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, senior vice president, Zbigniew Brzezinski Chair in Global Security and Geostrategy, and director of the Middle East Program 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).
1
Hasan Alhasan: The Strategies of Gulf States
This week on Babel, Jon Alterman speaks with Dr. Hasan Alhasan about Gulf states’ foreign policies and their underlying strategies.
43 min
2
Analysis: Iran's Presidential Election
Leah Hickert speaks with Jon Alterman, director of the CSIS Middle East Program, about Iran's presidential election and its impact on regional politics.
5 min
3
Karim Haggag: Egypt's Balancing Act
This week on Babel, Jon Alterman speaks with Ambassador Karim Haggag about Egypt's complicated relationships with Israel and Hamas and Egypt's likely role in Gaza's "day after."
41 min
4
A Mezze: The Voice Inside AI's Head Speaks English
As Arabic-speaking nations race for AI supremacy, they are starting behind the pack.
2 min
5
Karim Elgendy: Climate Diplomacy in the Middle ...
This week on Babel, Jon Alterman speaks with Karim Elgendy about the geopolitics of climate change, the challenges hindering climate diplomacy, and the factors driving energy production in the region.
31 min
6
Analysis: Lebanon's Dangerous Campaign against ...
The Lebanese government set a dangerous precedent for the region by developing a plan to deport Syrian refugees who were not registered with the United Nations.
6 min
7
Jonathan Rynhold: Israel's Divided Politics
This week on Babel, Jon Alterman speaks with Jonathan Rynhold about how Israeli public opinion has evolved since October 7th, the divisions within Israeli politics, and Israeli attitudes towards President Biden.
39 min
8
Analysis: Environmental Politics in Postrevolut...
Amid chronic political instability, Tunisian institutions lack the legitimacy necessary to implement policies. Environmental policies have taken a particularly hard hit.
3 min
9
Sanam Vakil: Iran's Trajectory after Raisi
This week on Babel, Jon Alterman speaks with Sanam Vakil 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.
37 min
10
Analysis: The Impacts of Raisi's Death
Leah Hickert speaks with Jon Alterman 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.
4 min
11
Nicholas Blanford: Hezbollah’s Struggle Against...
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.
30 min
12
A Mezze: The Bonds of Marriage between Syria an...
Unknowingly, a Syrian widow became one of dozens of women to fall victim to Iraqi marriage exploitation in the past year alone.
2 min
13
Hans Grundberg: Mediation in Yemen
This week on Babel, Jon Alterman speaks with Hans Grundberg about what a UN mediator does, what successful mediation means, and how the internationalization of conflicts complicates mediation.
29 min
14
Analysis: Iran and Israel's Cycle of Retaliation
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.
6 min
15
Hiba Husseini: Peacemaking After Oslo
This week on Babel, Jon Alterman speaks with Hiba Husseini about the state of pro-peace communities after October 7th and the ways the war in Gaza will affect future peacemaking efforts.
38 min
16
Analysis: Support for Refugees Erodes in the Mi...
This week, Leah Hickert speaks with Will Todman, deputy director and senior fellow with the CSIS Middle East Program, to discuss how the issue of refugees and displaced populations has become a flashpoint across the region and the innovative solutions necessary to mitigate these crises.
8 min
17
Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein: Human Rights in a Messy ...
This week on Babel, Jon Alterman speaks with Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein, about the pursuit of human rights in a multipolar world and the role that the United Nations can play in Gaza.
36 min
18
Analysis: The New Forever Wars
This week, Leah Hickert speaks with Natasha Hall, senior fellow with the CSIS Middle East Program, about seemingly endless conflicts around the globe and what the U.S. should do about them.
6 min
19
Dana Stroul: The U.S. Defense Strategy in the M...
This week on Babel, Jon Alterman speaks with Dana Stroul about the U.S. defense strategy in the Middle East, how the Israel-Hamas war has changed U.S. security partnerships with Arab states, and the lessons Israel should learn from U.S. military experience in the region.
43 min
20
Analysis: Redefining Climate Finance for a Trou...
This week, Leah Hickert speaks with Natasha Hall, senior fellow with the CSIS Middle East Program, about climate financing in conflict-affected countries.
6 min
21
Amos Yadlin: A New Type of Israeli War
This week on Babel, Jon Alterman speaks with Amos Yadlin about Israel’s global relationships, and how this war differs from Israel’s previous conflicts.
36 min
22
Audio Brief: What Will the United States Do aft...
On January 28, a drone reportedly piloted by forces connected to Iran killed three U.S. troops at a base in northeast Jordan and wounded more than two dozen more, prompting questions about how the United States will respond.
3 min
23
Amb. David Satterfield: Humanitarian Aid in Gaza
This week on Babel, Jon Alterman speaks with Amb. David Satterfield about the crisis in Gaza, the challenges of getting aid to civilians, and the role of humanitarian assistance in ending the conflict.
34 min
24
Audio Brief: A Different Two-State Solution
With violence between Palestinians and Israelis at its highest levels in decades, reviving the idea of a two-state solution will require redefining the terms "two," "state," and "solution."
2 min
25
Bader Al-Saif: Kuwait's Perceptions, People, an...
This week on Babel, Jon Alterman speaks with Bader Al-Saif about Kuwaitis’ perceptions of the Israel-Hamas war, U.S. geostrategy, and where Kuwait is headed.
37 min