Middle East - Audio
65 episodes - English - Latest episode: about 4 years ago - ★★★★★ - 11 ratingsThe Middle East Program heads CSIS’s work on the region, which analyzes a wide range of political, security, and socioeconomic issues related to the Middle East and North Africa, with special attention to the ways that changes in the Middle East and North Africa have effects beyond the region.
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Episodes
Syria's Tragedy, Our Lessons
March 02, 2020 20:00 - 59 minutes - 55 MBThe CSIS Middle East Program and Humanitarian Agenda are pleased to host David Miliband, President and CEO of the International Rescue Committee, to discuss the current crisis in Idlib, the dangerous lessons of war, and how Syria could serve as a model for future conflicts. Jacob Kurtzer, Interim Director of the CSIS Humanitarian Agenda, will provide welcome remarks to open the discussion. Mr. Miliband's keynote address will be followed by a Q&A moderated by Jon B. Alterman, Senior Vice ...
After Suleimani: Crisis, Opportunity, and the Future of the Gulf
February 24, 2020 14:00 - 2 hours - 145 MBView Summary The killing of Gen. Qassem Suleimani in January 2020 sent conflicting signals about the depth of U.S. engagement in the Gulf. The United States seems intent to diminish its presence while keeping an active hand in regional affairs. Meanwhile, Russia and China are exploring ways to reshape their own presence in the region. Please join the CSIS Middle East Program for a conference to examine the Gulf region in the wake of General Qassem Suleimani's death. Two expert panels w...
Book Talk: The Great Rift
February 06, 2020 19:00 - 57.1 MBFormer Vice President Dick Cheney and Secretary of State Colin Powell emerged on the national scene more than thirty years ago, and it is easy to forget that they were once allies. The two men collaborated closely in the successful American wars in Panama and Iraq during the presidency of George H. W. Bush. Returning to government service under George W. Bush in 2001, they (and their respective allies within the administration) fell into deep antagonism over the role America should play in ...
Schieffer Series: The Syria Withdrawal and Next Steps
December 10, 2019 22:00 - 52 minutes - 44.2 MBPlease join us for this season's next installment of the Schieffer Series, "The Syria Withdrawal and Next Steps." The Wall Street Journal's Nancy Youssef will join CSIS's Melissa Dalton, Seth Jones and Brian Katz for a discussion on the U.S. withdrawal from Syria and the implications this decision will have on Syria and the greater Middle East. Additionally, the panelists will touch on next steps for U.S. strategy in the region. Event - 5:30 - 6:30 p.m. Pre-Event Reception - 5:00 - 5:30 p...
A Conversation with Afghanistan First Lady Rula Ghani
November 15, 2019 19:00 - 55 minutes - 46.3 MBPlease join CSIS for an armchair discussion with the First Lady of Afghanistan Rula Ghani. The conversation will focus on the progress of women and their role in the peace process in Afghanistan. Women have made great economic and social strides in the past 15 years. More than 3.6 million girls are in school and women are now allowed to work, both of which are essential to peace and stability in Afghanistan. However, the work is not over. It is vital that the progress continues and that...
A Mezze: Cosmic Intervention
November 12, 2019 17:30 - 3 minutes - 4.14 MBThe Egyptian government seems to be using horoscopes as a new avenue for disseminating pro-regime messages.
The Islamic State's Next Wave
November 05, 2019 17:15 - 21 minutes - 29.4 MBIn this episode, Bob and Andrew invite back Seth Jones, CSIS's Harold Brown Chair and Director of the Transnational Threats Project. Seth discusses the U.S. raid on Islamic State leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, and what it means for the future of the Islamic State as well as its implications on future relations between the U.S. and the Middle East. Download the full transcript here.
Russian Disinformation in Syria
November 05, 2019 14:45 - 23 minutes - 32.5 MBRussia is spreading disinformation in the Middle East, especially in Syria, in order to discredit its critics and advance its interests. This week Jon, Amber, and Will discuss the scope of the issue and its consequences. Then Eliot Higgins, founder of Bellingcat, sits down with Jon to explain how his citizen journalist platform detects and counters disinformation. Eliot Higgins, “Chemical Weapons and Absurdity: The Disinformation Campaign Against the White Helmets,” Bellingcat, December...
