This week on Babel, Jon Alterman talks about Jordan with Dr. Bessma Momani, professor of political science at the University of Waterloo and one of Canada's leading experts on the Middle East. Dr. Momani and Jon explore the recent controversy over former Crown Prince Hamzeh and the government’s concerns over public discontent. Then, Jon, Natasha Hall, and Da ... Show More
May 2025
Babel Special: Jon Alterman's Next Chapter
This week on a special edition of Babel, Will Todman speaks with Jon Alterman, the creator of Babel and the show’s host since it began in 2019. They discuss Jon’s reflections on 22 years directing the CSIS Middle East Program, his analysis of how the Middle East policy ecosystem ... Show More
34m 59s
May 2025
Mohanad Hage Ali: Hezbollah and the Captagon Trade
This week on Babel, Jon Alterman speaks with Dr. Mohanad Hage Ali, deputy director for research at the Carnegie Middle East Center in Beirut. Mohanad's latest paper for Carnegie investigates the rise of a new form of drug smuggling in Lebanon. Together, they discuss Hezbollah’s i ... Show More
50m 16s
May 2025
Analysis: Will Trump’s Houthi Deal Stick?
On Tuesday, May 6, President Trump declared that the United States would immediately halt its bombing of Houthi targets, bringing an end to months of intensified U.S. strikes across Yemen. The president linked the policy reversal to what he described as the Iran-backed Houthis’ c ... Show More
6m 13s
Sep 2023
Control+Alt+Suppress: Jordan's cybercrime bill and the growth of state censorship
We've been off for a few week, but now we're back!While we were on holiday, Jordan took the opportunity to implement a new cybercrime law that has set alarm bells ringing among human rights defenders. The cybercrime law contains some incredibly vague language, which critics say w ... Show More
34m 12s
Oct 2023
World exclusive: Queen Rania of Jordan interview
As Israel continues bombing Gaza, bringing its health care system to the brink of collapse, Jordan's Queen speaks with Christiane Amanpour about the humanitarian catastrophe and the plight of Palestinians. Plus, seasoned hostage negotiator Gershon Baskin, who played a prominent r ... Show More
59m 26s
Jul 2021
July 25, 2021 |On GPS: An exclusive interview with King Abdullah II of Jordan
Fareed sits down in a special in-person interview with King Abdullah II of Jordan. They discuss solutions to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, the King’s visit with President Biden, turmoil within the Jordanian royal family, and much more. Then, Dr. Tom Frieden, former CDC direct ... Show More
39m 26s