Babel: Translating the Middle East
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 generous support of the Embassy of the United Arab Emirates. All views, positions, and conclusions expressed here should be understood to be solely of those of the speaker(s).
276
A Mezze: Fire Sale
Soaring fuel prices are leading Yemenis to chop down trees, and this is only adding to the humanitarian crisis.
3 min
277
Climate and Conflict in the Middle East
Peter Schwartzstein, an environmental journalist based in the Middle East, joins host Jon Alterman to discuss how climate change concerns exacerbate conflict, and how regional leaders should respond.
23 min
278
A Mezze: Cosmic Intervention
The Egyptian government seems to be using horoscopes as a new avenue for disseminating pro-regime messages.
2 min
279
Russian Disinformation in Syria
Russia is spreading disinformation in the Middle East, especially in Syria, in order to discredit its critics and advance its interests.
23 min
280
A Mezze: Bringing Back Babel
This mezze explores the diverse linguistic landscape of Iraqi Kurdistan. Listeners can expect a mezze every other week.
4 min
281
Getting aid to Yemen
In 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
22 min
282
Do Syrian Negotiations Matter?
In 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 edito
29 min
283
How Iran Negotiates
In 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
25 min
284
U.S. Diplomacy in the Middle East
In 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 a
23 min