Middle East Forum Podcast

Mar 31 2025 565 ep. 34 mins 474
Middle East Forum Podcast artwork

The Middle East Forum's weekly podcast series featuring discussions from experts, policymakers, staff, and writing fellows on topics relating to the Middle East and countering Islamism. 

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Iranian Power and Influence in the Middle East | The Forum Roundtable Ep. #01

Mar 31 2025 61 mins  
Prior to October 7, 2023, Iranian-sponsored terrorism and influence in the Middle East was pervasive and insidious, growing ever more dangerous as it inched its way to nuclear weapons and threatened Israeli and U.S. interests in the region. While Iran continues to pose an existential threat to Israel and edges closer to producing nuclear weapons, Israel’s military achievements po

Hamas Ties at Georgetown: Unmasking Extremism in Academia with Anna Stanley | MEF Podcast Ep. # 355

Mar 25 2025 31 mins  
Two Hamas-linked academics at Georgetown University have recently come under fire following explosive revelations of their ties to the terror group. Badar Khan Suri, a fellow at the Prince Alwaleed bin Talal Center for Muslim-Christian Understanding, was arrested on March 19, 2025, and now faces deportation after a Middle East Forum report exposed his praise of Hamas and his marria

Red Sea Security and the Houthi Threat to the West with Eric Navarro | MEF Podcast Ep. #354

Mar 25 2025 32 mins  
The Iran-backed Ansar Allah (Houthis) recently renewed their threat to attack any Israeli ship sailing in the vicinity of Yemen. The organization’s ongoing campaign of aggression in the Red Sea/Gulf of Aden area severely disrupts supply chains and fuels regional instability. The Middle East Forum last week launched the Red Sea Security Initiative (RSSI) to advocate for and suppor

"How USAID Helps Finance Islamist Terror" with Sam Westrop | MEF Podcast Ep. #353

Mar 25 2025 54 mins  
#USAID has been engaged in recent years in financing Islamic terrorist organizations. A report by the Middle East Forum documents $122 million in taxpayer funds reaching extremist groups. This report has been reviewed and heard by the House DOGE subcommittee and is now under investigation for potential criminal referrals. The findings challenge long held assumptions about oversight

"The October 7 War: Israel's Battle for Security in Gaza" with Seth Frantzman | MEF Podcast Ep. #352

Mar 25 2025 32 mins  
Seth Frantzman’s latest book, "The October 7 War: Israel’s Battle for Security in Gaza" looks into the devastating Hamas attack on Israel, the battles that followed, and the global forces at play. In preparing the book, the author had exclusive access to IDF soldiers and commanders and to military strategists. Mr. Frantzman will in this talk explore how Israel responded to the

"The Shifting Demographics of the Middle East" with Nicholas Eberstadt | MEF Podcast Ep. #351

Mar 20 2025 29 mins  
Demographic decline has arrived in the Middle East. This process is challenging long-held assumptions about the region’s resilience to global fertility trends. The Middle East was once thought immune or less susceptible to demographic decline due to cultural and religious norms. Now, countries like Iran and Tunisia are experiencing sub-replacement birth rates. As populations shri

The Shift Towards Post-Islamism with Hussein Aboubakr Mansour | MEF Podcast Ep. #350

Feb 17 2025 35 mins  
Islamism may appear to be in decline in the Middle East but it is adapting. Movements that once sought caliphates have shifted their strategies, sometimes, shedding overt ideological commitments in favor of pragmatic governance. The recent transformation of Hayʼat Tahrir al-Sham in Syria offers a case study of a post-Islamist Islamism where Islamists claim to prioritize state capa

The Islamist Struggle for Libya with Mark Choate | MEF Podcast Ep. #349

Feb 17 2025 30 mins  
The Islamist Struggle for Libya with Mark ChoateIslamist groups play a pivotal role in post-Qaddafi Libya and are a central factor in the country’s continued instability. The Muslim Brotherhood, Salafi factions, and jihadist groups compete for influence and power. Some Islamist organizations have integrated into political institutions, while others operate outside the system as a

The Kurds' Struggle in Iran with Shukriya Bradost | MEF Podcast Ep. #348

Jan 27 2025 30 mins  
The Kurds in Iran lag behind their co-ethnics in Iraq, Syria, and Türkiye in terms of asserting their rights. The movement for Kurdish autonomy has gained visibility but is limited by fragmentation. The Islamic Republic views Kurdish activism as a national security threat. How should the international community engage with the Kurds of Iran? Would external support bolster their ca

Israel’s Urban Warfare in Gaza: A Technical Analysis | MEF Podcast Ep. #347

Jan 24 2025 31 mins  
John Spencer, a leading expert on urban warfare, has made four trips to observe the Israel Defense Forces in Gaza since Oct. 7, 2023, during which he has studied both its efficacy and its morality. Putting the IDF’s conduct in a larger perspective, he asks fundamental questions: How has it fared compared to other Western armies? What are the special circumstances in Gaza? From an