NPR’s All Things Considered: Blinken heads off on another visit to Middle East as conflict spreads

Secretary of State Antony Blinken is headed to the Middle East this week, following the killing of Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar by the Israel Defence Forces, and as Israel continues its war against Hezbollah in Lebanon. Michele Kelemen of NPR interviewed CIP’s Executive Vice President Matt Duss about Blinken’s upcoming trip.

For hawks inside Washington, this is a moment for Israel to press the advantage against Hamas and Hezbollah, both seen as Iranian proxies. Says Duss:

“There are people in the Biden administration who are buying this. They see what is happening in Gaza, what is happening in Lebanon, possible strikes elsewhere in the region including Iran, essentially as a way to reshuffle the regional security deck. We have seen historically this kind of hubris and overreach does not deliver peace, it does not deliver stability, it has a whole set of unintended consequences, they may not happen right now but they will come. I think the United States looks more powerless with every successive trip [Blinken] takes there and comes back with nothing.”

Listen to Duss on NPR.