Booktalk: Middle East Expert Steven Simon’s “GRAND DELUSION: The Rise and Fall of American Ambition in the Middle East”

Steven Simon, author of seven books, is currently a fellow at MIT (Mass. Inst. Tech) after spending nearly 40 years specializing in the Middle East in a variety of high-level jobs both in and out of government.

In his newest book, “GRAND DELUSION: The Rise and Fall of American Ambition in the Middle East,” he is both candid and clear about the gap between US policymakers’ fantasy and reality. He calls out the enormous and terrible consequences, particularly for the people in the region caught in the crossfire as a result of this gap.

In our conversation he explains the origins of US interest in the Middle East, which president offered “The Deal of the Century” (chapters are organized by president), and what 2 countries in the region actually benefitted from the American presence.

Top authors are interviewed on this 10-minute program that captures their words about their books and ideas and often the story behind the story. The show, hosted by Diana Korte and engineered by Gene Korte, has been in production for more than 25 years.

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