In crossover podcast with two scholars from FPRI's Eurasia program, Aaron spoke this week with Bob Hamilton, a Professor of Eurasian Studies at the US Army War College and a Black Sea fellow at FPRI and Nikolas Gvosdev, the Captain Jerome E. Levy Chair in Economic Geography and National Security at the U.S. Naval War College and a FPRI Eurasia Fellow, about the crisis in Idlib. The conversation focused on the Turkish--Russian conflict and Moscow's strategy to defeat the anti-Assad opposition and...
Mar 12, 2020•36 min
In this episode, Aaron speaks with Clint Watts, a distinguished research fellow at the Foreign Policy Research Institute, about Russian and Iranian disinformation efforts surrounding the 2020 election. The episode touched on many of the articles published on the Foreign Influence Election 2020 (FIE 2020) project, which analyzes Russian and Iranian propaganda. Get full access to FPRI Insights at fpriinsights.substack.com/subscribe...
Feb 20, 2020•22 min
The Russian -- Turkish relationship is under strain, after events in Syria have challenged a series of ceasefire agreements the two sides signed to try and jointly manage the civil war. Do tensions in Syria signal an end of Turkish -- Russian cooperation, or is the relationship more complicated than a single crisis? To discuss this issue, Aaron spoke this week with Dimitar Bechev, a research fellow at the center for Eurasian and East European Studies and a non-resident senior fellow at the Atlan...
Feb 10, 2020•24 min
The conflict in Libya has prompted more aggressive external intervention, beginning with the Russian decision to send mercenaries to give support to Khalifa Hiftar, the leader of the Libyan National Army (LNA) and the Turkish decision to send its own forces, along with Syrian rebels, to augment its preferred actor, the Government of National Accord (GNA). Amidst two summits, one in Moscow and the second in Berlin, Aaron speaks this week with Yousuf Eltagouri, a FPRI contributor who works on stab...
Jan 24, 2020•19 min
After tensions with Iran escalated, American military operations in Iraq have been curtailed over concerns about possible attacks on U.S. soldiers. To discuss the threat to the U.S. military, Aaron spoke with Ian Rice, a retired US Army Colonel with experience in Iraq about the role of Shia militias in the fight against Islamic State -- and the threat they may now pose for U.S. interest. In a second interview, Aaron also spoke FPRI's Dr. Mike Noonan to drill down into the legal authorities for t...
Jan 10, 2020•42 min
After a period of calm following the territorial defeat of the Islamic State, Iraq has faced unprecedented protests, aimed at unseating the current ruling class and expressing anger at corruption and poor economic management. To discuss the protests, Aaron spoke with Maya Gebeily, the Baghdad correspondent for Agence France Presse. Get full access to FPRI Insights at fpriinsights.substack.com/subscribe...
Dec 18, 2019•34 min
During the run-up to NATO's 70th anniversary summit, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan indicated that Turkey would block consensus on the Graduated Response Plans for the Baltic States and Poland, along with the southern flank, unless the alliance recognized the YPG as a terror threat. Ankara eventually dropped this demand, but not before French President Emanuel Macron chastised Ankara for this approach and questioned Turkey's purchase of the Russian-made S400 missile system. To discuss the outcom...
Dec 09, 2019•25 min
Note: The audio quality of this episode was adversely affected by connectivity issues experienced during the recording session. We apologize for the inconvenience. During the run-up to NATO's 70th anniversary summit, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan indicated that Turkey would block consensus on the Graduated Response Plans for the Baltic States and Poland, along with the southern flank, unless the alliance recognized the YPG as a terror threat. Ankara eventually dropped this demand, but not befor...
Dec 09, 2019•23 min
The Turkish invasion of northeastern Syria has upended the U.S. counter-ISIS mission and forced a hasty American withdrawal. To discuss the recent events, and what they mean for the U.S.--Turkish relationship, Aaron spoke with Nick Danforth, a senior visiting fellow at the German Marshall Fund. Get full access to FPRI Insights at fpriinsights.substack.com/subscribe
Oct 16, 2019•25 min
In response to Iranian provocations, the United States has sent forces back to the Middle East. To discuss the American deployments, and the defense of Saudi Arabia, Aaron speaks this week with Becca Wasser, a senior policy analyst at the nonprofit, nonpartisan RAND Corporation. Get full access to FPRI Insights at fpriinsights.substack.com/subscribe
Oct 04, 2019•26 min
Iran has been accused of firing cruise missiles and drones at oil facilities in Saudi Arabia, a close American partner, and the world's most important energy producer. The attack was the most audacious yet, in what has been a simmering indirect conflict between the Middle East's two largest powers. To discuss this situation, Aaron speaks with Dr. Afshon Ostovar, an assistant professor of national security affairs at the Naval Postgraduate School and an FPRI Senior Fellow. Get full access to FPRI...
Sep 23, 2019•31 min
Israelis head to the polls, again, on September 17th to decide the fate of current Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, his Likud Party, and his many challengers. To discuss the state of the race, Aaron speaks with Michael Koplow, the policy director at the Israel Policy Forum. Get full access to FPRI Insights at fpriinsights.substack.com/subscribe
Sep 06, 2019•30 min
The Assad regime launched a major offensive to recapture Khan Sheykun, a formerly opposition held town, and is now threatening to expand the campaign and continue his march north. To discuss the current offensive, Aaron spoke with Elizabeth Tsurkov, a Research Fellow, Forum for Regional Thinking, where she focuses on Syria. Get full access to FPRI Insights at fpriinsights.substack.com/subscribe...
