Podcast / Europe & Central Asia 22 December 2020 1 minutes War & Peace: Personal Reflections on 2020, between Europe and the Middle East This week on War & Peace, Olga Oliker interviews co-host Hugh Pope about the updated edition of his book, Dining with Al Qaeda, and how he thinks it helps make sense of the Middle East today. They also reflect on the highs and lows of the year of the pandemic. Share Facebook Twitter Email Linkedin Whatsapp Save Print S2 E8: Personal Reflections on 2020, between Europe and the Middle East “I think I should kill you”. So began one especially fraught encounter in Hugh Pope’s critically acclaimed memoir, Dining with Al Qaeda, now out in an updated edition. He joins Olga Oliker as co-host-turned-guest for this week’s episode to reflect on how his three decades of reporting in the Middle East remain relevant for Western readers grappling to understand the region today. Olga and Hugh then reflect on the year that was and how COVID-19 became a phenomenon that has both disrupted life as we knew it and accelerated broader geopolitical trends. While physical borders have been reinforced and personal horizons shrunk to the here and now, the unprecedented reality of lockdown in a digital era has also allowed for a reimagined sense of identity and community. What big questions remain to be unpacked on War & Peace in 2021? Tune in to find out! Click here to listen on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. For more information: Visit www.hughpope.com to find out more about Dining with Al Qaeda: Making Sense of the Middle East See The Covid-19 Pandemic and Deadly Conflict page Related Tags More for you Podcast / Hold Your Fire! (Season 2) Podcast / Horn of Africa The Horn (Season 3)