Babel: Translating the Middle East

Latest Episodes:

Nicholas Blanford: Hezbollah’s Struggle Against Israel May 14, 2024

Show notes

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. They talk about Hezbollah’s evolution, its ties to other actors in the region, and the role the group is playing in the current Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Then, Jon continues the conversation with Will Todman and Leah Hickert to discuss Hezbollah’s deep roots in Lebanese society and the organization’s future.

Transcript, "Nicholas Blanford: Hezbollah’s Struggle Against Israel," CSIS, May 14, 2024.
Nicholas Blanford, Warriors of God: Inside Hezbollah's Thirty-Year Struggle Against Israel, Random House, 2011.
Nicholas Blanford, Killing Mr Lebanon: The Assassination of Rafik Hariri and Its Impact on the Middle East, Bloomsbury Publishing, 2006.

A Mezze: The Bonds of Marriage between Syria and Iraq May 07, 2024

Show notes

Desperate for stability and lured by promises of a life of luxury, a Syrian widow accepted a marriage proposal from a member of an Iraqi militia. She did not know that she would become one of dozens of Syrian women to fall victim to Iraqi marriage exploitation in the past year alone. A new Mezze from the CSIS Middle East Program.

Josh Phillips, "The Bonds of Marriage between Syria and Iraq," CSIS, May 1, 2024.

Hans Grundberg: Mediation in Yemen Apr 30, 2024

Show notes

This week on Babel, Jon Alterman speaks with Hans Grundberg, the United Nations' special envoy of the secretary-general for Yemen. They discuss what a UN mediator does, why successful mediation is about more than just reaching a peace agreement, and how the internationalization of conflicts complicates mediation. Then, Jon continues the conversation with Natasha Hall and Leah Hickert to discuss the tradeoffs between different mediators and why the UN separates its humanitarian work from its mediation efforts.

Transcript, "Hans Grundberg: Mediation in Yemen," CSIS, April 30, 2024.

Analysis: Iran and Israel's Cycle of Retaliation Apr 23, 2024

Show notes

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. A new Analysis from the CSIS Middle East Program.

Hiba Husseini: Peacemaking After Oslo Apr 16, 2024

Show notes

This week on Babel, Jon Alterman speaks with Hiba Husseini, a Palestinian lawyer and a legal adviser to Israeli-Palestinian peace negotiations for 30 years. They discuss the state of pro-peace communities after October 7th and the war in Gaza's effect on future peacemaking efforts. Then, Jon continues the conversation with Will Todman and Leah Hickert to discuss why youth are increasingly supportive of armed struggle, the pre-conditions for a new Palestinian political leadership, and the ways in which Gaza’s reconstruction could create opportunities for peacemaking.

Transcript, "Hiba Husseini: Peacemaking After Oslo," CSIS, April 2, 2024.

Analysis: Support for Refugees Erodes in the Middle East Apr 09, 2024

Show notes

This week, Leah Hickert speaks with Will Todman, deputy director and senior fellow with the CSIS Middle East Program, about how displacement has become a flashpoint across the region and the innovative solutions necessary to mitigate these crises. A new Analysis from the CSIS Middle East Program.

Will Todman, "Support for Refugees Erodes in the Middle East," CSIS, June 5, 2023.

Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein: Human Rights in a Messy World Apr 02, 2024

Show notes

This week on Babel, Jon Alterman speaks with Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein, the former UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, a former Jordanian diplomat, and the current president and CEO of the International Peace Institute. They discuss the pursuit of human rights in a multipolar world and the role that the United Nations can play in Gaza. Then, Jon continues the conversation with Natasha Hall and Leah Hickert to explore the importance of codifying human rights into international law and the challenges of sustaining international attention on human rights crises.

Transcript, "Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein: Human Rights in a Messy World," CSIS, April 2, 2024.

Analysis: The New Forever Wars Mar 26, 2024

Show notes

This week, Leah Hickert speaks with Natasha Hall, senior fellow with the CSIS Middle East Program, about the U.S. strategy toward protracted conflicts, which can serve as forums for great power competition. A new Analysis from the CSIS Middle East Program.

Natasha Hall, "The New Forever Wars," CSIS, January 25, 2024.

Dana Stroul: The U.S. Defense Strategy in the Middle East Mar 19, 2024

Show notes

This week on Babel, Jon Alterman speaks with Dana Stroul, the former deputy assistant secretary of defense for the Middle East. They talk about the U.S. defense strategy in the Middle East before and after the war in Gaza, how the conflict has changed U.S. security partnerships with Arab states, and the lessons Israel should learn from U.S. military experience in the region. Then, Jon continues the conversation with Natasha Hall and Leah Hickert to discuss the multi-dimensional challenges of the Israel-Hamas war and the timeline for U.S. government action.

Transcript, "Dana Stroul: The U.S. Defense Strategy in the Middle East," CSIS, March 19, 2024.

Analysis: Redefining Climate Finance for a Troubled World Mar 12, 2024

Show notes

This week, Leah Hickert speaks with Natasha Hall, senior fellow with the CSIS Middle East Program, about the challenges of mitigating climate change through humanitarian interventions in conflict-affected countries. A new Analysis from the CSIS Middle East Program.