a Syrian widow accepted a marriage proposal from a member of an Iraqi militia. She did not know that she would become one of dozens of Syrian women to fall victim to Iraqi marriage exploitation in the past year alone. A new Mezze from the CSIS Middle East Program. Josh Phillips, "The Bonds of Marriage between Syria and Iraq," CSIS, May 1, 2024.

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29:00

Hans Grundberg: Mediation in Yemen

Babel: Translating the Middle East ·

2024/04/30

This week on Babel, Jon Alterman speaks with Hans Grundberg, the United Nations' special envoy of the secretary-general for Yemen. They discuss what a UN mediator does, why successful mediation is about more than just reaching a peace agreement, and how the internationalization of conflicts complicates mediation. Then, Jon continues the conversation with Natasha Hall and Leah Hickert to discuss the tradeoffs between different mediators and why the UN separates its humanitarian work from its

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6:50

Analysis: Iran and Israel's Cycle of Retaliation

Babel: Translating the Middle East ·

2024/04/23

Leah Hickert speaks with Jon Alterman, director of the Middle East Program at CSIS, about the tensions rising between Iran and Israel, as well as the potential for regional escalation. A new Analysis from the CSIS Middle East Program.

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38:49

Hiba Husseini: Peacemaking After Oslo

Babel: Translating the Middle East ·

2024/04/16

This week on Babel, Jon Alterman speaks with Hiba Husseini, a Palestinian lawyer and a legal adviser to Israeli-Palestinian peace negotiations for 30 years. They discuss the state of pro-peace communities after October 7th and the war in Gaza's effect on future peacemaking efforts. Then, Jon continues the conversation with Will Todman and Leah Hickert to discuss why youth are increasingly supportive of armed struggle, the pre-conditions for a new Palestinian political leadership, and the ways in

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8:09

Analysis: Support for Refugees Erodes in the Middle East

Babel: Translating the Middle East ·

2024/04/09

This week, Leah Hickert speaks with Will Todman, deputy director and senior fellow with the CSIS Middle East Program, about how displacement has become a flashpoint across the region and the innovative solutions necessary to mitigate these crises. A new Analysis from the CSIS Middle East Program.Will Todman, "Support for Refugees Erodes in the Middle East," CSIS, June 5, 2023.

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36:15

Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein: Human Rights in a Messy World

Babel: Translating the Middle East ·

2024/04/02

This week on Babel, Jon Alterman speaks with Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein, the former UN High Commissioner for Refugees, a former Jordanian diplomat, and the current president and CEO of the International Peace Institute. They discuss the pursuit of human rights in a multipolar world and the role that the United Nations can play in Gaza. Then, Jon continues the conversation with Natasha Hall and Leah Hickert to explore the importance of codifying human rights into international law and the challenges of

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6:12

Analysis: The New Forever Wars

Babel: Translating the Middle East ·

2024/03/26

This week, Leah Hickert speaks with Natasha Hall, senior fellow with the CSIS Middle East Program, about the U.S. strategy toward protracted conflicts, which can serve as forums for great power competition. A new Analysis from the CSIS Middle East Program.Natasha Hall, "The New Forever Wars," CSIS, January 25, 2024.

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43:26

Dana Stroul: The U.S. Defense Strategy in the Middle...

Babel: Translating the Middle East ·

2024/03/19

This week on Babel, Jon Alterman speaks with Dana Stroul, the former deputy assistant secretary of defense for the Middle East. They talk about the U.S. defense strategy in the Middle East before and after the war in Gaza, how the conflict has changed U.S. security partnerships with Arab states, and the lessons Israel should learn from U.S. military experience in the region. Then, Jon continues the conversation with Natasha Hall and Leah Hickert to discuss the multi-dimensional challenges of the

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6:27

Analysis: Redefining Climate Finance for a Troubled...

Babel: Translating the Middle East ·

2024/03/12

This week, Leah Hickert speaks with Natasha Hall, senior fellow with the CSIS Middle East Program, about the challenges of mitigating climate change through humanitarian interventions in conflict-affected countries. A new Analysis from the CSIS Middle East Program.Natasha Hall, "Redefining Climate Finance for a Troubled World," CSIS, March 12, 2024.

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284 results

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