Two weeks ago, there was reason to think that the Middle East was becoming more stable than it had been for years. Washington was pushing for normalization between Israel and Saudi Arabia as one piece of a broader attempt to reduce the U.S. role in the region and focus on other priorities. Hamas’s attack on Israel on October 7 shattered those hopes.
But the ... Show More
Mar 5
America’s War of Choice on Iran
Over the weekend, U.S. and Israeli forces struck hundreds of sites across Iran and killed its supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Large crowds of Iranians took to the streets, some to mourn, others to celebrate. The Islamic Republic has retaliated and launched strikes of its ... Show More
1h 5m
Feb 26
America the Predatory Hegemon
President Donald Trump wields American power like few leaders in U.S. history ever have. By imposing tariffs, threatening territorial conquest, and ordering military intervention, he deploys the United States’ strength to assert dominance over friends and foes alike. Stephen Walt ... Show More
56m 39s
Apr 2025
Nuclear diplomacy: Trump, Iran and a potential new deal
After years of stalled diplomacy, the US and Iran are back in high-level talks. Surprise meetings have taken place in Oman and Rome, with more expected soon. Could this be President Donald Trump’s long-awaited foreign policy win? Or will competing agendas, regional tensions and i ... Show More
32m 25s
Oct 2024
Richard Haass and Randa Slim on escalation in the Middle East
Today on the show, Fareed is joined live by an expert panel to discuss the events unfolding in the Middle East. Randa Slim, conflict resolution director at the Middle East Institute, and Richard Haass, president emeritus at the Council on Foreign Relations, speak about the escala ... Show More
40m 30s
<p class="" data-start="128" data-end="218"><em><strong data-start= "128" data-end="218">Note:</strong> We're excited to announce that 'Taking the Edge Off the Middle East' is moving to its own channel! Subscribe on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to podcasts to c ... Show More
