The Middle East and US Foreign Policy: What Happens Next?

June 06, 2026 The future of U.S. policy in the Middle East remains one of the most consequential questions in global affairs. As conflict, political instability and shifting alliances continue to reshape the region, American policymakers face difficult choices about diplomacy, security and long-term engagement. Moderated by Baker Institute Director David Satterfield, we will host a discussion featuring Aaron Miller and Daniel Kurtzer, both experts in U.S-Middle East policy. Together they will examine the challenges facing the United States across the Middle East, from Gaza and Lebanon to Iran, and consider where U.S. policy may be headed next. Drawing on decades of diplomatic experience, the panelists will discuss the evolving geopolitical landscape, the role of American leadership and the policy decisions likely to shape the region in the years ahead. Moderator David M. Satterfield Director, Rice University’s Baker Institute for Public Policy; Janice and Robert McNair Chair in Public Policy; Former ambassador to Lebanon and Turkey Featured Speakers Aaron Miller is a senior fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, where he focuses on U.S. foreign policy and the Middle East. A former State Department advisor and negotiator, he served Republican and Democratic secretaries of state between 1978 and 2003, helping shape U.S. policy on the Middle East and the Arab-Israeli peace process. His roles included senior advisor for Arab-Israeli negotiations and deputy special Middle East coordinator. He received the State Department’s Distinguished, Superior and Meritorious Honor Awards. Miller is the author of five books, including "The End of Greatness: Why America Can’t Have (and Doesn’t Want) Another Great President" (St. Martin's Press, 2014) and "The Much Too Promised Land: America’s Elusive Search for Arab-Israeli Peace" (Random House Publishing Group, 2008). He hosts "Carnegie Connects," Carnegie’s live podcast, and is a frequent commentator on CNN, MSNBC, NPR, BBC and SiriusXM. He earned a doctorate in Middle East and U.S. diplomatic history from the University of Michigan. Daniel C. Kurtzer is the S. Daniel Abraham Professor of Middle East Policy Studies at Princeton University’s School of Public and International Affairs. A former career diplomat, he served in the U.S. Foreign Service for 29 years, retiring in 2005 with the rank of career minister. From 2001 to 2005, he was U.S. ambassador to Israel, and from 1997 to 2001, he served as U.S. ambassador to Egypt. Throughout his career, Kurtzer played a central role in shaping and implementing U.S. policy related to the Middle East peace process. Kurtzer previously served in a range of senior State Department roles, including deputy assistant secretary of state for Near Eastern affairs and principal deputy assistant secretary of state for intelligence and research. He remains active in Middle East Track II diplomacy and has served on the secretary of state’s Foreign Affairs Policy Board. He is the co-author of “Negotiating Arab-Israeli Peace: American Leadership in the Middle East” (United States Institute of Peace Press, 2008) and “The Peace Puzzle: America’s Quest for Arab-Israeli Peace, 1989-2011” (Cornell University Press, 2012), and editor of “Pathways to Peace: America and the Arab-Israeli Conflict” (Palgrave Macmillan, 2012). He earned his doctorate from Columbia University. Follow the Baker Institute on social media X ►► https://x.com/BakerInstitute Instagram ►►   / bakerinstitute   LinkedIn ►►   / bakerinstitute   Facebook ►►   / bakerinstitute   About the Baker Institute The Baker Institute is a nonpartisan public policy institute at Rice University. Ranked the No. 1 university-based think tank in the world, its mission is to bridge the world of ideas and the world of action. Visit our website to learn more: https://www.bakerinstitute.org/.