
MEI's Senior Fellow for US Foreign Policy Brian Katulis sits down with a cast of friends, colleagues, and fellow MENA policy professionals for casual conversations on the most important happenings in the Middle East today.
| Publishes | Twice monthly | Episodes | 30 | Founded | 9 months ago |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Number of Listeners | Category | News | |||

Brian welcomes Ambassador (ret.) Theodore "Ted" Kattouf, who previously served as US Ambassador to Syria and the United Arab Emirates, as well as President and CEO of the leading nonprofit organization Amideast. Kattouf reflects on how his Palestinia... more
In this episode, Brian sits down with Faisal Abbas, editor-in-chief of Arab News. Abbas, who reported on Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman's November 18 visit to the White House, unpacks his impressions from the visit and the opportunities it pr... more
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman's November 2025 visit to the United States is his first in more than seven years, and during the past few years Saudi Arabia has assumed an increasingly prominent role in regional and global affairs. In this epi... more
In this episode of Taking the Edge Off the Middle East, host Brian Katulis is joined by Mara Rudman, MEI Distinguished Diplomatic Fellow and veteran of the Obama and Clinton administrations. Together, they discuss political processes, peacemaking, an... more
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I’ve really been enjoying this podcast. What makes it stand out is how approachable and safe the conversations feel—there’s no heavy-handed agenda, just thoughtful, balanced discussions about the most important happenings in the Middle East.
Brian is a super host that both takes the typical frown away from the Middle East geopolitics discourse and brings the most insights from his guests. A must listen.
MEI does an amazing job providing honest, candid, and thought provoking insights about the Middle East in these podcast episodes. Strongly recommended for those who are interested in witty and thoughtful depictions of the Middle East and its conflicts.
Brian and his guests are foreign policy veterans who showcase their expertise in a chill environment.
Wonderful insights from experts in Middle East foreign policy. They make it fun!









Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.
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Taking the Edge Off the Middle East launched 9 months ago and published 30 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.
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