Through the Cold War, 1945-90, Washington pursued a successful Middle East policy that kept the Soviets out, oil flowing, and Israel secure. From 1990 until now, however, overambitious policies aimed at fundamentally reshaping the region have resulted in recurring failure and ongoing instability. What are key U.S. interests now? How can Washington get its Middle East mojo back? What can it learn from earlier successes?

Steven A. Cook is Eni Enrico Mattei senior fellow for Middle East and Africa studies at the Council on Foreign Relations. His talk is based on his book, The End of Ambition: America’s Past, Present, and Future in the Middle East (Oxford University Press, 2024). Mr. Cook holds a BA in international studies from Vassar College, an MA in international relations from Johns Hopkins University’s School of Advanced International Studies, and an MA and a PhD in political science from the University of Pennsylvania.