December 30 – How and Why an Increasing Dangerous Middle East Dominated 2014; The Hope for Change in the Middle East

Full Program

Part 1

Today we examine one of the stories we have covered this year and that is the surprising and deadly emergence of the so-called Islamic State in the heart of the Middle East, as well as the intensifying proxy war in the region between Iran and Saudi Arabia. Two of the leading experts on the area, both of who speak Arabic and have lived and worked in the region, join us to look back at this year’s events and look forward to what might occur in 2015. We begin with veteran CIA officer Robert Baer, who is considered one of the foremost authorities on the Middle East who is currently the national security affairs analyst for CNN and is the author of four New York Times bestsellers including “See No Evil” that was made into the movie “Syriana” which earned George Clooney an Oscar for his portrayal of Robert Baer. His latest book is “The Perfect Kill: 21 laws for Assassinations”.

Part 2

Then we continue our analysis of the events in the Middle East in 2014 as well as try to predict what might unfold in 2015 and speak with Juan Cole, a Professor of Modern Middle Eastern and South Asian History at the University of Michigan and the author of the blog Informed Comment at JuanCole.com. His latest book is “The New Arabs: How the Millennial Generation is Changing the Middle East” and we will discuss whether a generational shift in the region will be able to overcome the growing sectarian divides and the entrenched feudal monarchies and military regimes that have reversed the expectations of the “Arab Spring”. We will also examine these issues in the broader context of a widening Sunni/Shia divide that is in effect a regional proxy war between Saudi Arabia and Iran.