Year in review: The Middle East in 2021

FromMiddle East Focus

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Year in review: The Middle East in 2021

FromMiddle East Focus

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Length:

49 minutes

Released:

Dec 17, 2021

Format:

Podcast episode

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What were the most significant developments in the Middle East and regional policy in 2021? MEI’s Paul Salem, Randa Slim, Bilal Saab, and Karen Young join the program to discuss the key events and what trends to watch in 2022.

Released:

Dec 17, 2021

Format:

Podcast episode

Titles in the series (100)

Weekly discussion of Middle East policy, arts, and culture, featuring experts from the Middle East Institute in Washington, D.C.

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Pakistan’s foreign policy challenges: Madiha Afzal, Syed Mohammad Ali, and Marvin Weinbaum join host Alistair Taylor to discuss a range of issues facing Pakistan, from the implications of the U.S. military withdrawal from Afghanistan, to its bilateral relations with India, China, Saudi... by Middle East Focus
36 min listen
Israel's Digital Occupation: Eliza Campbell and Emerson T. Brooking discuss the Israeli government’s suppression of Palestinian online speech and activism, the surprising role that American social media companies play in the process, and their recent article for Foreign Policy, "." by Middle East Focus
38 min listen
Lebanon one year on from the Beirut blast: On August 4, 2020, a cache of improperly stored ammonium nitrate caused a devastating blast in the port of Beirut. Chris Abi-Nassif, Mona Fawaz, and Aya Majzoub join host Alistair Taylor to discuss the investigation into the blast, the reconstruction... by Middle East Focus
44 min listen
Al Qaeda and lessons from the past 20 years of counterterrorism: Peter Bergen and Colin Clarke join guest host Charles Lister to discuss Bergen’s new book, The Rise and Fall of Osama Bin Laden, as well as the Biden administration’s handling of the US withdrawal from Afghanistan and concerns about the... by Middle East Focus
30 min listen
Iran's Upcoming Elections: Alex Vatanka joins host Alistair Taylor to discuss Iran's upcoming presidential election on June 18. The election comes at a pivotal time for the country, as it faces a serious economic crisis and growing popular dissatisfaction at home, as well as a... by Middle East Focus
20 min listen
The UAE at 50: Gerald Feierstein, Afshin Molavi, and Courtney Freer discuss the state of the United Arab Emirates as the country celebrates its 50th anniversary, including its history, economic development, and domestic and regional policy objectives. by Middle East Focus
28 min listen
Converging Lines: the Arab Diaspora in the U.S.: Artists Helen Zughaib and John Halaka join MEI’s Lyne Sneige in conversation on the MEI Art Gallery’s current exhibition, "Converging Lines: Tracing the Artistic Lineage of the Arab Diaspora in the U.S." They discuss the exhibition's themes of... by Middle East Focus
40 min listen
Ebrahim Raisi and the future of Iran: Ebrahim Raisi was sworn in as Iran's new president on August 5. Ali Alfoneh and Henry Rome join guest host Alex Vatanka, director of MEI's Iran Program, to discuss the political and economic challenges the new president will contend with, his... by Middle East Focus
29 min listen
A Case Study in Irregular Warfare: Mick Mulroy and Ken Tovo join host Alistair Taylor to discuss their recent paper on how US intelligence and military operatives effectively collaborated with local Kurdish partners in Northern Iraq in the early 2000s, why it was a successful... by Middle East Focus
27 min listen
Humanitarian aid for Northern Syria: Charles Lister, Mona Yacoubian, and James Jeffrey join host Alistair Taylor to discuss the upcoming UN Security Council vote on the renewal of cross-border assistance for Syria, Russia's threats of severing access, and how they might impact stability... by Middle East Focus
26 min listen
Pakistan's Political Crisis: Marvin Weinbaum, Madiha Afzal, and Syed Mohammad Ali discuss the recent political upheaval in Pakistan, which comes against the backdrop of mounting economic problems. by Middle East Focus
47 min listen
Sustainable Financing in MENA: Lama Kiyasseh and Lina Osman join Karen Young, director of MEI's Economics and Energy program, to discuss how sustainable financing is changing the region by channeling financial resources toward addressing environmental and social challenges. by Middle East Focus
20 min listen
The Taliban takeover of Afghanistan: Dr. Marvin Weinbaum, director of MEI’s Afghanistan and Pakistan program, joins host Alistair Taylor for a bonus episode responding to the Taliban’s rapid overthrow of the Afghan military and government over the past week. by Middle East Focus
15 min listen
GERD and Egypt's African Outreach: Guled Ahmed, Mirette Mabrouk, and Mohammed Soliman join host Alistair Taylor to discuss the latest developments for the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD), Egypt's African diplomatic outreach, and the creative solutions required to meet the... by Middle East Focus
33 min listen
Takeaways from COP26: Mohammed Mahmoud, director of MEI's Climate and Water Program, and Abbey Krulik, who attended the recent United Nations Climate Change Conference, known as COP26, as an observer, discuss takeaways from the conference and the Glasgow Pact that was... by Middle East Focus
20 min listen
Saudi-Iran Talks: Mohammed Alsulami and Kasra Aarabi join Banafsheh Keynoush to discuss the latest talks between long-time regional rivals Saudi Arabia and Iran. Several rounds of talks between Riyadh and Tehran been held in Baghdad since April. They are taking place... by Middle East Focus
27 min listen
Iraq's Elections: Marsin Alshamary joins the program to discuss the upcoming Iraqi parliamentary elections on Oct. 10. Originally scheduled for 2022, the elections were moved up amid pressure from the Tishreen protest movement that began in late 2019. MEI Senior Fellow... by Middle East Focus
30 min listen
The state of Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula: Elisabeth Kendall and Nadwa al-Dawsari join Charles Lister to discuss Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) and its place in Yemen’s persistent internal conflict. by Middle East Focus
24 min listen
Tunisia's political crisis: Lilia Blaise and Fadil Aliriza join Intissar Fakir for a discussion on Tunisia's political turmoil following President Kais Saied's series of moves since July to reshape the country's government. by Middle East Focus
40 min listen
Morocco's elections: Maati Monjib and Rachid Aourraz join guest host Intissar Fakir to discuss the results of Morocco's Sept. 8 general elections, their context and why they are important, and what they signal about political trends in the country moving forward. by Middle East Focus
16 min listen
First Anniversary of the Abraham Accords: Amb. Dennis Ross and Karen Young join guest host Gerald Feierstein to discuss the progress of relations between Israel and the Arab world one year after the signing of the Abraham Accords, as well as the agreement's economic impacts and what role the... by Middle East Focus
27 min listen
What’s next for Afghanistan?: Marvin Weinbaum, Husain Haqqani, and Mick Mulroy join host Alistair Taylor to discuss the future of Afghanistan following the imminent US military withdrawal. by Middle East Focus
31 min listen
Ukraine: Tracking Russia's military and cyber campaigns: Iulia Joja and Chris Kubecka discuss Russia's attacks on Ukraine both on the ground and online, the growing refugee crisis, and how the invasion may set precedents for future conflicts. by Middle East Focus
24 min listen
9/11’s legacy for U.S.-Middle East relations: Ross Harrison, Paul Salem, and Randa Slim join host Alistair Taylor to reflect on 9/11’s impact on US policy in the Middle East over the past 20 years and how its legacy has been viewed by the region. by Middle East Focus
34 min listen
Lebanon in Crisis: Randa Slim and Amb. Edward Gabriel discuss the daunting trifecta of economic, financial, and political crises Lebanon currently faces and what they anticipate for the country's future. by Middle East Focus
31 min listen
ISIS in Syria and Iraq: Charles Lister and Mick Mulroy discuss discuss the dramatic Feb. 3rd U.S. special operations raid that killed ISIS leader Abu Ibrahim al-Hashimi al-Qurayshi, the group’s late January attack on the al-Sina prison, and ISIS’s broader trajectory in... by Middle East Focus
31 min listen
Iran's Growing Protests: Today's episode challenges preconceived notions about Iranian society, the hijab, and the regime clinging to power in Tehran. Joining us today for a highly enlightening conversation are two Iran experts, Marjan Keypour Greenblatt and Alex Vatanka.... by Middle East Focus
38 min listen
Iran and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization: Iulia Sabina-Joja and Alex Vatanka join today's program to discuss Iranian foreign policy and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization. Amid growing concerns about the regional repercussions of the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan, the SCO met for its... by Middle East Focus
31 min listen
America's Global Posturing Review: Bilal Saab, senior fellow and founding director of MEI's Defense & Security Program, discusses the recently completed Defense Department Global Posture Review (GPR), his thoughts on the review and process, and how it will impact the U.S. strategy in... by Middle East Focus
17 min listen
The Legacy of the Iranian Hostage Crisis: Alex Vatanka and Michael Metrinko discuss the Iranian hostage crisis, how it’s shaped US-Iran relations, and what that history tells us about the present and potential future of the Islamic Republic. Metrinko also recounts his experience as a... by Middle East Focus
38 min listen

