Scholars Unravel Middle East

The Ottomans, Portuguese and British have fought over Yemen. And through it all, the Zaydi Imamate has been there - since the 9th century. These are the roots of the Houthis - Shia Muslims who practice a different Shi'ism than Iran. As important as their religions beliefs may seem, including their association with Iran, as you will learn in this episode, it's more about geopolitics and pow...

The Ottomans, Portuguese and British have fought over Yemen. And through it all, the Zaydi Imamate has been there - since the 9th century. These are the roots of the Houthis - Shia Muslims who practice a different Shi'ism than Iran. As important as their religions beliefs may seem, including their association with Iran, as you will learn in this episode, it's more about geopolitics and pow...

Middle East reclaims the glories of its past - real and imagined. As you'll note in this episode, colonialism derailed the history of Middle East. And now its despots, representatives, clerics, and the masses reach for history to continue what they believe should be their paths. Interestingly, despite the repression of most Middle East countries, vibrant intellectual communities have flourishe...

Does history have a meaning? Christianity demands a meaning - because human life is not in vain. And Islam is similar. But our perception of history has changed in the last 300 years. It has become more secularized. Interestingly, political Islam is a product of that process. After you have listened to this episode, please share your thoughts regarding the following questions: Do you think that pe...

Losing an American ally & the Carter Doctrine! In yesterday's conversation with Dr. Bacevich, we discussed how America's military strategy transitioned from fighting Nazis and fascists, and later fighting proxy wars against communists, to fighting in the Middle East. In this episode, Dr. Bacevich tells us about the fall of America's prime ally in the Middle East - the Shah of Iran....

What was the Carter Doctrine? How did the fall of the Shah of Iran affect U.S. military policy in the Middle East? Did America take sides in the Iran-Iraq War? We love to get your answer to these questions: Before listening to this episode, did you know that the United States supported Saddam Hussein in his long war against Iran? Do you believe that America should continue to intervene in Middle E...

Is democracy the best form of government for the economic progress of countries in the Middle East? If your answer is yes, then how do you explain Turkiye? But if your answer is no, then how do you explain the UAE? And if not democracy, then what form of government would you suggest? ⁠ click here to answer ⁠ This question form will expire on Fir., Feb. 2, 2024. My guest for this episode is Dr. Phi...

And when did Middle Easterners begin to all fall behind Europeans? And what does it even mean to fall behind? For progress, which one do you think is better: many small states competing against each other? big states with huge resources and internal stability? click here to answer This question form will expire on Wed., Jan. 31, 2024. My guest for this episode is Dr. Philip T. Hoffman. He is a pro...

Welcome to our new program. I am Adel Aali, host of Unravelling the Middle East , an in-depth history and analysis podcast that will launch on January 25, 2024. In this program, I ask my guests, who are all preeminent scholars, fundamental questions about the Middle East. Unravelling the Middle East is a production of the ⁠History Behind News⁠ program. I started the History Behind News podcast thr...