Aug 22, 2019•22 min
After Iran seized a British tanker in the Persian Gulf, the United Kingdom surged naval forces to escort tankers, and are now joining an on-going American effort to escort ships transiting through the Strait of Hormuz. On this week's Middle East Brief, Aaron speaks with Michael Stephens, a research fellow at the Royal United Services Institute in London, about the British policy towards the Islamic Republic of Iran. Related Materials: - Whether It Likes It or Not, Europe Is Being Pulled Into Ame...
Aug 08, 2019•26 min
Last Thursday (July 25, 2019) was the 25th anniversary of the Washington Declaration, which ended the state of war between Israel and Jordan. The peace treaty that followed remains a key component of Middle Eastern security and underpins relations between Jerusalem and Amman. Dr. Josh Krasna, a FPRI senior fellow and adjunct assistant professor at the NYU Center for Global Affairs, discusses the state of Israeli-Jordanian relations, the future of the peace treaty, and the role of the Trump admin...
Jul 30, 2019•28 min
Amidst reports of a UAE drawdown from Yemen, Aaron speaks with Elizabeth Dickinson, the senior analyst for the Arabian Peninsula at the International Crisis Group, about the conflict and what role the United States could play in helping to de-escalate and end the fighting. Get full access to FPRI Insights at fpriinsights.substack.com/subscribe
Jul 11, 2019•23 min
On this week's Middle East Brief, Aaron speaks with Nada Bakos, an FPRI Senior Fellow and former CIA analyst, about her book, The Targeter, and what lessons can be learned from the effort to target Zarqawi and applied to dealing with Islamic State after the territorial defeat of the caliphate in Iraq and Syria. Get full access to FPRI Insights at fpriinsights.substack.com/subscribe
Jun 27, 2019•25 min
Turkey's acquisition of a Russian made S-400 air defense system appears inevitable. To discuss the Russian side of this story, Aaron speaks with Rob Lee, a former Marine and PhD candidate at King's College, London. The conversation explores the state of the Russian defense industry, the structure of the S-400 deal with Turkey, and potential Turkish-Russian aerospace cooperation after the S-400 is delivered. Get full access to FPRI Insights at fpriinsights.substack.com/subscribe...
Jun 14, 2019•31 min
On this week's Middle East Brief, Aaron speaks with Ariane Tabatabai, an associate political scientist at RAND, to discuss Iran's relationship with various non-state actors in the Middle East, and how the Islamic Republic leverages these relationships to achieve foreign and military policy goals in the region. Related Materials: Iran Seeks to Cement Legitimacy of Shia Militias http://bit.ly/2WvmNcq Triple-Axis: Iran's Relations with Russia and China https://amzn.to/2XcfVgY Get full access to FPR...
May 28, 2019•27 min
Tensions between Iran and the United States have escalated in the Persian Gulf. On this week's Middle East Brief, Afshon Ostovar, an assistant professor at the Naval Post Graduate School and FPRI Senior Fellow, joins the program to discuss the recent attack in Fujairah, U.S. policy towards Iran, and the potential for a U.S. - Iranian clash. Related Materials by Afshon Ostovar: "Vanguard of the Imam: Religion, Politics, and Iran's Revolutionary Guards" https://amzn.to/2LPtYYR "Iran, its clients, ...
May 16, 2019•32 min
What is happening in Libya? Who are the key actors, which countries back which militias, and how has the Trump administration handled the recent surge in violence in Libya's capital city? On this week's Middle East Brief, Aaron speaks with Libya watcher and FPRI contributor Yousuf Eltagouri about the latest in the civil war. Read More: Haftar’s Final Play: Operation Flood of Dignity and the Fight for Tripoli : http://bit.ly/2Galcyw Trump’s Embrace of Haftar Will Reignite Libya’s Proxy War: http:...
May 02, 2019•18 min
What is the future of northeastern Syria? After two days of talks in Erbil, Michael Stephens, a Research Fellow for Middle East studies at the Royal United Services Institute in London, sits down with Aaron to talk about Syria’s northeast, the future of the Kurdish movement, the role of Turkey, and great power politics. Get full access to FPRI Insights at fpriinsights.substack.com/subscribe...
Apr 22, 2019•29 min
Turkish voters went to the polls on 31 March, casting votes for local elected leaders. The outcome in Istanbul and Ankara, Turkey's two largest cities, have rocked Turkish politics, and galvanized the political opposition to President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's Justice and Development Party (AKP). To discuss the election, Aaron speaks with Selim Koru, an analyst at TEPAV, a Turkish think tank in Ankara. Related Links: https://www.nytimes.com/2019/04/02/opinion/turkey-erdogan-election-defeat.html htt...
Apr 08, 2019•18 min
The United States and Turkey remain at odds over Ankara's purchase of a Russian S-400 air and missile defense system. The time to resolve American and Turkish concerns about this issue is running out, and the stakes for diplomatic failure will have repercussions for the bilateral relationship, the Russian role in the region, and could impact NATO. In this week's episode, Aaron discusses the S-400 issue, potential American sanctions, and the potential denial of the F-35 to the Turkish Air Force. ...
Mar 21, 2019•21 min
With all eyes on Baghuz and the final battle against Islamic State in Syria, the Middle East Brief podcast spoke with Robert Fox Fellow Rasha al Aqeedi to hear the latest from Iraq, which declared victory over ISIS in December 2017. The conversation touched on the nascent ISIS insurgency, the state of reconstruction in Mosul, and the many enduring challenges the Iraqi government now faces. Get full access to FPRI Insights at fpriinsights.substack.com/subscribe...
Mar 11, 2019•30 min
