Polls show that vast numbers of Middle Easterners believe the US wants to divide their region, take over their oil and replace Islam with Christianity. Al Jazeera TV, newspapers and magazines promote the idea of a grand conspiracy by an invincible Superpower. Conspiracy theories about western imperialism have a rich history in the Middle East. While recently, it's the United States that gets the blame—or the credit—for events that might otherwise be inexplicable, the chaos of the Iraq occupation appears to be changing public opinion. Is America incompetent after all? Can it be defeated? With public opinion changing, where does that leave the governments supported by the US? What will it mean for American interests in a volatile region?
Is the Great Satan a Big Blunderer?
Credits
Guests:
- Richard Bulliet - Professor of History, Columbia University
- Rami Khouri - syndicated columnist, senior fellow at the Belfer Center and professor of public policy at the American University of Beirut - @RamiKhouri
- Danielle Pletka - American Enterprise Institute - @dpletka
- Gregory Gause - Director of Middle East Studies, University of Vermont
- Fawaz Gerges - London School of Economics and Politics