Eliot Higgins: Russian Disinformation in Syria
November 05, 2019 14:45 - 23 minutes - 32.5 MBRussia is spreading disinformation in the Middle East, especially in Syria, in order to discredit its critics and advance its interests. This week Jon, Amber, and Will discuss the scope of the issue and its consequences. Then Eliot Higgins, founder of Bellingcat, sits down with Jon to explain how his citizen journalist platform detects and counters disinformation. Eliot Higgins, “Chemical Weapons and Absurdity: The Disinformation Campaign Against the White Helmets,” Bellingcat, December...
Syria in the Gray Zone
October 31, 2019 18:00 - 1 hour - 71.4 MBPlease join the CSIS International Security Program for a conversation on the findings of the Congressionally mandated Syria Study Group and a discussion assessing the impact of coercive Russian and Iranian gray zone activities on U.S. and allied interests and on the trajectory of the Syrian conflict. Event Agenda 2:00 PM - 2:30 PM: Briefing on Syria Study Group's Findings Dana Stroul, Co-Chair, Syria Study Group Michael Singh, Co-Chair, Syria Study Group 2:30 PM - 3:30 PM: Panel Dis...
A Reckoning in Syria and What it Means for the Middle East
October 22, 2019 20:00 - 29 minutes - 40.2 MBIn this episode, Bob and Andrew talk to Brian Katz, a fellow of CSIS's International Security Program and the Transnational Threats Project. Brian breaks down the situation on the ground following the U.S. decision to pull troops out of northern Syria, discusses where ISIS stands, and offers insights into Russia's stance of the unfolding situation and what it means for the region. Download the full transcript here.
Getting aid to Yemen
October 22, 2019 19:30 - 22 minutes - 30.3 MBIn this episode, Jon Alterman talks to Aisha Jumaan about her efforts to deliver humanitarian assistance to Yemenis in need. Dr. Aisha Jumaan is an epidemiologist and the founder and president of Yemen Relief and Reconstruction Foundation. Jon, Will, and Amber also discuss how Congress is thinking about the crisis in Yemen and how it is affected by U.S. politics. Jeremy Sharp, “Yemen: Civil War and Regional Intervention,” Congressional Research Service, September 17, 2019. Tess Bridgem...
Aisha Jumaan: Getting Aid to Yemen
October 22, 2019 19:30 - 22 minutes - 30.3 MBIn this episode, Jon Alterman talks to Aisha Jumaan about her efforts to deliver humanitarian assistance to Yemenis in need. Dr. Aisha Jumaan is an epidemiologist and the founder and president of Yemen Relief and Reconstruction Foundation. Jon, Will, and Amber also discuss how Congress is thinking about the crisis in Yemen and how it is affected by U.S. politics. Jeremy Sharp, “Yemen: Civil War and Regional Intervention,” Congressional Research Service, September 17, 2019. Tess Bridgemean...
Getting Aid to Yemen
October 22, 2019 19:30 - 22 minutes - 30.3 MBIn this episode, Jon Alterman talks to Aisha Jumaan about her efforts to deliver humanitarian assistance to Yemenis in need. Dr. Aisha Jumaan is an epidemiologist and the founder and president of Yemen Relief and Reconstruction Foundation. Jon, Will, and Amber also discuss how Congress is thinking about the crisis in Yemen and how it is affected by U.S. politics. Jeremy Sharp, “Yemen: Civil War and Regional Intervention,” Congressional Research Service, September 17, 2019. Tess Bridgemean...
An Ongoing Discussion on Syria
October 16, 2019 19:15 - 30 minutes - 41.3 MBIn this episode, Bob and Andrew sit down with Melissa Dalton, deputy director of the CSIS International Security Program and director of the Cooperative Defense Project. Melissa discusses the current situation of the ongoing conflict in Syria and the sudden withdrawal of U.S. forces there, while analyzing Russia's role, potential U.S. strategy, and the state of Turkey's relationship with the U.S. Download the full transcript here.
Ibrahim Hamidi: Do Syrian Negotiations Matter?
October 08, 2019 16:45 - 29 minutes - 40 MBIn this episode, Jon Alterman discusses the prospects for Syria’s political negotiations with Syrian journalist Ibrahim Hamidi. Ibrahim Hamidi is the senior diplomatic editor at Asharq Alawsat newspaper and previously served as the senior political editor at Al-Hayat. Jon, Will, and Amber also discuss Russian diplomacy in the Middle East, and we finish with a look at a counter-radicalism rap movement that has emerged in the Levant. Ibrahim Hamidi, “Lavrov to Asharq Al-Awsat: Putin’s vis...
Do Syrian Negotiations Matter?
