Humanitarian Relief in Syria

Elizabeth Dickinson comes back on the show to discuss efforts to raise money and provide humanitarian aid to Syrians. Some of the topics we covered include:

• Donor conferences hosted by Kuwait
• UNSC action to allow aid to go to Syria without Assad’s approval
• Aid organizations being unable to access people in Syria to provide services
• International NGOs inability to use international staff in Syria
• The fear of terrorism as a motivating factor driving aid donations
• Groups trying to plan for the long-term humanitarian challenges in Syria
• New strategies aid organizations are trying

Links:

• Holding Out the Hat for Syria | Foreign Policy
• Deca – a cooperative of award-winning journalists bringing deeply reported, global stories straight to your phone, tablet, or computer
• Elizabeth Dickinson – Journalist
• Elizabeth Dickinson (@dickinsonbeth) on Twitter
• Karl Morand (@KarlMorand) on Twitter

Thanks to David de Bruijn for supporting the Middle East Week podcast! You can help support the show by making a small donation on Patreon

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Saudi Arabia and the War in Yemen

Michael Stephens comes back on the show to talk about the ongoing war in Yemen. We covered many topics related to Yemen, Saudi Arabia, and the region:

• What caused Saudi Arabia to launch their air campaign
• The coalition the Saudis have built
• Oman’s decision not to join the coalition
• Pakistan’s decision not to support a ground invasion in Yemen
• Rapprochement between Saudi Arabia and Turkey, and what that could mean for the region
• How Iran views the situation in Yemen compared to its other concerns in the region
• Options available to try to end the fighting
• The humanitarian crisis in Yemen that continues to worsen

Links:

• RUSI – Michael Stephens
• Yemen is a defining moment for King Salman – Al Jazeera English
• Yemen campaign key test for Saudi Arabia – BBC News
• Assessing Saudi Arabia’s Operations in Yemen – YouTube
• Michael Stephens (@MStephensGulf) on Twitter
• Karl Morand (@KarlMorand) on Twitter

Thanks to Alex Dunne and Scott Herbert for supporting the podcast! You can help support the show by making a small donation on Patreon!

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Boston Bombing and the Process of Radicalization

Matthew Levitt comes back on the show to talk about his expert testimony in the trial of Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, as well as the process of radicalization and countering violent extremism.

• Matthew Levitt – The Washington Institute for Near East Policy
• Matthew Levitt (@Levitt_Matt) on Twitter
• Tsarnaev jurors to hear more about militant materials on his electronic devices – The Boston Globe
• Boston Marathon bombing trial: witnesses and exhibits

Exhibits from the trial:

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