Babel: Translating the Middle East

Latest Episodes:

Iraq 20 Years Later with Marsin Alshamary and Hamzeh Hadad Mar 21, 2023

Show notes

In a special episode of Babel to mark the 20th anniversary of the beginning of the Iraq war, Jon sits down with two Iraqi guests to talk about the aftermath of the U.S.-led invasion. Dr. Marsin Alshamary is a research fellow with the Middle East Initiative at Harvard's Belfer Center, and Hamzeh Hadad is an adjunct fellow with the Center for New American Security. Alshamary and Hadad talk about how the war in Iraq has shaped both Iraqi politics and their own lives, their experiences as members of the diaspora who travel extensively to Iraq, the lingering effects of the Saddam Hussein era, and the future of Iraqi politics. Then, Jon continues the conversation with Will Todman and Lubna Yousef, discussing the different ways in which diaspora communities interact with both their home countries and their host countries.

Marsin Alshamary and Hamzeh Hadad, “The Collective Neglect of Southern Iraq: Missed Opportunities for Development and Good Governance,” International Peacekeeping, February 16, 2023.
Hamzeh Hadad, “Climate of opportunity: Iraq’s new government as regional conciliator,” European Council on Foreign Relations, November 4, 2022.
Marsin Alshamary, “Authoritarian Nostalgia Among Iraqi Youth,” War on the Rocks, July 25, 2018.
Transcript, "Iraq 20 Years Later," CSIS, March 21, 2023.

A Mezze: Going Green with Envy Mar 14, 2023

Show notes

In Lebanon, neighboring communities are looking to connect and build off one another's initiatives, but a dysfunctional environment makes capitalizing on that opportunity a challenge for international donors and Lebanese communities alike. A new Mezze from the CSIS Middle East Program.

This Mezze episode was adapted from a vignette in the Middle East Program's latest report, Powering Recovery: Reform, Reconstruction, and Renewables in Conflict-Affected States in the Middle East, written by Will Todman.

Will Todman: Powering Recovery Mar 07, 2023

Show notes

This week on Babel, Jon Alterman speaks with the Middle East Program's Will Todman to break down Will's new report, Powering Recovery: Reform, Reconstruction and Renewables in Conflict-Affected States in the Arab World. They talk about how governments and politicians in conflict-affected states can actually benefit from broken electrical systems, what the United States and international donors miss when they ignore those dynamics, and how renewable energy can offer a better pathway forward for donors and conflict-affected societies in the region. Then, Jon continues the conversation with Lubna Yousef and Caleb Harper, diving into Lubna's chapter on Libya and her experience on the ground before and after the revolution, and what key lessons donors should take away from Will's report.

Transcript, "Powering Recovery," CSIS, March 7, 2023.

A Mezze: From Beijing to Jerusalem Feb 28, 2023

Show notes

Before the pandemic, Chinese tourism to Israel was growing the fastest out of any country. As Chinese tourists begin to return to the market, Israel may continue to be a popular destination.

Natasha Hall: The Aftermath of Earthquakes in Syria Feb 21, 2023

Show notes

This week, in a special episode of Babel, Jon Alterman speaks with Middle East Program senior fellow Natasha Hall about the aftermath of the recent earthquakes in Turkey and Syria. They talk about the aid response, how governments are instrumentalizing the aid response to advance their own goals, and the challenges in delivering aid to areas of northwest Syria controlled by rebel groups. Natasha draws on her earlier study, “Rescuing Aid in Syria,” to argue that the United States and other donor governments need to rethink their aid response in Syria, better monitor where aid is going, and prepare for additional acute crises.

Transcript, "The Aftermath of Earthquakes in Syria," CSIS, February 21, 2023.

A Mezze: On the Hook Feb 14, 2023

Show notes

Egypt's fish farmers have been struggling for years now. Media reports and industry groups blame due climate change and Cairo's pollution of Egypt's waterways but farmers say the real culprit lies beneath the surface: the Egyptian military has become the largest player in the market, crowding out smaller farmers in the process.

Bilahari Kausikan: The Middle East in a Multipolar World Feb 07, 2023

Show notes

This week on Babel, Jon speaks with Bilahari Kausikan, a Singaporean diplomat with a 37-year career in Singapore's ministry of foreign affairs, serving most recently as Ambassador-at-Large. In his conversation with Jon, Dr. Kausikan suggests that U.S.-China competition may not be as binary as it may seem, explores the ways in which a complex international system gives regional states greater agency on the world stage, examines how U.S. engagement with the Middle East is changing as priorities shift to Asia, and proposes what lessons the Middle East can take from similar shifts in U.S. policy in Southeast Asia post-Vietnam. Then, Jon continues the conversation with Will Todman and Caleb Harper, discussing how states in the region are balancing efforts to be seen as more independent global actors with their existing relations with the United States.

Bilahari Kausikan, "China's Strategic Dilemma," Asia Sentinel, March 22, 2022.
Jon Alterman, "The Arab World at an Inflection Point," CSIS, January 17, 2023.
"U.S. Power and Influence in the Middle East," Babel Miniseries, March 7, 2022.
Transcript, "The Middle East in a Multipolar World," CSIS, February 7, 2023.

A Mezze: Salmon Farming in the UAE Feb 01, 2023

Show notes

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) doesn’t seem like the ideal place for a salmon farm, but aquaculture is becoming an increasingly large part of the UAE's food security strategy. A new Mezze from the CSIS Middle East Program.

Hanna Notte: Russia in the Middle East After Ukraine Jan 24, 2023

Show notes

This week on Babel, Jon speaks with Hanna Notte, a senior research associate with the Vienna Center for Disarmament and Non-Proliferation. They talk about Russia's interests in the Middle East and where they stand after the invasion of Ukraine, Russia's growing economic and defense relationship with Iran, and how Arab states view Russia's war in Ukraine. Then, Jon continues the conversation with Natasha Hall and Danny Sharp, discussing the implications for U.S. policy in the region and what U.S. decision-makers should do about it.

Hanna Notte, “Don’t Expect Any More Russian Help on the Iran Nuclear Deal,” War on the Rocks, November 3, 2022.
Hanna Notte, “The Impact of Russia’s Ukraine Invasion in the Middle East and North Africa,” Congressional Testimony, Before the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on the Middle East, North Africa, and Global Counterterrorism, 117th Congress, May 18, 2022.
Jon Alterman, "The Middle East's Indifference to Ukraine is a Warning," Defense One, May 12, 2022.
Hanna Notte, “Will Western-Russian Confrontation Shake the Middle East?” War on the Rocks, March 29, 2022.
Transcript, "Russia in the Middle East After Ukraine," CSIS, January 24, 2023.

A Mezze: Untying the Knot Jan 17, 2023

Show notes

“Every two minutes, an Egyptian couple files for divorce — that's how long it takes to heat up pita bread," joked one host on Egyptian TV last year. In an effort to bring that number down, the Egyptian government is trying to take action before couples tie the knot in the first place.