October 08, 2019 16:45 - 29 minutes - 40 MBIn this episode, Jon Alterman discusses the prospects for Syria’s political negotiations with Syrian journalist Ibrahim Hamidi. Ibrahim Hamidi is the senior diplomatic editor at Asharq Alawsat newspaper and previously served as the senior political editor at Al-Hayat. Jon, Will, and Amber also discuss Russian diplomacy in the Middle East, and we finish with a look at a counter-radicalism rap movement that has emerged in the Levant. Ibrahim Hamidi, “Lavrov to Asharq Al-Awsat: Putin’s vis...
DDR Explained: Disarmament, Demobilization, and Reintegration in Afghanistan
October 02, 2019 15:45 - 25 minutes - 35.3 MBIn this episode, Dan sits down with Dean Piedmont, Senior Advisor for Disarmament, Demobilization, and Reintegration (DDR) at Creative Associates, where Mr. Piedmont leads the charge in implementing DDR programs in various countries. Dan and Mr. Piedmont discuss the trends, challenges, and successes of past DDR programs, and how they can be redesigned for integration into Afghanistan. Their conversation touches on the critical role of stakeholders and builds a potential strategy for an Afgh...
Bonus: Schieffer's Green Room on Iran
October 01, 2019 18:15 - 8 minutes - 11.8 MBIn this bonus episode of The Truth of the Matter, listen in on Bob Schieffer’s green room conversation with CSIS’ Jon Alterman, Seth Jones and the New York Times’ David Sanger, prior to the CSIS Schieffer Series event on the Iran situation, September 24. Download the full transcript here.
Wendy Sherman: How Iran Negotiates
September 24, 2019 15:00 - 25 minutes - 35.7 MBIn this episode, Jon Alterman discusses U.S.-Iran negotiations with Ambassador Wendy Sherman. Amb. Sherman is a senior counselor at Albright Stonebridge Group. She led the U.S. negotiations team in developing the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) with Iran and is the author of Not for the Faint of Heart: Lessons in Courage, Power, and Persistence. Jon, Will, and Amber also discuss the role of Iranian soft power in the Middle East, and we finish with a look at religious eulogists in...
How Iran Negotiates
September 24, 2019 15:00 - 25 minutes - 35.7 MBIn this episode, Jon Alterman discusses U.S.-Iran negotiations with Ambassador Wendy Sherman. Amb. Sherman is a senior counselor at Albright Stonebridge Group. She led the U.S. negotiations team in developing the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) with Iran and is the author of Not for the Faint of Heart: Lessons in Courage, Power, and Persistence. Jon, Will, and Amber also discuss the role of Iranian soft power in the Middle East, and we finish with a look at religious eulogists in...
Yemen’s Crisis
September 19, 2019 14:30 - 1 hour - 193 MBMany observers describe the situation in Yemen as the world’s worst humanitarian crisis. Nearly 80 percent of the country’s 28 million residents require assistance, and more than 7 million people are at risk of famine. Providing humanitarian assistance presents many challenges, as fighting and blockades frequently impede humanitarian access, and combatants divert aid supplies for political and financial gain. This discussion will examine how the dynamics of Yemen’s conflict help shape the ...
Russia-Iran Relations: Agreements and Disagreements
September 18, 2019 13:00 - 1 hour - 184 MBAt the June 2019 Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit, when the Russian President Vladimir Putin met with Iranian President Hassan Rouhani, he remarked that the relations between the two countries were “multifaceted” and “multilateral.” The two countries have continued developing their ties despite tightened sanctions. What are the main economic and political drivers of Russia-Iran cooperation? Are there any irreconcilable differences between the two and where does Iran fit in U.S.-Russ...
The Attack on Saudi Arabia
September 17, 2019 20:15 - 23 minutes - 32.8 MBIn this episode, hosts Bob Schieffer and Andrew Schwartz interview CSIS Harold Brown Chair and Director of the Transnational Threats Project Seth Jones about the recent attack on Saudi Arabia's oil production facilities. They also discuss Jones's prescient and relevant report, "Iran’s Threat to Saudi Critical Infrastructure." Download the full transcript here.
Energy & Geopolitics: The Sep. 14 Attack on Saudi Oil Infrastructure
September 17, 2019 18:15 - 23 minutes - 21.6 MBCSIS Energy Program experts Andrew Stanley and Frank Verrastro are joined by Jon Alterman of the CSIS Middle East Program to discuss developments following the September 14 attacks on Abqaiq and Khurais in Saudi Arabia: what these events might mean for Saudi oil production and the global oil market, and where this leaves U.S. policy toward Iran and more broadly in the Middle East.