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Interview with Rashid Al Khalifa - Bahraini artist, collector and founder of RAK Art Foundation: Director of MEI's Arts & Culture Program Lyne Sneige interviews HH Sheik Rashid Al Khalifa - artist, collector and founder of the RAK Art Foundation and a participating artist in MEI's current gallery exhibition "The Sea of Life: Modern and... by Middle East Focus
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What’s next for Pakistan after election shock?: On this week's episode Tamkinet Karim, Syed Mohammad Ali, and Alistair Taylor discuss the results of Pakistan’s Feb. 8 elections and where things might be headed moving forward. Over the past two years, Pakistan has gone through a particularly... by Middle East Focus
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Iran’s 1979 revolution and its resonance today: On this week's episode, MEI Iran Program Director Alex Vatanka, MEI Non-resident Scholar Andrew Scott Cooper, and MEI Editor-In-Chief Alistair Taylor discuss the Iranian Revolution of 1979. A seminal event in the history of the modern Middle East, the... by Middle East Focus
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The Gaza War's Regional Reverberations: On this week's episode, President and CEO of the Middle East Institute Paul Salem and Director of MEI’s Conflict Resolution and Track II Dialogues Program Randa Slim speak to MEI's Editor-in-Chief Alistair Taylor about growing concerns over the... by Middle East Focus
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Antisemitism and Islamophobia in the US political discourse on Israel/Palestine: Sahar Aziz and Mitchell Plitnick discuss their study "Presumptively Antisemitic: Islamophobic Tropes in the Palestine Israel Discourse" with MEI's Palestine and Palestinian-Israeli Affairs Program Director Khaled Elgindy. by Middle East Focus
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Themes of COP28: MEI's Climate and Water Program discusses the top issues within the themes of COP28's agenda. For more info on COP28 and climate issues in the MENA region, follow MEI's . by Middle East Focus
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Year in review: The Middle East in 2021

Year in review: The Middle East in 2021

Description

Titles in the series (100)

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