Young people across the Arab World are resorting to extreme measures—like cutting off limbs, or faking being kidnapped—to avoid mandatory military service.

How and why are Arabs shifting their loyalty away from traditional networks? In the latest episode, Vivian Salama, White House correspondent for the Wall Street Journal, interviews Jon Alterman on his new report. He also introduces Babel's new 6-episode miniseries, "China in the Middle East," which will air in 2020.

• Jon Alterman, Ties that Bind: Family, Tribe, Nation, and the Rise of Arab Individualism, CSIS, December 2, 2019
• Sarah Dadouch, “Amid economic despair, young Lebanese see only two options: protest or leave,” The Washington Post, November 9, 2019.
• Amy Chua, “Tribal World: Group Identity is All,” Foreign Policy, July/August 2018.

 Soaring fuel prices are leading Yemenis to chop down trees, and this is only adding to the humanitarian crisis.

What is the relationship between the environment and conflict in the Middle East? Peter Schwartzstein, an environmental journalist based in the Middle East, joins host Jon Alterman this week to discuss how climate change concerns exacerbate conflict, and how regional leaders should respond. Then, Jon, Will, and Amber explore how environmental concerns factor into policy discussions on the Middle East.

• Will Todman, “Iraq’s Explosive Plague,” CSIS, April 15, 2019.
• Peter Schwartzstein, “Climate Change and Water Woes Drove ISIS Recruiting in Iraq,” National Geographic, November 14, 2017.
• Peter Schwartzstein, “Death of the Nile,” BBC News, October 10, 2017.
• Jon Alterman, Clear Gold: Water as a Strategic Resource in the Middle East, CSIS, December 13, 2010.

The Egyptian government seems to be using horoscopes as a new avenue for disseminating pro-regime messages.

Russia is spreading disinformation in the Middle East, especially in Syria, in order to discredit its critics and advance its interests. This week Jon, Amber, and Will discuss the scope of the issue and its consequences. Then Elliot Higgins, founder of Bellingcat, sits down with Jon to explain how his citizen journalist platform detects and counters disinformation.
 

• Elliot Higgins, “Chemical Weapons and Absurdity: The Disinformation Campaign Against the White Helmets,” Bellingcat, December 2018. 
• Mark Katz, “When the Friend of My Friends Is Not My Friend,” The Atlantic Council, May 2019.
• Mark Katz, “What Do They See in Him? How the Middle East Views Putin and Russia,” Russian Analytical Digest, May 3, 2018.
• Suzanne Spaulding, “Democracy and Justice in the Age of Disinformation,” CSIS, May 1, 2019.

This mezze explores the diverse linguistic landscape of Iraqi Kurdistan. Listeners can expect a mezze every other week.

In this episode, Jon Alterman talks to Aisha Jumaan about her efforts to deliver humanitarian assistance to Yemenis in need. Dr. Aisha Jumaan is an epidemiologist and the founder and president of Yemen Relief and Reconstruction Foundation. Jon, Will, and Amber also discuss how Congress is thinking about the crisis in Yemen and how it is affected by U.S. politics.

• Jeremy Sharp, “Yemen: Civil War and Regional Intervention,” Congressional Research Service, September 17, 2019.
• Tess Bridgemean, “Getting Past the Veto on Ending Yemen War: How Congress’ Next Moves Can Succeed,” Just Security, May 3, 2019.
• Jon Alterman, “Aid and Conflict: Pitfalls in Yemen,” CSIS, August 16, 2018.
• Ben Westfall, “Fire Sale,” CSIS, November 27, 2017.

In this episode, Jon Alterman discusses the prospects for Syria’s political negotiations with Syrian journalist Ibrahim Hamidi. Ibrahim Hamidi is the senior diplomatic editor at Asharq Alawsat newspaper and previously served as the senior political editor at Al-Hayat. Jon, Will, and Amber also discuss Russian diplomacy in the Middle East, and we finish with a look at a counter-radicalism rap movement that has emerged in the Levant.
 

• Ibrahim Hamidi, “Lavrov to Asharq Al-Awsat: Putin’s visit to KSA promotes partnership to new level,” Asharq Alawsat, October 3, 2019.
• Ibrahim Hamidi, “Pedersen achieves the first Syrian-Syrian agreement: The constitutional committee and its reference to Resolution 2254,” Asharq Alawsat, September 24, 2019 [Arabic].
• Vance Serchuk, “Russia’s Middle East power play,” National Review, September 12, 2019.
• “Rapping against radicalism,” CSIS, September 25, 2018. (This contains links to the rap mentioned in the mezze.)

In this episode, Jon Alterman discusses U.S.-Iran negotiations with Ambassador Wendy Sherman. Amb. Sherman is a senior counselor at Albright Stonebridge Group. She led the U.S. negotiations team in developing the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) with Iran and is the author of Not for the Faint of Heart: Lessons in Courage, Power, and Persistence. Jon, Will, and Amber also discuss the role of Iranian soft power in the Middle East, and we finish with a look at religious eulogists in Iran.

• Jon Alterman, “U.S.-Iran Negotiations,” CSIS, September 13, 2019.
• Isaac Chotiner, “Q&A with Wendy Sherman: The Dangers of Trump’s Approach to Iran,” The New Yorker, June 19, 2019.
• Hanin Ghaddar and Dana Stroul, “Pushing Back on Iran in Syria: Beyond the Boots,” Washington Institute, January 22, 2019.
• “Soul Singers: Modernizing Shi`ite Eulogists” CSIS, July 12, 2018.