Course Description

In this one-time lecture, Walid Phares, Ph.D., will address a global assessment of U.S. strategic challenges across the Greater Middle East towards the end of a year that witnessed a massive shift in geopolitics in the region. The lecture will examine the moves by Washington and the options the Biden Administration still has to face, the rising alliance between the Islamic Republic, China, and Russia, the instability increasing from the East Mediterranean to Afghanistan, and American politics diverting attention from U.S. foreign policy during the 2024 election year. Meanwhile, a dramatic development added uncertainty to U.S. policy in the region when Saudi Arabia and Iran signed a normalization agreement in Beijing, followed by Arab countries such as the UAE, Bahrain, and Syria. Expect a top-of-the-line assessment by Professor Phares, who appears in the national and international media and advises policymakers and senior experts.