Chris Voss Podcast – Grand Delusion: The Rise and Fall of American Ambition in the Middle East by Steven Simon

·58 min·5 clips

Steven Simon explains how U.S. intelligence was right but ignored for decades in Middle East policy.

The episode features an interview with Steven Simon, author of 'Grand Delusion', discussing his analysis of U.S. Middle East policy over 40 years. Simon explains his motivation for writing the book, including reflecting on his government career and following up on Lawrence Friedman's work. He outlines three main themes: U.S. administrations operated on big ideas detached from reality, were impervious to contrary evidence including from intelligence, and struggled with Iran policy. The conversation traces administrations from Carter to Biden, with examples like Reagan's initial view of Iran as a key partner and the Bush wars in Iraq. Simon identifies oil and Israel as core U.S. interests, noting how oil supported Cold War strategy and Israel had domestic political backing. He discusses the use of military power and the dollar as tools, but argues they proved delusional in achieving goals. The interview touches on specific events, such as the 1991 and 2003 Iraq wars, Obama's Iran nuclear deal, and Syria intervention. Simon suggests the 'fever' of intervention may be breaking, with recent administrations showing reluctance. Voss and Simon explore broader implications, like public war fatigue and political shifts, emphasizing the importance of learning from history.

As heard by us

Oil and Israel anchor a clear look at U.S. Middle East policy.

The episode lays out Chris Voss's focus on two U.S. interests in the Middle East: oil and Israel. It explains the postwar case for Persian Gulf oil, especially the argument that Europe needed a steady supply to rebuild after World War Two and to resist communist pressure, while…

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You get the U.S. Middle East story through oil, Israel, and Cold War logic.

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