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The Foreign Affairs Interview

Turmoil in the Middle East

Oct 19, 2023
The podcast discusses the recent turmoil in the Middle East, including the shattered hopes of normalization between Israel and Saudi Arabia, the impact of normalization on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, Iran's involvement in the region, political dynamics in the Middle East, the APEC CEO Summit, and the escalating conflict between Israel and Hamas in Gaza.
47:14

Podcast summary created with Snipd AI

Quick takeaways

  • The assumption that normalization between Israel and Saudi Arabia would lead to stability in the Middle East was proven wrong due to misjudgments and overlooked risks.
  • The reliance on authoritarian regimes, the unresolved Israeli-Palestinian conflict, and the growing influence of proxy groups undermined de-escalation efforts in the region.

Deep dives

US efforts for normalization between Israel and Saudi Arabia faced challenges

American officials were trying to broker an agreement for normalization between Israel and Saudi Arabia, as part of a broader attempt to reduce the US role in the region and focus on other priorities. However, there were signs that the assumptions underlying this strategy were on shaky ground. The fires of conflict were steadily rising, and the hope for stability was shattered by Hamas' attack on October 7th. While the US had a reasonable strategy to prioritize other priorities and focus on China as a pacing threat, there were misjudgments in implementing the strategy. The withdrawal from Afghanistan and misjudged assumptions about other regional players' incentives contributed to the challenges faced in pursuing the exit strategy.

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