Bill Burns: U.S. Diplomacy in the Middle East
September 11, 2019 15:30 - 23 minutes - 32.6 MBIn our first episode, Jon Alterman sits down with Ambassador Bill Burns about the role of the United States in the Middle East. Amb. Burns is the president of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, the former deputy secretary of state, and the author of The Back Channel: A Memoir of American Diplomacy and the Case for its Renewal. Jon, Will, and Amber also discuss escalating tensions between Israel and Iran, and we finish with a look at how some couples are opting for a new type of...
U.S. Diplomacy in the Middle East
September 11, 2019 15:30 - 23 minutes - 32.6 MBIn our first episode, Jon Alterman sits down with Ambassador Bill Burns about the role of the United States in the Middle East. Amb. Burns is the president of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, the former deputy secretary of state, and the author of The Back Channel: A Memoir of American Diplomacy and the Case for its Renewal. Jon, Will, and Amber also discuss escalating tensions between Israel and Iran, and we finish with a look at how some couples are opting for a new type of...
The New Landscape for Gavi 5.0
August 20, 2019 13:15 - 23 minutes - 32.2 MBAt the end of June, the Board of Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, approved their new “5.0” strategy for 2021-2025, with an ambitious set of priorities for this new phase. In this episode of Take as Directed, Nellie Bristol sits down with Amanda Glassman, Executive Vice President and Senior Fellow of the Center for Global Development, and Katherine Bliss, Senior Fellow with the Global Health Policy Center, to discuss these changes and their implications for the broader immunization landscape beyo...
Chinese Interests and Policies in the Middle East: A Conversation with Jon Alterman
August 13, 2019 14:30 - 25 minutes - 34.6 MBBy: Bonnie S. Glaser This episode examines China’s increasing engagement with countries in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA). Our guest, Dr. Jon Alterman, evaluates the main drivers of China’s growing involvement in the region, including its crude oil imports and investment in ports and infrastructure. Dr. Alterman also explains China’s non-interference policy in the region’s disputes, and why China’s relationship with MENA countries has not suffered since China’s mass detention of ...
Book Event: Jerusalem and Washington: A Life in Politics and Diplomacy
May 21, 2019 21:00 - 58 minutes - 47.8 MB5:00 p.m. - 5:30 p.m. - Pre-Event Reception 5:30 p.m. - 6:30 p.m. - Event Bookselling and signing to follow the event. In his forthcoming memoir, Jerusalem and Washington: A Life in Politics and Diplomacy, diplomat and raconteur Zalman Shoval leads readers behind closed doors into the rooms where prime ministers and presidents made history altering decisions about the first Gulf War, the fate of Jonathan Pollard, the role of the PLO, and Israel’s responses to international criticism an...
The U.S. Army History of the Iraq War
May 13, 2019 13:00 - 1 hour - 108 MBPlease join CSIS for a discussion of the U.S. Army’s recently published and long-awaited two volume history, The U.S. Army in the Iraq War, 2003-2011. The authors will outline key findings from major episodes in the war and discuss the implications for today. Peter Bergen of New America, Kim Dozier of CNN and the Daily Beast, Michael Gordon of the Wall Street Journal, and Ken Pollack of AEI will provide commentary and analysis. Frank Sobchak and Joel Rayburn, OIF Editors with Michael Go...
Iran One Year Later: The Trump Administration’s Policy, Looking Back and Looking Forward
May 08, 2019 17:30 - 59 minutes - 137 MBPlease join the Center for Strategic and International Studies for a discussion with Brian Hook, U.S. special representative for Iran, on President Trump's Iran policy, the impact of the U.S. withdrawal from the JCPOA, and the future of U.S.-Iran relations. Brian Hook is the U.S. Special Representative for Iran and Senior Policy Advisor to the Secretary of State. Prior to this appointment, he served as Director of the Policy Planning Staff from 2017-2018. From 2009-2017, he managed an inter...
United States and Iraq: Going Forward
May 06, 2019 19:30 - 53 minutes - 122 MBThe CSIS Middle East Program invites you to join Dr. Jon Alterman and Senator Tammy Duckworth for a convervsation on the United States and Iraq. Dr. Alterman will discuss the current U.S. strategy in Iraq with Senator Duckworth, who will reflect on her experience serving in that country. Senator Tammy Duckworth is a U.S. senator for Illinois and retired U.S. Army Lieutenant Colonel who deployed to Iraq in 2004 as a Blackhawk helicopter pilot. Prior to her election to the Senate, Senator Du...
