Dexter Filkins

I think we're kind of still in the same place, which is the Iranian project, this grand Iranian project, the Shiite crescent, which consisted of – even though Hamas is Sunni Muslim, but it consisted of Hamas – Hezbollah, Assad in Syria, it's gone. It's been destroyed.

And again, that was a grand multi-billion dollar, incredibly ambitious project to basically take over these states in the Middle East with Iranian allies. It's dead. So it's an incredible opportunity, not just for the individual states, like whether that's Lebanon or Syria or Gaza or

And again, that was a grand multi-billion dollar, incredibly ambitious project to basically take over these states in the Middle East with Iranian allies. It's dead. So it's an incredible opportunity, not just for the individual states, like whether that's Lebanon or Syria or Gaza or

And again, that was a grand multi-billion dollar, incredibly ambitious project to basically take over these states in the Middle East with Iranian allies. It's dead. So it's an incredible opportunity, not just for the individual states, like whether that's Lebanon or Syria or Gaza or

But it's an opportunity to kind of stand back and say, like, is there a possibility here of a kind of grander, bigger, you know, all-in-one peace deal? And I think that's what, you know, there's been a lot of conversation about that. You know, it's the Middle East. It's really hard to pull anything off there.

But it's an opportunity to kind of stand back and say, like, is there a possibility here of a kind of grander, bigger, you know, all-in-one peace deal? And I think that's what, you know, there's been a lot of conversation about that. You know, it's the Middle East. It's really hard to pull anything off there.

But it's an opportunity to kind of stand back and say, like, is there a possibility here of a kind of grander, bigger, you know, all-in-one peace deal? And I think that's what, you know, there's been a lot of conversation about that. You know, it's the Middle East. It's really hard to pull anything off there.

But it's like when you talk about bringing Saudi Arabia into the Abraham Accords and then... Yeah. And then whatever idea ultimately comes in place in Gaza and like, you know, there's a lot of discussion on Gaza, like what is to be done with what is now, you know, a vast stretch of ruin and misery. What can be done?

But it's like when you talk about bringing Saudi Arabia into the Abraham Accords and then... Yeah. And then whatever idea ultimately comes in place in Gaza and like, you know, there's a lot of discussion on Gaza, like what is to be done with what is now, you know, a vast stretch of ruin and misery. What can be done?

But it's like when you talk about bringing Saudi Arabia into the Abraham Accords and then... Yeah. And then whatever idea ultimately comes in place in Gaza and like, you know, there's a lot of discussion on Gaza, like what is to be done with what is now, you know, a vast stretch of ruin and misery. What can be done?

And so there's a lot there's a lot of I mean, Trump's plan is one of many or Trump's idea is is one of many. But it's got to be rebuilt. The people are going to need a place to live. There's no government in Gaza. The people that were running Gaza are dead for the most part. And so, yeah, like that's all got to be re-envisioned or re-imagined and then kind of implemented.

And so there's a lot there's a lot of I mean, Trump's plan is one of many or Trump's idea is is one of many. But it's got to be rebuilt. The people are going to need a place to live. There's no government in Gaza. The people that were running Gaza are dead for the most part. And so, yeah, like that's all got to be re-envisioned or re-imagined and then kind of implemented.

And so there's a lot there's a lot of I mean, Trump's plan is one of many or Trump's idea is is one of many. But it's got to be rebuilt. The people are going to need a place to live. There's no government in Gaza. The people that were running Gaza are dead for the most part. And so, yeah, like that's all got to be re-envisioned or re-imagined and then kind of implemented.

And it's going to take a really long time. But it's an opportunity because the most malevolent actor in the Middle East for the past 30 years has been Iran. And Iran has – they're still standing there in Tehran. but they're on really weak legs.

And it's going to take a really long time. But it's an opportunity because the most malevolent actor in the Middle East for the past 30 years has been Iran. And Iran has – they're still standing there in Tehran. but they're on really weak legs.

And it's going to take a really long time. But it's an opportunity because the most malevolent actor in the Middle East for the past 30 years has been Iran. And Iran has – they're still standing there in Tehran. but they're on really weak legs.

Yes, they're still out there. There's a lot of bad guys out there. One of the first things that Trump did as president, he just did it last week, was order airstrikes against ISIS in Syria. There's tons of ISIS still out there. And everybody's been watching him really closely because there's effectively no government in Syria right now.

Yes, they're still out there. There's a lot of bad guys out there. One of the first things that Trump did as president, he just did it last week, was order airstrikes against ISIS in Syria. There's tons of ISIS still out there. And everybody's been watching him really closely because there's effectively no government in Syria right now.

Yes, they're still out there. There's a lot of bad guys out there. One of the first things that Trump did as president, he just did it last week, was order airstrikes against ISIS in Syria. There's tons of ISIS still out there. And everybody's been watching him really closely because there's effectively no government in Syria right now.

I mean, literally, Ahmed al-Shara, the leader, the sort of leader of the new leader of Syria, Like he gave an interview to The Economist like a week or so ago, and it was remarkable. He was they found him, you know, or they went to meet him sitting in Assad's old palace, which is, you know, six or seven times the size of the White House. And there's basically no one there.