Radio release–America and the Middle East: What Lies Ahead
Submitted by admin on Wed, 01/11/2012 - 19:11(Washington DC – January 11, 2012) America Abroad's January radio documentary is “America and the Middle East: What Lies Ahead.”
“Make no mistake, our strong presence in the Middle East endures, and the United States will never waver in defense of our allies, our partners, or our interests.”
That was President Obama this past December, announcing the end of the Iraq war. But with the US economy lagging, and Americans focused on domestic issues, some of America's closest allies in the Middle East are worried about America's commitment to their defense.
From Iraq and Iran to Afghanistan and Pakistan, we’ll examine what America's influence and intervention in the Middle East in the past can tell us about America's involvement in the region in the future.
Throughout the hour, Ray Suarez speaks with Ken Pollack and Michael Doran about the future of American policy in the Middle East. Ken Pollack is the Director of the Saban Center for Middle East Policy at the Brookings Institution, and Michael Doran is a senior fellow also at the Saban Center at the Brookings Institution.
Segments include:
• Deborah Amos examines the 2008 negotiations between the US and Iraq that led to the signing of an important security agreement and laid the foundation for the future of the US-Iraq relationship.
• Deborah Amos traces the history of past Iranian efforts to project influence throughout the Middle East.
• Ray Suarez takes a look back at US policy towards Afghanistan and Pakistan in the 1980s and 90s, from the fight against the Soviets to American disengagement, and the dangerous instability that followed.