Middle East Program

Providing fresh analysis of the drives of change in the Middle East

The CSIS Middle East Program provides fresh analysis of the drivers of change in the Middle East to decision makers and thought leaders in the United States and abroad.

The Middle East Program is a source for new ideas that go beyond the conventional wisdom, disseminated through written scholarship, events, and commentary in leading news outlets.

Follow us on Twitter @CSISMidEast and like us on Facebook.

Dr. Alterman serves as the director of the Middle East Program, a position he has held since 2002. Under his leadership, the Middle East Program has launched a biweekly podcast and numerous miniseries, convened events with many of the top thinkers in the field, and conducted innovative research on the Middle East including work on the Chinese influence, sustainability, and cultural shifts in the region.

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Photo: VLADIMIR SIMICEK/AFP/Getty Images

Photo: VLADIMIR SIMICEK/AFP/Getty Images

What Did Saudi Arabia Just Do?

Dr. Jon Alterman, Ben Cahill, and Dr. Joseph Majkut note key questions arising from the recent decision by OPEC+ to decrease oil production and its impact on the United States’ relationship with Saudi Arabia.

Critical Questions by Jon B. Alterman , Joseph Majkut , and Ben Cahill — October 6, 2022

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Babel: Translating the Middle East

Frank Verrastro: The Middle East and Global Energy Markets

Jon speaks with Frank Verrastro about price volatility and the Middle East's role in the global energy market.

Podcast Episode by Jon B. Alterman , Will Todman , and Caleb Harper — June 28, 2022

CSIS Babel
The Truth of the Matter

Israel Dissolves Government

CSIS’s Jon Alterman joins the podcast to talk about the fall of Israel’s coalition government, what happens next, and Israel’s relationships in the Middle East.

Podcast Episode by H. Andrew Schwartz and Jon B. Alterman — June 24, 2022

CSIS the truth of the matter

Rethinking Saudi Arabia

Dr. Jon Alterman discusses progress and setbacks in Saudi Arabia's sociopolitical reform efforts and what these mean for U.S. engagement (or disengagement) with the kingdom in the future.

Commentary by Jon B. Alterman — June 23, 2022

Photo: FAYEZ NURELDINE/AFP/Getty Images

Syrians Need Not Apply

Lebanon is facing yet another shortage: a lack of foreign workers to work as maids and nannies in Lebanese homes. Syrians living in Lebanon could be part of the solution, but there are obstacles to their acceptance.

Newsletter by Caleb Harper and Will McChesney — June 23, 2022

Babel: Translating the Middle East

Nadia Oweidat: Disinformation in the Arab World

This week on Babel, Jon speaks with Nadia Oweidat, a Middle East fellow at the Wilson Center and an assistant professor at Kansas State University. They talk about Russian disinformation efforts in Arabic media outlets, how authoritarian states in the region are amplifying those efforts, and how she thinks Western governments should respond.

Podcast Episode by Jon B. Alterman , Natasha Hall , Will Todman , and Caleb Harper — June 14, 2022

CSIS Babel
Babel: Translating the Middle East

A Mezze: Locals Be Damned

Years after Iraq declared victory over the Islamic State group (ISG), locals in the territory it formerly controlled continue to complain of a campaign of retribution. Now, they believe the government has a new strategy to punish them: building a dam.

Podcast Episode — June 7, 2022

CSIS Babel
Babel: Translating the Middle East

A Mezze: Junked Food

In Bahrain, municipal authorities claim that seagulls are "too fat to fly," and they say that Bahrain's growing food waste is to blame.

Podcast Episode — May 24, 2022

CSIS Babel
Babel: Translating the Middle East

Haider al-Abadi: Iraq and the Fight Against the Islamic State

Jon speaks with Dr. Haider al-Abadi, an Iraqi politician who served as prime minister from 2014 to 2018, while the country was battling the Islamic State about his decision making as prime minister.

Podcast Episode by Jon B. Alterman , Natasha Hall , and Daniel Sharp — May 17, 2022

CSIS Babel