from The President’s Inbox
from The President’s Inbox

The President's Inbox: Middle East

CFR's James M. Lindsay, Robert McMahon, and Steven A. Cook examine President-Elect Donald J. Trump's priorities in the Middle East.

December 23, 2016 — min
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  • James M. Lindsay
    Mary and David Boies Distinguished Senior Fellow in U.S. Foreign Policy and Director of Fellowship Affairs
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Show Notes

CFR's James M. Lindsay, Robert McMahon, and Steven A. Cook examine President-Elect Donald J. Trump's priorities in the Middle East.

Iran

Israel Strikes Iran, With Steven Cook

Podcast
Steven Cook, Eni Enrico Mattei Senior Fellow for Middle East and Africa Studies at the Council, sits down with James M. Lindsay to discuss Operation Rising Lion, Israel’s attacks on Iran’s senior military leadership and on its nuclear infrastructure.

Podcast with James M. Lindsay and Steven A. Cook June 17, 2025 The President’s Inbox

Grand Strategy

Zbigniew Brzezinski, With Edward Luce

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Edward Luce, U.S. national editor and a columnist for the Financial Times, sits down with James M. Lindsay to discuss what we can learn from the life, career, and writings of Zbigniew Brzezinski, national security advisor to President Jimmy Carter.

Podcast with James M. Lindsay and Edward Luce June 10, 2025 The President’s Inbox

South China Sea

The China-Philippines Standoff, With Derek Grossman

Podcast
Derek Grossman, senior defense analyst at RAND and professor of policy analysis at the RAND School of Public Policy, sits down with James M. Lindsay to discuss the confrontations between China and the Philippines over their competing claims in the South China Sea and the consequences for the United States.

Podcast with James M. Lindsay and Derek Grossman June 3, 2025 The President’s Inbox

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Who calls the shots in Iran on economic policy, security, and domestic calls for reform? A look at the government’s organization chart indicates how complicated the answer is.

by CFR.org Editors June 16, 2025

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The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC)
The IRGC is one of the most powerful organizations in Iran, conceived as the principal defender of the 1979 revolution, and now a critical link to Islamist militant groups violently opposed to Israel and the United States.

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Yemen

Iran’s Support of the Houthis: What to Know
Iranian support has boosted the military prowess of Yemen’s Houthi rebels, helping them project force into the Red Sea. Ramped up U.S.-led attacks on the group raise the prospect of military escalation with Iran.

by Kali Robinson March 24, 2025

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Iran

Israel Strikes Iran, With Steven Cook

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Steven Cook, Eni Enrico Mattei Senior Fellow for Middle East and Africa Studies at the Council, sits down with James M. Lindsay to discuss Operation Rising Lion, Israel’s attacks on Iran’s senior military leadership and on its nuclear infrastructure.

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