Evaluating the Global Counterspace Landscape
April 23, 2019 20:00 - 1 hour - 192 MBOn April 23, 2019, the Aerospace Security Project at the Center for Strategic and International Studies will be hosting a discussion on pre-existing and emerging threats to U.S. space systems. The event will kickoff with a keynote from Steve Kitay, DASD for Space Policy. Following Mr. Kitay's remarks, an expert panel will discuss recent global counterspace developments. This event highlights the Aerospace Security Project’s new report, Space Threat Assessment 2019, and the Secure World Fo...
Iraqi Public Opinion 16 Years After the Invasion
April 08, 2019 14:00 - 1 hour - 63.7 MBJoin CSIS's Burke Chair in Strategy for a discussion with Dr. Munqith Dagher, who will present findings from a major series of public opinion surveys and analyses of Iraqi public opinion on the country's political and social landscape 16 years after the invasion. His presentation covers critical issues like the level of national unity versus polarization and divisions by region, party, ethnicity, and sect. He address level of support for the new government, reactions to the fighting, and go...
How Saudi Women are Leveraging Online Businesses
December 19, 2018 15:45 - 22 minutes - 30.8 MB2018 Eisenhower Fellow Wafaa AlAshwali, CEO and Co-Founder of Serviis, a Saudi Arabia-based digital platform and local marketplace, talks to host Beverly Kirk about how her company and others like it are opening up new opportunities for women entrepreneurs in her country. She also discusses the Saudi Vision 2030 plan and efforts to include more women in the workforce.
Book Launch: Small Wars, Big Data
December 13, 2018 22:00 - 54 minutes - 49.7 MBThe CSIS Transnational Threats Project cordially invites you to a book launch event for Eli Berman, Joseph H. Felter & Jacob N. Shapiro's newly released Small Wars, Big Data: The Information Revolution in Modern Conflict (Princeton University Press). Moderated by Seth G. Jones Harold Brown Chair Director, Transnational Threats Project Senior Adviser, International Security Program With Jacob N. Shapiro Professor of Politics and International Affairs at Princeton University ...
Accessing Vulnerable Children and Young People in Conflict
October 30, 2018 14:00 - 53 minutes - 49.3 MBPlease join the CSIS Humanitarian Agenda as it hosts the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) Executive Director Henrietta Fore for a keynote address and armchair discussion. Executive Director Fore's address will outline the challenges that humanitarian organizations like UNICEF face in gaining access to the women, children, and young people living through conflict and crises. She will describe UNICEF's approach to overcoming access barriers in countries like Yemen, South Sudan, Afghan...
Celebrating World Humanitarian Day
August 20, 2018 15:00 - 54 minutes - 54.3 MBPlease join us to celebrate World Humanitarian Day with Administrator Mark Green of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID). World Humanitarian Day is an international celebration that commemorates both the accomplishments and sacrifices of humanitarian aid personnel who work in difficult and dangerous environments. Without their dedication to humanity, the delivery of life-saving aid and technical support to millions across the globe would not be possible. The discussion will...
Forging the Future of Jobs: A Conversation with Guy Ryder, Director General of the ILO
July 19, 2018 17:30 - 1 hour - 90.9 MBThe world faces complex challenges posed by a growing and aging population, forced migration, persistent poverty, urbanization, and a series of technological disruptions impacting labor. The world needs 600 million new jobs over the next 15 years just to keep up with current demand. If channeled correctly, population growth could lead to a demographic dividend. Otherwise, this wave of human energy will be lost. The adage remains true: the best social program (and best national security polic...
Foreign Service Nationals: USAID’s Key Partner in Success
June 01, 2018 13:00 - 1 hour - 78.9 MBPlease join us for a public panel discussion on the importance role of USAID's foreign service nationals. Foreign service nationals (FSNs) are local, non-U.S. citizens employed by USAID and the State Department. Many USAID FSNs are extremely qualified, having received advanced degrees in their respective fields and having worked at the most senior levels in government, business or civil society before coming to USAID. They are the largest component of USAID's workforce and an integral part ...
