This week on Babel, Jon talks with Peter Salisbury, the International Crisis Group's senior analyst for Yemen with over a decade of experience working on the country. They discuss who's fighting in Yemen, what's at stake in the ongoing battle over Marib, and why the international community needs to broaden its mediation efforts to end the Yemeni conflict. Then, Will Todman, Danny Sharp, and Jon discuss what role the United States should play in Yemen and how the country fits into broader U.S. strategy in the Middle East. 

Peter Salisbury, “A New UN Envoy is an Opportunity for a New Approach in Yemen,” International Crisis Group, June 18, 2021. 

Peter Salisbury, “To Make Yemen’s Peace Process Sustainable, Include Women,” World Politics Review, April 19, 2021. 

Peter Salisbury, “Yemen’s Southern Transitional Council: A Delicate Balancing Act,” Istituto Per Gli Studi Di Politica Internazionale (ISPI), March 29, 2021. 

Jon Alterman, "Designating the Houthis as Terrorists Would Be a Mistake," Defense One, November 30, 2021.

Episode Transcript, "Yemen's Civil War," CSIS, July 27, 2021.

Yemen's Civil War

Babel will take you beyond the headlines to discuss what’s really happening in the Middle East and North Africa. It features regional experts who explain what’s going on, provide context on pivotal developments, and highlight trends you may have missed. Jon Alterman, senior vice president, Zbigniew Brzezinski Chair in Global Security and Geostrategy, and director of the Middle East Program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies hosts the podcast along with his colleagues from the Middle East Program. This podcast is made possible through the generous support of the Embassy of the United Arab Emirates. All views, positions, and conclusions expressed here should be understood to be solely of those of the speaker(s).

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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. policy options going forward. Then, Jon continues the conversation with Natasha Hall and Leah Hickert to discuss what’s next for Iranian foreign policy and what opportunities there are for the United States.
Transcript, "Sanam Vakil: Iran's Trajectory after Raisi," CSIS, May 29, 2024.

Sanam Vakil: Iran's Trajectory after Raisi

This week, Leah Hickert speaks with Jon Alterman, director of the Middle East Program at CSIS, about the impacts of Iranian president Ebrahim Raisi's death in a helicopter crash, and how it will affect Iran's foreign and domestic policy. A new Analysis from the CSIS Middle East Program.
Jon Alterman, "The Impacts of Raisi's Death," CSIS, May 20, 2024.

Analysis: The Impacts of Raisi's Death

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.

Nicholas Blanford: Hezbollah’s Struggle Against Israel

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.

A Mezze: The Bonds of Marriage between Syria and Iraq

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.

Yemen's Civil War

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