Rana Abtar—chief correspondent for Asharq Al-Awsat and anchor of the Washington Report—joins Brian for a conversation on US policy in the Middle East, Lebanon’s struggles and resilience, and what it means to cover Washington for Arab audiences. From Trump’s Syria policy to the 2020 Beirut explosion, from life on Capitol Hill to her family’s roots in Baalbek, Rana brings together the political and the personal, sharing a unique perspective that bridges policy, culture, and humanity.
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47:01
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47:01
Meeting Khamenei and Other Tales from a Life in Diplomacy
Jeffrey Feltman—former Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs, US Ambassador to Lebanon, and UN Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs—joins Brian for one of the most revealing conversations yet. They trace his journey from the streets of Beirut during the Cedar Revolution to a tense, hours-long meeting inside the office of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Along the way, they unpack the Trump administration’s impulse-driven gambits, the Biden team’s paralyzing over-process, and what’s lost when the US pulls back from daily diplomacy. It’s a rare, behind-the-scenes look at how power is wielded—and how trust is built or broken—in the Middle East.
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1:06:38
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1:06:38
The Democratic Party Has a Middle East Problem
Daniel Silverberg and Elisa Ewers—two veterans of Capitol Hill and the executive branch—join Brian for a candid conversation about the shifting politics of US Middle East policy inside the Democratic Party. Drawing on decades of experience shaping national security strategy, they unpack why so many debates remain trapped in a post-Iraq War mindset, how October 7th transformed bipartisan dynamics, and what’s at stake when values, strategy, and political reality collide. From Iran and Gaza to the role of Arab partners and the rise of populism, the trio explores how America’s approach to the region must evolve—and how the next generation can lead that charge with clarity, humility, and purpose.
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1:11:41
What Would Zbig Do? Edward Luce on US Strategy Then and Now
Financial Times columnist and author Edward Luce joins Brian to discuss his new biography Zbig: The Life of Zbigniew Brzezinski—what the legendary strategist got right, where he fell short, and what his legacy means for US foreign policy today. From Camp David to Tehran, Luce reflects on the pivotal moments Brzezinski helped shape in the Middle East and beyond—and what lessons today’s leaders could take from his intellectual rigor and hard strategic choices.
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1:06:55
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1:06:55
How US Policy is Taking Shape – from Libya to Iran
Stephanie Williams, former US diplomat and deputy head of the UN mission in Libya, sits down with Brian Katulis for a wide-ranging conversation about what’s happening in the Middle East today. They talk through the latest on Israel and Iran and assess how a second Trump administration is already shaping US policy toward the region. Williams also shares how her decades of experience—and insights from her new book, Libya Since Qaddafi: Chaos and the Search for Peace—inform the way she sees today’s unfolding dynamics.
MEI’s Senior Fellow for US Foreign Policy Brian Katulis sits down with a cast of friends, colleagues, and fellow MENA policy professionals for casual conversations on the most important happenings in the Middle East today.
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