Hi Folks,
We had another illuminating conversation today about the US-Israeli war against Iran today! This time, Merissa Khurma joined me to unpack the regional consequences of the war for the broader Middle East. It was a lively discussion showcasing Merissa’s deep regional knowledge and expertise.
Merissa Khurma is Founder and CEO of Amena Strategies, a fellow at the Baker Institute at Rice University, former Director of the Middle East Program at The Wilson Center (before the Trump Administration killed it), and a former Jordanian diplomat. See her full bio and check out her work at Amena Strategies and Foundation here.
Topics we discussed included:
Whether the war will lead to a fundamental reordering of the Middle East
The role of Saudi Arabia and other Gulf Cooperation Council states — including consideration of reporting that Saudi Crown Prince MBS lobbied Trump for war
Impact on Lebanon of renewed war between Israel and Hizballah
Public opinion in the Middle East regarding the war against Iran
Impact of ongoing Israeli actions against Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank on Arab governments and public opinion
Overt religious dimensions to the war and dangers they could pose
As always, I’d love to hear what you think! Share your thoughts in the comments.
More Coming Up This Week!
Thursday, March 12 — Time TBA:
Just added! Former Israeli Knesset Speaker Avrum Burg will return to The Debrief to share his reflections on the war and current public opinion in Israel. As you’ll know if you’ve seen him previously on The Debrief, Avrum is a fascinating thinker. You won’t want to miss this conversation. For info on the schedule, check The Debrief’s chat, where I’ll post the timing as soon as I know it (likely tomorrow). Also, make sure you’re subscribed to The Debrief to receive a notification when Avrum and I go live.
Friday, March 13 at 2pm Eastern:
With the US at war — led by a tattooed Secretary of Defense who has brought misogynist, theocracy-supporting preacher Doug Wilson to lead a Pentagon prayer service and spoken approvingly of rebuilding the temple on the Temple Mount/Haram al-Sharif — we need to have a serious conversation about the role white Christian nationalism is playing in US foreign policy under Donald Trump.
It’s not just Pete Hegseth, of course. US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee, a Christian Zionist pastor, believes Israel is entitled to control much of the Middle East. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has lectured Europeans about the “urgent threat” to the survival of “Western civilization” based in part on “Christian faith.” House Speaker Mike Johnson’s Capitol Hill office is adorned with the Appeal to Heaven flag. The The Military Religious Freedom Foundation reports receiving calls from US servicemembers regarding religious comments made by US commanders regarding the war in Iran. (Members of Congress are calling for an investigation by the Pentagon.) Evangelical leaders laid hands on Donald Trump in the Oval Office yesterday, praying for him and expressing gratitude for his “courageous decision to strike the terrorist regime in Iran.”
I’m delighted to welcome Tim Whitaker of The New Evangelicals back to The Debrief. We’ll also speak about Democratic nominee for US Senate from Texas James Talarico and the alternative vision of Christianity he powerfully represents. Tim has interviewed Talarico on multiple occasions, including here.
This is a tremendously consequential time for American democracy, Israel-Palestine, and the broader Middle East. I’m working hard at The Debrief to inform and enlighten, bringing you analysis and incisive discussions that you won’t find elsewhere. If you value this work, would you consider chipping in to keep it going? I’d be so grateful. Thanks!
Looking forward to seeing you soon!
Hang in there,
Debra
P.S. For more of The Debrief’s content on the Iran war, check out the podcast archive. I put out this 10-minute explainer on the day Israel and the US launched the war against Iran that lots of folks found helpful. I had a great conversation (as always!) on THE LEFT HOOK with Wajahat Ali that you’ll enjoy. Former Deputy Head of Israel’s National Security Council Eran Etzion and I had a meaty discussion that delved deep into PM Benjamin Netanyahu’s motivations for war and the likely consequences.
