The Middle East Forum presents this week's podcasts.

“Back to the Future: How America Can Stop Failing in the Middle East”

with Steven A. Cook

Through the Cold War, 1945-90, Washington pursued a successful Middle East policy that kept the Soviets out, oil flowing, and Israel secure. From 1990 until now, however, overambitious policies aimed at fundamentally reshaping the region have resulted in recurring failure and ongoing instability. What are key U.S. interests now? How can Washington get its Middle East mojo back? What can it learn from earlier successes?


Monday, July 8, 2024
1:00pm - 1:30pm ET

Steven A. Cook is Eni Enrico Mattei senior fellow for Middle East and Africa studies at the Council on Foreign Relations. His talk is based on his book, The End of Ambition: America’s Past, Present, and Future in the Middle East (Oxford University Press, 2024). Mr. Cook holds a BA in international studies from Vassar College, an MA in international relations from Johns Hopkins University’s School of Advanced International Studies, and an MA and a PhD in political science from the University of Pennsylvania.

Israel Insider

with Ashley Perry

Hamas has apparently rescinded its prior demands and Israel has sent a negotiator to Qatar. Is a ceasefire in Gaza now imminent? If so, will it hold? Will it reduce the likelihood of a full-scale Hezbollah attack on Israel?


Wednesday, July 3, 2024
3:00pm - 3:30pm ET

Ashley Perry is an advisor to the Middle East Forum’s Israel office. He served as adviser to Israel's minister of foreign affairs and deputy prime minister in 2009-15, and has also worked with Israel's Ministers of Intelligence, Agriculture and Rural Development, Energy, Water and Infrastructure, Defense, Tourism, Internal Security, and Immigrant Absorption and as an advisor to The Negev Forum. Originally from the UK, he moved to Israel in 2001. He holds a BA from University College London and an MA from Reichman University (IDC Herzliya).

Catch up with our previous podcast episodes!

All podcasts are recorded for viewing after the event. To view past episodes, please visit our YouTube channel or our website.

The Middle East Forum

An activist think tank, deals with the Middle East, Islamism, U.S. foreign policy, and related topics, urging bold measures to protect Americans and their allies. Pursuing its goals via intellectual, operational, and philanthropic means, the Forum recurrently has policy ideas adopted by the U.S. government.

(215) 546-5406 | www.MEForum.org