Added 6.12.18. Foreshadowing much of the current conversation about the Middle East, Milt plus guests Charles Lipson and Laith Saud explore pressing questions such as, do Israel and Iran actually have any real intention of working out their differences, or is all the rhetorical jousting really just for political affect? How should Israel think about compromise with Palestine while still preserving the Israeli state? Is Israel less a “Jewish” state than a modern, vibrant and pluralistic democracy? Is the dichotomy between Sunni and Shia Arabs greatly overplayed? What role does Islamic fundamentalism continue to play in the Middle East? Does not the U.S. allow for easier assimilation by Arab immigrants than, say, France, because its jobs and housing markets are markedly more open? This and much more is on the table. Lipson is a distinguished expert on foreign affairs, prolific writer, and former chair of the political science department at the University of Chicago. Saud brings a unique perspective to the conversation, having been born in Iraq and migrated with his parents to the U.S. at an early age. He is an assistant professor of religious studies at DePaul University, and founder of a company which provides counsel to media and NGOs focused on the Middle East.