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Maxwell School News and Commentary

Filtered by: Middle East & North Africa

Koch Speaks With Freakonomics Radio About Why Arizona Grows Feed for Cows in Saudi Arabia

"What makes Arizona special is that when you have this desert land, you can grow alfalfa at an incredibly fast rate because of the amount of sunshine. So, as long as you have plentiful water, you can just grow," says Natalie Koch, professor of geography and the environment.

March 6, 2024

Koch Discusses Saudi Arabia’s Investment in Sports in El País Article

“These investments try to connect with as many young Arabs who have an interest in sports,” says Natalie Koch, professor of geography and the environment. “It is part of the construction of a new identity, one that goes beyond the concept of being the epicenter of the Sunni Muslim world.”

February 23, 2024

Murrett Discusses Tensions in the Middle East With Defense One, The Hill, Newsweek and VOA News

 “​​Difficult choices will be required in the days and weeks ahead as military operations continue a policy of strong deterrence without seeking widespread escalation that could harm our interests and those of our allies,” says Vice Adm. Robert Murrett (Ret.), professor of practice of public administration and international affairs.

February 5, 2024

Sultana Discusses the Feedback Loops Between War and Fossil Fuels in Atmos Article

“The control of oil and gas resources has been a key factor in many conflicts and geopolitical imperialism, either by providing part of the motivation for an invasion or by helping countries fund their militaries,” says Farhana Sultana, professor of geography and the environment. “Conflict, in turn, feeds production by driving up oil and gas prices,” she adds.

January 26, 2024

Murrett Quoted in Military Times Article on What the Navy Is Learning From Its Fight in the Red Sea

“This is a mix we haven’t seen before, and it does represent a new wrinkle,” says Vice Adm. Robert Murrett (Ret.), professor of practice of public administration and international affairs, of the types of munitions the Navy is intercepting and the sustained nature of the threat.

January 25, 2024

Murrett Talks to GlobalSecurity.org About the Ongoing Attacks by the Houthi Fighters

"The ongoing attacks by the Houthi fighters in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden, increased activity by Hezbollah in southern Lebanon, and the steady attacks on U.S. and coalition forces in Syria and Iraq represent a clear risk of escalation throughout the region," says Vice Adm. Robert Murrett (Ret.), professor of practice of public administration and international affairs.

January 19, 2024

Khalil Comments on Secretary of State Blinken’s Latest Middle East Trip in Al Jazeera Article

With little indication that the U.S. will attempt to assert leverage over Israel, Blinken’s latest trip to the Middle East is fundamentally “performative,” says Osamah Khalil, professor of history. “There is a face-saving domestic consumption element for [the Biden administration] and a separate face-saving element to allow Israel to claim some kind of victory,” he says.

January 18, 2024

Murrett Discusses the Houthi Attacks in the Red Sea in NY Times and Telegraph Articles

Vice Adm. Robert Murrett (Ret.), professor of practice of public administration and international affairs, warns that the attacks in the Red Sea could easily drag on for the whole of 2024. “In the mind of the Houthi, this is all connected to what’s happening in Gaza,” says Murrett. “And the operations in Gaza could last for the rest of this calendar year.”

January 9, 2024

Banks Piece on Drones Making Wars Deadlier Published in The Globe and Mail

"Drones have been a feature of war for several decades, but today’s conflicts such as the Israel-Hamas war and the Ukraine war show how the technology is changing modern combat. Ever more powerful drones have become cheaper and easier to fabricate and deploy," writes William Banks, professor emeritus of public administration and international affairs.

December 29, 2023

Khalil Discusses US Support for Israel in Newsweek and Vox Articles

“As this continues over the next few weeks, you’re going to see even greater distance between the U.S. and its allies, and the U.S. and Israel increasingly isolated,” says Osamah Khalil, professor of history and chair of the International Relations Undergraduate Program.

December 21, 2023

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