Destination: Maghreb – Part 2
June 01, 2018 13:00 - 10 minutes - 15.7 MBAfter following the path of migrants from sub-Saharan Africa in part one, we now join them as they try to navigate life in the Maghreb where different countries have different strategies for welcoming their new arrivals. With Haim Malka. Hosted by Colm Quinn. Check out Haim’s report here: Destination Maghreb: Changing Migration Patterns in North Africa. Music credit: “Sidi Habibi” is from the Tsikago album by Lamajamal, a Chicago-based music ensemble, and published by Intercultural Music...
The Impact of De-risking on Nonprofit Organizations and Their Beneficiaries in Conflict Areas
May 07, 2018 14:00 - 1 hour - 102 MBPlease join the CSIS Human Rights Initiative, Charity and Security Network, and The Humanitarian Forum for the launch of a series of country case studies on de-risking in conflict zones. Global financial institutions are increasingly terminating or restricting relationships with U.S. nonprofit organizations (NPOs), financial intermediaries, and local organizations in various regions of the world, a trend called “de-risking.” This practice, combined with a complex terror environment, poses...
Conscription and the Social Contract in the Gulf
May 01, 2018 13:15 - 16 minutes - 22.9 MBIn this episode, Jon Alterman is joined by Dr. Steffen Hertog, an associate professor in comparative politics at the London School of Economics. Steffen discusses the goals and long-term prospects of the UAE’s national service program in the context of shifting relations between Gulf militaries, governments, and societies. He considers how the UAE’s experiment in conscription as a nationbuilding tool could accelerate a broader effort by Gulf leaders to redefine the contract between citizens...
Losing Hearts and Minds: American-Iranian Relations and International Education during the Cold War
April 30, 2018 17:00 - 1 hour - 94.9 MBThe history of U.S.-Iranian relations is dominated by the 1979 Iranian revolution and the ensuing hostage crisis at the America embassy in Tehran. However, there is more to the relationship than a single flash-point. In his new book, Losing Hearts and Minds: American-Iranian Relations and International Education during the Cold War, Dr. Matthew Shannon tells the story of thousands of Iranian students sent to study at American universities during the Cold War and how, in a twist of irony...
A Nordic Model for the UAE?
April 24, 2018 14:00 - 15 minutes - 21.4 MBIn this episode, Jon Alterman takes a broader view of conscription with Elisabeth Braw, a NATO expert and nonresident senior fellow at the Atlantic Council. Elisabeth is a former journalist who has observed Nordic armies closely throughout her career. She discusses the evolving approaches towards conscription of some European nations that have maintained a military draft. She also explains key aspects of the Finnish model, which the UAE studied carefully while designing its own program. Tho...
Syria: Is the United States In or Out?
April 06, 2018 13:30 - 16 minutes - 15.2 MBAs the United States sends mixed messages on its Syria policy, we take a look at what an American troop exit from Syria would mean and the wider issue of stabilizing a post-conflict country. With CSIS Senior Fellow Melissa Dalton. Hosted by Colm Quinn. Listen to CSIS's latest limited series "Citizens in Training" on Apple Podcasts and everywhere else.
The Humanitarian Crisis in Yemen
April 05, 2018 18:00 - 1 hour - 78.5 MBYemen’s unprecedented humanitarian crisis cannot be understood in isolation from the country’s complex political and economic dynamics, International Rescue Committee (IRC) president and CEO David Miliband and other experts agreed at an event on “The Humanitarian Crisis in Yemen” on April 5, 2018 hosted by the CSIS Humanitarian Agenda in partnership with the CSIS Middle East Program. Yemen’s humanitarian emergency is both a product and a potential driver of political instability, Miliband ...
National Service and the “Entitled Patriot”
April 03, 2018 13:45 - 14 minutes - 20 MBIn this episode, Jon Alterman speaks to Dr. Calvert Jones, assistant professor at the University of Maryland, College Park in the department of government and politics and the author of Bedouins Into Bourgeois: Remaking Citizens for Globalization. Calvert reflects on the UAE’s military conscription program through the prism of wider efforts to cultivate a new type of UAE citizen for a future that is less dependent on oil. She highlights how social engineering efforts can sometimes produce un...
After Syria: The United States, Russia, and the Future of Terrorism
March 30, 2018 14:00 - 2 hours - 112 MBThe collapse of Islamic State control in Syria has been hailed in both Russia and the United States as a victory over terrorism. Both credit their country’s military involvement with victory. But the war that continues in Syria also lays bare Moscow and Washington’s conflicting definitions and approaches when it comes to terrorism, insurgency, and combat operations. Moreover, even if a path to stabilization in that country is found, America and Russia will continue to face terrorism and ter...