Middle East Expert Steven Simon's GRAND DELUSION: The Rise and Fall of American Ambition in the Middle East

Booktalk with Diana Korte · Apr 21, 2023 · 10m

Steven Simon, author of seven books, is currently a fellow at MIT 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 in this part of the world. He calls out the enormous and terrible consequences, particularly for the people in the region caught in the crossfire. In our conversation he explains the origins of US interest in the Middle…