This week on Babel, Jon Alterman speaks with Dr. Sanam Vakil, director of the Middle East and North Africa program at Chatham House and a lecturer at Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies for almost 20 years. They talk about the fallout from President Raisi’s death, how Gulf states are likely to react, and the feasibility of U.S. ... Show More
May 22
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 15
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 8
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
Aug 2024
A new (and bolder) approach to Iran? – with Mark Dubowitz
Mark Dubowitz reports from Tel Aviv after over a month in Israel discussing Israel’s emerging (and bolder) approach to Iran. Mark is the CEO of the Foundation for the Defense of Democracies (FDD). In his role, he has advised the Bush, Obama, Trump and Biden administrations and la ... Show More
46m 34s
Apr 25
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
Jun 23
Former US Defense Secretary Mark Esper Talks Strait Of Hormuz
Mark Esper, former US Defense Secretary, says Iran's regime is still dangerous and could respond to the US airstrikes. He also talks about 900 pounds of missing uranium from Iran, the capability of the US military and what could happen if Iran tries to close the Strait of Hormuz. ... Show More
7m 59s
Nov 2024
Who Wins The US Election 2024? | Never Mind The Monarchs!
On this Moats, George Galloway gives his take on who will win the US Election 2024. Who'll be king of the heap in DC? The reign in Spain is mainly on the wane, could there be a UK referendum on crooked royals. And Iran, the whole world's waiting.
Israel and the fire to come. No o ... Show More
1h 2m